Toture Device

Adrasteia sprinted along the halls toward her room, making sure not to trip and fall. Given that her gown was too long reaching the floor and was a nuisance, it wouldn't be surprising if she were to fall flat on the floor. She had to lift it above her ankle in order to sprint toward her room, but when she saw the guards waiting at the entrance to the wing that belonged to her, she slowed down and immediately walked gracefully like the princess she was.

She strolled in complete contrast to how she had earlier run, attempting to cover up her bare feet. Thank goodness they were the guards and not someone who would dare look her over. They lowered their heads as she passed by. She let out an internal squeal of delight and a quiet sigh of relaxation. But not a second had passed when she heard her name being shouted from behind.

"Adra!"

For the second time, Adrasteia heard her name being called. Her entire body went cold. She felt the fear in her creeping. Nothing she could do but bite her lip and turn around.

"Huh, brother Nick? What brings you here at this hour?" She questioned, trying not to stammer.

"I would ask you the same, what had you wandering in the middle of the night, not to remind you that you're walking bare feet?" He questioned, raising his eyebrows as he glanced at her toes that peeked through the hem of her gown. He frowned at the little black and brown stains that were on the hem of it.

Adrasteia tried to hide them, adjusting her gown. But now, it was of no use. Her brother had caught her red-handed.

"I-I went to take some fresh air. I kind of felt confined in my room. Yeah, so I stepped out of my room."

"Bare feet?"

"Uhuh, that must have slipped out of my mind with the thought of stepping out, you know," she waved her hand in the air but hissed.

"What's that?" A frown mered on her brother's forehead. Adrasteia followed her brother's eye line only to hide her hand behind her back.

"Uh-this- Ahh!! What are you doing? Brother Nick!"

The second prince of Anathema swiftly turned her around and raised her injured hand. Adrasteia winced with the slight pressure applied over her little injury. The prince shifted his hold and inspected the injury, giving his sister a pointed look.

"You were back to sneaking, weren't you?"

Adrasteia gave a cheeky smile trying to act nice and cute. "Just this once, I guess?" She questioned, slipping her hand out of her brother's hand took two steps back.

"What do you think you were doing with the spear, sister?" he questioned sternly.

"Oh my gosh, why's Father here?" questioned Adrasteia pointing behind him. He turned around, ready to show his respect to the King, only to realize his sister had pulled up another prank. He glanced back at where his sister had dashed out of his sight. He shook his head before giving a glaring look at the guards who were on the verge of bursting into a fit of laughter.

"Next time I see her sneak be ready to dig your own grave," he enunciated it sharply giving a warning look at the guards who now stood rigidly as they 'Yes'ed in unison.

Nicolas clenched and unclenched as he marched through the corridor, heading toward the secret library he had planned to go to before seeing his sister trying to tiptoe into her room. His Father had given him the task of finding out the information regarding the Mother Elf and the massacre that was conspired at the South-borough.

Back in the dungeon, Alicia was shut back with the same cloth used earlier and was blindfolded, giving her no chance to see her surroundings again.

"Listen, Alice, cause no hindrance while I finish what I am to do and you'll not be harmed. Just do as I say. It would turn out to be easy for both of us," she heard Ms. Lily or the person who looked similar to her warn her with her sweet voice and felt the knots on her wrist lose a bit and wasn't tight like before.

"Now, don't try to play any stunt just because I've loosened the knots."

Alicia heard the footsteps of hers distance away from her. She tried to think of a way to escape.

'What is she going to do?'

'Why am I held in here?'

'Whatever it is, I must find a way to get out of here, but where am I?'

Multiple questions ran through her mind with no one to answer it. All that she wished for was to go back home and stay back in her mother's embrace. As the thought of her mother crossed her mind she muffled through the cloth that was tightly tied.

She questioned where her mother was but her screams came out as, "Mmmmfff" irritating the woman who now glanced back at Alicia struggling and worming here and there.

She clicked her tongue as she left the steely tall bed and came to stand in front of Alicia.

"What is wrong with you?" She questioned and pushed Alicia by her shoulder. "On your feet!" she ordered.

Alicia slowly got up on her feet and staggered, not being able to see what was ahead of her.

"Mmmfff... Mmmhmm."

"Shut the fuck and keep walking, or I'll have to lock your voice," spat Ms. Lily or Cecilia, just like the mysterious masked man had addressed the woman who now forced Alicia to keep moving.

Alicia did not know where she was being taken to, but where ever it was, with every push and pulls, she felt herself tumble back and forth.

"Keep moving!" She heard the woman, who she believed had never had the guts to kill a fly in all her years, yell at her and push her forward by her shoulder with something so icy and pointed.

Alicia felt her shoulder pain at the contact of whatever was used to keep her moving. The knot around the waist of her coat came undone, revealing the nightwear underneath it. Cold air swept past her, brushing over the now exposed skin. As a result, she felt her body shudder feeling the temperature in the air drop down suddenly.

Once the blindfold was finally removed, she was able to see what was in front of her. Her foggy eyesight became sharp and clear as she took in the scene around her—a steely, hard bed without a mattress. It resembled a morgue more closely than anything else she had seen, while at college. But that wasn't what had her eyes widened and cause her whole body to tremble in sheer shock at the sight of it. If possible her eyes would have fallen out of her socket.

'Torture Devices?!'

"What are you waiting for, dear? Do you not like it?"

'Like it?'

"Amazing, isn't it?" She questioned as she walked toward her.

'If she was there all this time, then who am I in the clutches of?' Wondered Alicia as she turned around to look who else was there apart from her and the woman only to look back at whom it was in horror.

"Ahhhhh!!!!"