"Fawn like the clumsy baby dear that is terrified of everything," Arksel said with a condescending tone. No one has ever pointed out my middle name resembled that of a small, scared animal before. 

 "I guess so sir--I mean your highness," I felt like a rambling fool. I was so used to calling Certax sir when I worked for him, and Harmony insisted we called him by his name. Leillan still called him king and highness to annoy him. I heard Arksel give a breathy dismissal sound. 

"It is very fitting. Get off the ground Fawn we have work to do," His metal boots made a soft clicking sound as he turned away from me. I looked behind me to try to find Delaney; maybe her golden eyes would give me courage. Back in the transport, her eyes held so much strength. It was the only thing I was able to cling to when I felt like breaking down. Her strength became mine, could she spare me some courage once again? She was lost in the sea of maids and soldiers whose eyes were all locked onto me as if I was a creature on display. I felt like a deer in a trap. They all seemed to know what I was about to encounter before I did; it was a truly terrible feeling.

 Zydan walked over and offered me his hand. He, too, had marks on his skin but unlike Arksel; whose marks were like sharp black veins running throughout his body. Zydan's marks were like grey swirls that if you looked close enough, they seemed to move. He noticed I didn't take his hand, and he rolled his eyes.

"I don't bite missy. Now come on I would rather not have to chase after Prince Arksel," I slowly reached up and took his hand. He pulled me up to my feet, and we quickly caught up to Arksel. Who was not willing to wait for us. I wondered how he moved so fast; he wore a black form-fitted shirt with a pure silver-plated chest piece that wrapped around his shoulders and intertwined in the middle of his chest with the kingdom's symbol then it wrapped around his back. That mixed with his silver boots and crown. I would've believed he would be weighed down, yet one of his steps was two of mine.  

"You will not ask me questions about anything I tell you or anything you may witness. I am to be king tomorrow morning, and I have a kingdom to rule. You being curious will only slow me down from important manners," He seemed like an angry mutt. Barking loudly until he was heard. I wondered how deadly his bite would be if I were to be caught as a spy. 

"Arksel, did you not sleep well last night? Because you seem to be cranky mood. Does someone need a nap?" Zydan teased before turning to me. "He isn't always like this. I mean sometimes if you squint you can see something that resembles a smile,"

"Zydan I do not remember asking you to join Fawn and I nor do I have the faintest memory of asking your input," Arksel said, rounding his shoulders back. I guessed Zydan and Arksel were close since everyone else in the castle refused even to look Arksel in the eye as we passed them in the halls. No one else seemed to have the guts to be witty with the Prince. 

"My coronation is in the morning then you immediately have to prepare for the ball. I will send a dress to you along with a mask. It will be a masquerade after all," Arksel kept talking, but I blocked him out. Harmony mentioned there would be a ball, but I never guessed I would be attending. I didn't even know how to dance! I was the clumsiest person I knew; if there were a way to trip standing up, I would've done it. 

"Excuse me," I spoke up for the first time since we left the throne room. "Will I be attending this ball?" 

"No, I give ballgowns to all my maids to wear as they frolic around my castle," he said with dry, bored sarcasm. He began to pick the pace, his long legs moving in quick strides. I felt sweat started to form from me trying to keep up with him. I guess I was more out of shape than I thought. Arksel began to whisper to Zydan, so I take this time to look at my surroundings. I had to know this castle inside and out if I was to rescue Quillian. The walls were a deep blue color with grey almost dying vines crawled up them. I looked down at dark colored marble floors to see they were growing out of the floor as if by pure magic, which didn't surprise me at this point. I saw a girl turn into a horse outside the castle before we got here so this was much less of a shock. We reached the end of a dark hallway that seemed to have a million doors spread down it. 

"This will be your room. You will get your own since you are higher ranked than the rest. You will be at my beck and call. You will be by my side from sun up to sun down." Arksel looked like he wanted to say more, but a soldier running toward us made him stop and turn. 

"We have obtained a traitor to the crown your highness" The soldier's words cut through me like a sharp knife. My body felt like a heavy wet blanket was weigh me down. My mouth ran dry, and I unconsciously clench my fists. Did they find out about Delaney? Was this all a trap for me? When they began to follow the soldier, my legs felt reluctant to move. They were cemented to the floor.

"Follow now Fawn," Prince Arksel demanded with a stern tone. I squeezed my fist tighter, and the sharp pain of my nails digging too hard into my soft palms brought me back to reality. I ran after them, shifting my hand behind my back so they wouldn't notice the four newly made cuts on my palm. 

With the doors of the throne room in sight, I felt like the pressure of the world was on my back. I began to fidget with the buttons of my shirt to keep my mind off the fact that Arksel was on his way to no doubt punish whoever dared act against Vinick. When we entered the room, I expected to see a place full of people circled Delaney. They all wanted to witness the traitor and weigh in on her punishment. I expected to hear a million voices screaming profound names at her as she lay defenseless on the ground, her body sunken with defeat, but no. 

The room was empty except for a man chained to the floor. His wrists and ankles were bound, but his pride and courage were so intense it filled the air.

"Do you know why we brought you here?" Arksel said dark shadows began to fill the room, moving across the floor and over the walls in terrifying figures. 

"I was found guilty of trying to take down a kingdom that is full of evil," said the man chained up. I finally took a good look at him, and I had to take a step back, it was the driver that helped Delaney and me. 

"You came to my kingdom, disrespect me, attack a man for information, terrorize innocent people, and yet you have the nerve to call me evil? Who else is with you," Arksel began to remove his leather gloves, revealing long, pale, and black veined hands. My breathing stopped. Would this man give us all up to save himself? My sight began to close in and become blurry 

"Those are such lies! I did nothing but take a few files! I came here alone; I am not stupid enough to drag more people with me," 

"Then you will die alone and soulless on the cold castle floor. That seems like a fitting death," Zydan snapped as a dark shadow grabbed one of the chains around the man's wrists and yanked him down, so he was hobbled on the ground in front of Arksel. 

"As long as I see you all in hell, that's fine by me" the man hissed at Zydan. 

"Enough! I have heard enough of your voice traitor" Arksel reached down and grabbed the man's face. Black veins moved over the man's body before he began to shake and gasp for air. His eyes rolled back until they were completely white. His body looked like it was starting to dry up. First, his cheeks and eyes become sunken before the rest of his body shriveled up. I felt like puking, the sight of it was disgusting — the way the man was reduced to a withered corpse covered in black marking. I never saw someone without a soul. But, those dull, featureless eyes peering up at me shook me to my core. 

Arksel walked out of the room and snapped his fingers for us to follow, leaving the man's body laying soulless on the cold floor. My heart broke for the man. In the past week, I have seen so much death and violence that I had no idea how to react. My body went numb and wouldn't stop shaking. I felt nothing but guilt and fear. He protected us, and he died for it. Two guards walked and carried him out. I followed Arksel with a new found horror for him. 

"Fawn you are free to go, Zydan and I have a meeting to attend. I will ring for you later," Arksel said. I had no idea how to reply to him. My mind felt like it was filled with static that was only getting louder and louder. Every thought I had was being drowned out. I nodded before heading down the hallway full of vines. 

I leaned my hand against the wall when they were out of eyesight and sunk to the ground. I looked up at the hall, and something like an explosion went off in my head. I felt blind, seeing nothing but bright white light. A pain that was worse than anything started to pound in my head. Then images began to flash, me running down the hallway. Guards were running after me, a shadow figure grabbing my ankle, and a man with white hair and leather gloves reaching for me. It was that terrifying dream I've had countless of times. But this times the faces and words were clear. The man ready to kill me was Arksel; the shadows belonged to Zydan. Then the picture of the shriveled up man flashed over and over until I felt sick and on the borderline of screaming. When the vision stopped, I threw up on the floor. Haunted by the images I had seen

"You are a rat like the rest of them, and like all rats, you must be exterminated" Arksel's voice screamed in my head. I began to hyperventilate. I was going to die in this castle, and Aksel was going to be the one that killed me. 

{Hello, lovely people! So did Arksel turn out how you excepted him to? and what do you think of those visions Cyra saw, is there a deeper meaning there?}