Don't be afraid, darling ✔[COMPLETED]

Chapter 37: Respite from suffering

Kiara's POV:

"Open your eyes, my dear celeste," crooned Nathaniel, still gripping my arms from behind.

An icy cold gust of wind whipped my hair back. I kept my eyes shut fearing what I would see. I seemed to be standing on firm ground. I strained my ears to catch something other than Nathaniel's raspy voice, but the place was silent as a graveyard.

It was cold. So cold.

I slowly opened my eyes. It took them a while to get accustomed to the dark. We seemed to be standing in a cell of some sort. Damp, mossy walls, thick steel bars on one wall and rough, rocky floor. It was too dark to see the other end of the cell, but I could hear the distant clanging of chains.

I turned around to face the evil sorcerer, "What is this place?" I tried my best not to show my fear.

He chuckled nastily, pointing to the other end of the cell, "This is where wrongdoers get punished."

I raised my eyebrows, "You mean this is hell?"

"What else? Ironic really. A celeste, a creature of the heavens. In hell," he let out another of his unpleasant laughs and pushed me towards the direction he had been pointing at, "Come on, now. We don't want to keep them waiting."

"Keep who waiting?" He didn't answer, but continued to maneuver me towards the dark end of the cell.

We finally reached the destination. It was just like in the mirror at the House of Avyanna.

A broken, bleeding Zorraine chained to the jagged wall. He was slumped forwards and my heart wrenched painfully on seeing the numerous cuts and bruises all over him.

Cassian really had been angry enough to do that to his own brother.

Nathaniel flicked his finger and the chains tightened around Zorraine's neck, forcing him to sit straight and choking him.

Horrified, I leapt forward and grabbed the chains, trying to loosen them. "Stop it! He's been tortured enough, don't you think?" I cried indignantly.

The chains didn't budge, but Zorraine managed to raise his head weakly to look at me. "K- Kiara?" His voice came out strangled.

The million cuts and bruises disfigured his face, but he was still beautiful. He was fighting. Trying his best to hold up.

I started to cry again at his broken voice, unable to speak and behind us, Nathaniel chuckled.

"You two should see how pathetic you look! Do not interfere, now, celeste. I shall avenge my death from this worthless scum."

Confused, I stared at his form, hazy through my tears, "Avenge your death?  Zorraine killed you?"

Before he could answer, Zorraine himself snorted disdainfully, "This worthless scum tore your heart from your chest, remember? You were always a power hungry psychopath, Nathaniel. You deserved what you got."

Nathaniel's face hardened. The chains tightened even more. Zorraine let out a choked groan as his face started to turn blue.

Mentally cursing Zorraine for provoking Nathaniel, I ran to the latter and grabbed his hand.

"Please, Nathaniel. Let him go. You wanted to get my powers? Sure, you can have them. But stop torturing him. Please!" I pleaded desperately.

Nathaniel's eyes darkened even more as he shook off my hand from his own.
His creepy smile adorned his face once more. I stepped back out of instinct. He must be planning something.