(Amaia)

(The Chapter will have abuse and violence. The reader discretion is advised.)

The news falls on me like lightning taking away my will to speak.

Rigel is not even related to Alnilam and the twins and he is only a half-brother to Saiph. It explains why Saiph and Rigel have such a difference between their body types although both of them are some height.

Rigel is also a pure vampire, having gotten the gene from his mother and also his father. Has to be a partial hybrid since his mother is also a witch.

"Adrnia is a coward. She never told Hathial that Rigel was his son, so ashamed of the deed she did under my command. I had my own plans regarding Rigel and I was almost about to fulfil them until you came along," she sneers at me. The hatred she carries, coats every syllable she speaks.

"You are going to regret hurting Rigel." I finally get my bearings right and her mocking smile widens.

"Says the girl, who doesn’t even know who her father is."

My body goes stiff again. This has always been such a sour topic for me.

"You and all those prophecies regarding you." She shakes her head, as if enjoying my misery beyond measure.

Prophecies??? What’s this woman on about?

"I tried to have you captured but could only get your mother and brother after a long search. Your pathetic father, Xamian hid you well but not well enough. We killed your mother and captured your brother. The sneaky you, got away. But the hope that you were alive and not harmed by us kept Xamian in line."

King Xamian Wu is my father...the man was telling the truth. So he knew about her, is that why he never kept us with him and sent us away? To keep us safe? 𝚏𝕣𝕖𝚎𝚠𝚎𝚋𝚗𝐨𝐯𝕖𝕝.𝕔𝐨𝕞

But he never made an effort to check on me...

I spent my whole life seeking my father. He was out there the whole time and kept his distance.

The thought makes me rage more than what this woman is saying.

"You had no clue about your father. You should be thanking me." She viciously smirks. I return her gaze with my glower.

She is revealing all these secrets to me, it shows that she is not planning to let me live. She merely wants to revel in the joy my misery will bring to her. The horrors I will be living through.

"Look at you, at my mercy now. I wonder what the daddy dear will do to get his precious daughter and son back."

She takes a threatening step closer. Her heel clicks against the hard surface of the ground. Lifting her foot again, she mercilessly presses her heel into the back of my chained hand.

The heart-wrenching pain erupts in my hand travelling to my body. The blood oozes out like a tiny crimson fountain. My jaw locks from the overwhelming pain. I don’t want to give her the satisfaction of my screams.

"You thought I wouldn’t know that you sneaked your brother into Orion. Where are you hiding him?"

Using my other hand, I try to push her away. "I am.... not telling you a thing.... You bitch."

The agony numbs my hand. My teary eyes hopefully drift towards Saiph. His deeply disturbed gaze finds me but he doesn’t move.

Such raw desperation clings to him that it makes my heart tremble. Just like my brother he is trapped inside his body, watching me get tortured. This must be killing him inside.

What has this despicable woman done to him?

"He is not going to help you. He is only going to watch your misery like the good boy he is."

Her shrill laughter makes my attention return to her. She takes a step back, letting my hand go.

That thin black necklace around her neck, she removes with her index finger and thumb.

It’s alive in her hand, writhing like a snake, shining snake.

"You know what this is?" She asks, amused. The thing continues to wriggle in her hold.

"It’s the souvenir Alnilam had left with you. The lock of his hair, braided in yours. I took it and gave it my colours."

Horrors descend in my heart as my eyes fixate on the squirming long black remains of Alnilam’s precious lock. That’s exactly why I can’t feel it in my hair. She must have removed it while I was unconscious. She has thought everything through.

"Power number two. I can make things rot and corrupt. Like I can pollute the air around me, change the colours, shape, and give things a whole new look. I can create illusions. Two of my children inherited my power. I will let you rake your mind and figure out who."

She drops the dark wriggling lock on the ground. It slithers towards me like a snake without a face.

Deep down it’s still Alnilam’s hair, it won’t hurt me, I tell myself.

"Coil around her neck and suffocate her," she wickedly says.

It crawls over my throbbing hand, and the splattered blood clings to it. Climbing from my arm it reaches my neck. It’s no longer warm and soothing. Instead, it’s cold and sends shivers scuttling down my spine. I try to push it away but it clings like a leech. The lock makes two coils around my neck and begins to tighten, choking me.

I can’t move my injured hand but I try with the other in vain.

My oxygen supply is cut off. My eyes begin to bulge out as I cough trying to take in even a tiny amount of air.

"Tell me where you hid Aziel and I might go easy on you." She casually leans back against the table with a wicked grin, enjoying my misery. Her arms snuggly crossed over her breasts.

This is the moment, Rigel must have lived a thousand times. That’s how she tortured him, raped him and watched, enjoying his screams, his pain.

I feel what he must have felt.

I live what he has lived.

And I will end what she started with him.

I refuse to tell her a single word, even if she kills me I will never tell her the whereabouts of my brother.

That’s what they must have done to my brother too and others of my kind. Queen Adrnia too.

Tears overflow my eyes at the thought. One thinks that they can handle the truth, that they can feel someone’s pain but it’s only relatable when one lives it.

Before I faint from the lack of oxygen, she clicks her fingers and the noose loosens against my neck.

Violently I cough, bending over saliva and whatnot. Wheezing I draw in large gulps of air.

"...Wh...y? You h...hate my k...kind so much?" I ask, as soon as I can speak. I need to buy time.

There has to be a reason. Her immense hatred stems from somewhere. Her long planning to control the kings and eliminate the Fae kind, there has to be a story behind it.

"Don’t think your pathetic attempt to divert my attention will work. But yeah I will tell you my story. The real reason why I detest your kind," she spits out.