Chapter 8: A Voice in the Darkness**
Her eyes snapped open.
The world around her was black. Cold. Still.
A damp chill clung to the stone walls, and the silence was so heavy it pressed down on her chest. She inhaled sharply, only to cough violently—blood speckling the floor like spilled wine.
Her legs trembled as she tried to rise.
She couldn't.
Another attempt—her knees buckled. She fell hard. The floor was unforgiving, jagged. The pain laced through her body like fire.
Her hand reached up to clutch her head, which throbbed with a dizziness that made her question if it was still connected to her neck.
> "Where... where am I?" she whispered, each syllable tasting like ash.
The place reeked of mold and ancient rot. Shadows clawed at the corners.
No windows. No light. Just silence.
> "Who's there?" she called again, louder this time. Her voice cracked like splintered glass.
No answer.
She tried to crawl, hands dragging weakly across the stone. Her breathing turned ragged. Another cough—more blood. It felt like her heart was rupturing from the inside.
> "WHO'S THERE!" she cried out, desperation bleeding into fury.
Footsteps.
Distant. Echoing.
Then a low voice:
> "She's awake," a man said.
> "Tell the prince."
More footsteps. Slow. Deliberate.
A figure came into view—just beyond the bars. Cloaked in shadows, face partially hidden.
> "Hello, dear," he murmured, voice sickeningly sweet.
> "Are you hungry?"
Ravena stared at him, her eyes flickering with confusion and fear.
> "What is this place?" she rasped.
> "Why am I here?"
He smiled—a smile without warmth.
> "You should calm down, Princess. It's better that way."
She struggled to sit up, but pain shot through her chest—sharp, blinding. Her body convulsed and she vomited blood onto the floor.
> "She's bleeding again!" another man shouted, rushing toward the door.
> "Get the physician—NOW!"
The first man lingered.
> "Try not to move, little one. You're not quite whole."
A minute passed before the door swung open again.
A physician entered, hurried and pale, his satchel clinking with bottles and tools. Behind him, a young maiden carried a tray of warm food—meat broth, bread, fruit.
The guards unlocked the cell.
The physician knelt beside Ravena, inspecting her condition.
> "She's reacting to something," he muttered.
> "Likely a toxin... or magic residue."
He pulled out a vial and handed it to the maiden.
> "We need to stabilize her—before it's too late."
Ravena's eyes fluttered, barely staying open.
> "Princess, you need to eat something," he said gently.
> "Please. Just a few bites."
She blinked at him, voice barely audible.
> "I'm not hungry."
The physician placed a steady hand on her shoulder.
> "If you don't eat, you won't survive. And I believe... someone very powerful still has use for you."
She turned her head away.
> "I'd rather die," Ravena murmured.
> "I've lost everything. My kingdom. My father... my purpose. Let me go. Let me fade."
The guard who had spoken earlier stepped forward.
His voice was ice.
> "That's not an option, Princess. The prince gave strict orders. You will recover."
Ravena's eyes darkened.
> "Who is this 'prince'? I don't care about your orders. I want to be alone."
The guard leaned in, his tone quiet but threatening.
> "You really don't want this to get ugly."
> "Obey... or we'll be forced to do what we must."
Then his voice dropped to a venomous whisper.
> "Including disposing of your sister... and your precious queen."
Time froze.
Ravena's eyes widened in horror.
> "You lie," she breathed.
> "They're not here."
The guard tilted his head, smiling cruelly.
> "They are. Captured days ago. In the tower dungeon."
Her heart slammed against her ribs.
> "You're lying! Where are they? Tell me!" she screamed, surging upward despite the pain.
He didn't answer.
Instead, he gestured toward the food.
> "Eat. Take your medicine. There's more suffering ahead—but you'll need your strength."
Silence fell over the chamber.
Ravena's gaze dropped to the floor, her vision blurry from tears and exhaustion. She could feel the iron weight of helplessness pressing down on her—but she refused to let it crush her flame.
Slowly, she nodded.
> "Fine... I'll take it."
The maiden stepped forward gently, helping Ravena sit upright. Bit by bit, she fed her the warm broth, careful not to overwhelm her. Ravena's breath trembled with each swallow.
The physician handed her the vial of medicine, and she drank it quietly—eyes locked on the guard, fury buried just beneath the surface.
She was battered.
She was caged.
But her rage was building—like embers buried beneath snow.
They thought she was broken.
They had no idea what they'd unleashed.