Hollow Souls

•10•

Lilah

I sat up in the corner of my cell, small bits of my hair hanging in front of my face. Three guards stepped into the cell, one holding something behind her back and the other two grabbing my wrists and hauling me to my feet. I didn't fight. What was the point? It only made it worse when I fought them. They tugged my arms behind my back and the woman who had something behind her back walked over, holding out irons that were put on my arms. I tugged at them slightly and winced as they tightened when I did so.

"I wouldn't do that girl." The woman smirked at me. "The more you fight, the tighter they get."

"Yeah. I got that." I mumbled, slackening my arms. My back hissed in pain as I felt a blade drag along my skin. I felt the blade drag down my back seven more times and every time I bit down on my lip to keep from crying out.

"That's enough." The woman spoke again and one of the other guards stepped in front of me, cleaning blood off their knife. My blood. "Come." She waved her hand and I was brought up to the ballroom once again. I saw my family, each of them being held down with blades at their throats and at least three of them visibly shaking. I looked away from them, straight at Deiamia. Spencer stood behind her, his usual bored expression on his face.

"It seems it is time for your second task." Deiamia's voice replaced the silence. I could feel my blood soaking through my shirt, dripping down my back as I said nothing, just starting into her eyes. She looked to the guard holding me. "You know what to do." I was dragged onto a raised circular platform and shoved to my knees, my back screaming. "Get the other one as well." Deiamia waved her hand and another figure was dragged out, a hood over their head so I didn't know who it was. The person was shoved to their knees next to me, their wrists chained down to the platform. The hood was ripped off and I could've cried. Fire red hair, greenish gold hazel eyes. Emily. My best friend since forever. My heart stopped. No. How did Deiamia find her, much less know who she was to me? I didn't get the chance to ask as Deiamia snapped her fingers and a wall of glass separated the redheaded girl and myself. Glass surrounded the platform we sat on, creating what seemed like a tank. Something soaked through my boots and I looked down. Water. Water was filling the tank. "You have to get not only yourself out, but also your friend here." Deiamia's voice was slightly muffled through the glass but I knew what she meant. Get both of us out before we drowned. Stupid woman. I was from summer. I'd be alright. But Emily, she was from Autumn. Shit. The smell hit my nose. Salt water. My back- I looked around wildly, seeing a chain connecting my cuffs to the floor. A key. There had to be a key somewhere. I looked up. The edge of the glass had a small key hanging from it. No bigger than my ring finger. One problem. The walls surrounding us were nearly twice my height. The water was up to my knees now.

"Lilah!" I threw my head to the right and saw Emily and saw that she was stuck on her knees, her wings bound, unable to stand. Crap crap crap. The water was to her ribs. The chain connecting to the floor was long enough I could reach the key. If I could get it before Emily drowned. My knees started to shake as panic built in my chest and I fell, my back now in the water. A scream of pain sounded from my lips as the salt water seeped into my wounds. I got to my feet, biting my lip before glancing at my friend. The water was up to her throat now. I looked around my half of the tank-like structure and I knew something to try. I pressed my back against the glass separating Emily and I and put my feet up on the wall opposite of my back. I started moving my feet like I was walking, sliding my back up the glass panel. My back hissed at the movement but I kept going.

"Em, hold your breath!" The girl nodded and got a breath just before her head went under. I had about a minute to get her out. I reached the top of the tank, my legs shaking as I twisted my head and took the key in my mouth before letting myself drop into the water.

Spencer

Lilah dropped into the water as I chewed on the inside of my lip. She fumbled with the key, trying to unlock the cuffs that held her arms behind her back. She got one wrist free and held her arms out in front of her, unlocking the other side of the cuffs. She kicked up to the surface of the water and grabbed the edge of the glass divider, trying to get to the girl on the other side. I closed my eyes as I saw the blood that stained the water on Lilah's side of the tank Deiamia had trapped them in. A splash was audible and I opened my eyes again. Lilah was swimming down to the red haired girl, reaching for her. Lilah gripped her arm and unlocked her cuffs, hauling her to the surface of the water. She started kicking and punching at the glass, trying to break it. It cracked with every contact and eventually, shattered, sending both girls spilling out onto broken glass. The red-haired girl coughed as she stood, her legs visibly shaking. Lilah stood next to her.

"I completed your task." She panted before falling, the other girl catching her. That's when I saw her back. Eight cuts, all long and deep, marred her skin. That's why she cried out when her back touched the water. That's why there was blood. Both girls were bleeding now, probably from landing on the broken glass.

"That you did." Deiamia hissed through clenched teeth. "Take her to her cell." Both girls, along with Lilah's family, were dragged off. I thought she wasn't looking when I let out a sigh of relief. Thought she wouldn't notice the look of relief that crossed my face for only a second. I was wrong. Cold fingers gripped my jaw, roughly turning my head. I swallowed my yelp as I looked at her, meeting the red eyes that had started to haunt me. "You seem relieved that our, guest survived. Any particular reason?"

"N-no my Lady." I silently cursed myself for stumbling over my words.

"Liar." She hissed. Her face morphed into one of understanding, then her mouth curled into her usual cruel smirk. "Oh this is delicious. She's your mate." Her cruel chuckle echoed through the ballroom.

I shook my head. "No."

She raised an eyebrow at me. "Oh?" She smirked and pulled my head closer to her. I gripped the arms of the throne and swallowed. "It would do you well not to lie to me, prince." She snapped her fingers and two of her guards seized my arms. "You know where I want him." She let go of my jaw and the guards dragged me off. I fully expected to be tossed in a cell but I was wrong. I was shoved into a bedroom, the room decked with red, silver and black. The doors slammed shut behind me and I turned, grabbing the knob before yelping. It had shocked me. I looked around the room. No windows. How strange. As far as I knew every room in the palace had a window. The lock on the door clicked and I started backing up. Deiamia stepped into the room and smirked, starting towards me after closing the door. I stepped back until I was against the wall and Deiamia followed me. She pinned me between herself and the wall, brushing a hand over my face.

"Such a handsome prince." She purred, starting to unbutton my jacket.

"Please don't." My words were barely a whisper, my voice breaking. "Please." I pressed my back against the wall, trying to get away.

"Do not disobey me." She growled. I blocked out what happened from there.

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I left Deiamia's room, shaking. Tears stained my cheeks. I hated her. Hated this. Hated myself. Hated myself for what I let myself become. I went into my room and fell against the wall, tears starting to fall again as I hugged my knees to my chest. Sobs racked through my body as choked sounds came from my throat. Her voice filled my head and I covered my ears. I wanted to forget. Wanted to forget her voice in my ears. Wanted to forget the feeling of her hands on my skin.