Chapter 22
Sabrina’s POV:
My screamed echoed throughout the empty dungeons. The silence that followed after told me that I was the only one here. there were no other prisoners. The cells were dark and a terrible smell hung in the air. There were perhaps a few candles far off, but not enough to produce any tangible light. The cell I was thrown into was swallowed by a terrifying darkness that seemed to gain a physical form, twisting and moving and mocking me.
My heart raced like a furious war drum, thumping against my rib cage as if it wanted to be let free. I grabbed the cold steel bars of the cell and pulled at it, hoping that by a lunar miracle I would be able to yank it open and leave.
The bars didn’t budge one bit no matter how much I tugged and pulled at it.
I screamed. And I screamed. For help, for anyone to listen to me. For anyone to hear that I didn’t do it, that I wasn’t a thief.
No one came.
Only the sounds of my echoing screams could be heard. I slumped in front of the bars, willing myself not to cry, not to waste my tears on something like this.
I pulled my knees to my chest and hugged myself close. I must remain calm. This is ridiculous. Sooner or later, someone will realize the truth and I’ll be out of here.
I only knew I had fallen asleep when I woke up to icy water splashed on me.
I jolted up, the cold instantly seeped into my bones. For a few seconds, I was lost. Looking around I realized I was still in that dank cell. But I wasn’t alone.
Three guards were in the cell with me, and they didn’t look happy at all.
I scrambled to my feet, seeking to p tossed the bucket to the side. One of them held a whip in his hand. The sight of it made my blood run cold. My teeth
put as much space between me and them. The one who had poured the water on me chattered from the cold, and my clothes stuck to my skin, adding to the chill spreading through my body.
“What are you doing?” I asked, eyeing them warily.
The one with the whip smirked at me, “It’s time for your breakfu, little thief.
“I didn’t steal anything!” I cried out. “Anyone can see that!”
He cracked the whip. The other two advanced on me. I took a step back realized I had nowhere left to run to
a stupid mistake. My hack hit the wall and 1
“Do you know what the single rule in the harem is?” The one with the whip asked. The sound of the whip lashing throughout the air made my blood curdle
No one made mention of any rules.
“Stealing in’t allowed. He completed his sentence, cold eyes burning into mine. “Right here, everything you need is provided. Why would you feel the need to steal?”
“I didn’t steal, I was set up, I said hirmly, keeping my eyes on that evil whip. That thing looked like one slash of it would cut through any skin.
“Hold her dowir the guard with the whip said to the other two.
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“No! Please!” I cried, shaking my head wildly.
That didn’t stop them..
They grabbed both my hands and tied them together securely. I pulled and tugged, my wrists screamed out in protest but still I tried to find a weak point in the knots. There was none.
“For your crime, you will receive twenty whips,”
My legs were tied at my ankles. The guards pinned me to the cold floor, my arms held above my head, my feet pressed firmly into the ground. My face was in the concrete floor, the smell of damp and dew burned my nostrils. I heard the guard with the whip advance, his footsteps like the countdown to my punishment.
Punishment for what I didn’t do.
“Count.” He said. And that was the only warning he gave before the whip descended on my back.
I howled in pain, the whip went straight to my brain and overloaded my pain receptors,
“Count! Or we start from the beginning. The cruel guard said.
It burned. It was like I had hot water splashed on my back. And it was only one, nineteen more to go.
“O–one, I gasped, my breath shuddering and my entire body trembling.
The whip landed on my back again. I bit my lip hard so I wouldn’t scream, but that failed.
“T–two,
By the fifth, I was crying. Sobbing and begging them to let me go. I had lost feeling in my wrists, no doubt it was broken now with the force the guard used to pin me to the ground. Same with my ankles. My back was on fire the pain stinging and sharp. By ten, I had gone numb. The tears froze on my face, and my body shook as if I had a bad fever. The whips came down repeatedly on my back, the wicked guard forced me to count each stroke.
“N–n–nineteen,” I rasped out. My voice was hoarse from all my screaming, and I could taste blood in my throat. My entire back felt raw, but I couldn’t cry anymore. All the tears I had had been exhausted.
I winced as the last stroke came down on my back. Twenty
The guards holding me got to their feet. I laid on the cold floor, my cheek pressed into the concrete. Everywhere hurt. Especially my back. Every small breeze on my back sent pinpricks all over my body.
“You’re strong. The guard who had been holding my hands said “The last girl passed out at nine.”
If I had strength, I would have bitten his vocal cords out of his fucking throat.
I had no idea how much time had passed since I was trapped down here. But it hadn’t been more than a day, right?
I couldn’t move from the spot on the ground for a good number of hours. The back of my gown had been ripped to bloody shreds and was hanging on my body only by my shoulders.
A warn light started to get closer. I managed to drag myself ante sitting position and leaned on the wall on my side. It would be a suicide mission leaning on my back.
The light turned out to be a candle. Blair’s face came into view. She stood right outside my cell, looking out of place in her bright colors.
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“Hello slave.” She cooed, a wicked grin on her face. “Having a good time?”
I didn’t have the strength to reply her. My throat burned, and my tongue stuck to the roof of my mouth with how dry it was. Still, I mustered a glare at her. It’s all her fault I was here right now. And what do you know she’s wearing the necklace she framed me for stealing.
“Just two days and you look half dead. She chuckled, her nose wrinkled with disgust as she looked at me. It’s like you’re decaying already” She chortled, covering her mouth as she laughed. Just two days I should have done this much sooner.”
“Y–you’ll pay.” I gasped, my voice barely above a whisper. But she heard me. Her lips curled up in a Vicious smirk.
“Survive first, and then worry about making me pay. Oh that’s right, you can’t survive! You’re going to die here!”
She began to laugh like it was the funniest thing ever. Me dying in a wretched place like this? It would have been better if Zayn had rammed a silver dagger into my brain than for me to die here.
“Here.” She dropped the candle close to the steel bars. “To keep you warm
I hobbled closer to the cell bars and kicked the candle over. It’s light went out, and the space was engulfed in darkness.
Fuck you. I spat at Blair. My voice weak..
Her laugh echoed down the hall as she walked away.
It’s been two days already. No food, no water here.
How many more days will I have to stay here for?
I jerked from a fitful sleep. Someone was watching me intently, I felt it.
I turned my head, my neck muscles screamed out from the odd angle I had fallen asleep in. Lady Nifra stood outside my cell, her face a cold and stony mask illuminated by candle light.
“What?” I groaned, my voice hoarse. “Say what you like. I didn’t do it.”
She didn’t reply. Her jaw clenched and her fingers tightened around the candle holder.
I couldn’t keep my eyes open from much longer. Soon I fell into another bleak sleep.
The hours drenched in darkness ticked by. I think at a point I was given food, a piece of stale bread and half a cup of water. The sight of the food alone made me feel sick. I forced myself to eat, and ended up dry heaving the piece of bread out of
my throat
I needed to use the toilet. My bladder felt like it was going to burst. But the guard who brought my food wasn’t willing to let me out. He pointed to the bucket that was long forgotten in the corner.
I refused to pee in a bucket. So I held it in. And it was a sheer miracle how I was able to hold everything else in.
Things started to get wor
The chill got worse. I felt myself getting weaker, to the point keeping my eyes open was a big problem. My back wasn’t healing too, it was still fresh as ever. My eyes had adjusted to the darkness enough for me to see my bound hands in front of the. My wrists were black. And I could barely feel them, each time I moved it hurt.
Then
came the Ügurra
I saw them in the comers. Their bodies sleek, trails of silver mingled with the darkness they emerged from. I could hear
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them too, their low voices spoke nothing but mockeries.
Poor thing. They called me.
Look at you. You’re dying. You’ll soon be dead.
I didn’t refute. I was dying, I felt it. I started sleeping for longer stretches. I was also losing control of my body too, I opened my eyes one time and I was seating over the bucket with no idea how I had gotten there. Maybe it was the darkness sucking the life out of me, but that didn’t change the fact that I was dying.
Dying in a dark cell, punished for what I didn’t do. What a shitty way to go.
3rd person POV
Lady Nifra hurried through the halls to his Majesty’s library. As she walked, her heart raced and fear clogged her throat. Dear goddess, please touch his Majesty’s heart
She chanted this prayer over and over as she got closer to him. Her hands were trembling slightly, and she felt truly scared for what she was about to do.
She got to his library and was ushered in. She spotted him browsing a tome of books for a title.
“What’s the matter?” He asked without glancing at her. “I can hear your heart from way or
av over!
here.
Lady Nifra swallowed and clasped her hands together. She prayed for strength. She prayed for courage.
“Your majesty. I have a request to make of you. She said with a deep bow. “Speak”
“It’s about the slave girl, Sabrina.”
There was silence. She took it as a go ahead order.
“She is wasting away in the cell. Please, your majesty, let her be released.”
“No.
Lady Nifra’s heart tanked. That was the response she had dreaded the most. On a normal day, she would have bowed and left. But the sight of the girl, so small and broken and bleeding lashed through her eyes.
She was dying. Nifra had seen it. The light was fading from her eyes, and there was an air of decay around her.
I what
“Your majesty I beg of you,” Lady Nifra went down on her knees, her voice cracking. Please, spare her
“Nitra, what has gotten over you?” She could feel his eyes on her Since when did you care about that slave and w happens to her?”
Nitra shook her head. “I
She deserves it
“Deserves what? A voice said from the doorway Caldan
Lady Nifra turned to him. His accusing eyes met hers “What happened to Sabrina?”
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“She’s being punished for a crime. His majesty said and turned to his brother. “And good evening to you too,”
“What crime? Caldan asked.
“Why don’t you go and ask her yourself?” His majesty said with cruel smirk.
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Lady Nifra’s heart fell. She had underestimated, but now she knew. His Majesty held no warmth for that girl at all. It made Nifra’s blood run cold.
“You bet I will” Caldan spat and stormed out of the library. Nifra was left alone with the king. She turned to him, and he had a disappointed look in his eyes,
“Leave.” He commanded with a dismissive wave.
Lady Nifra rose to her feet and bowed. He hadn’t stopped Caldan. Perhaps the girl had some hope of. survival after all.
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