At first, it took everything Iliana had to ward off panic.

Despite the faint daylight that streamed in from somewhere behind her, the sudden plunge into shadows was intimidating. It strangled reason, and summoned fear from deep in her chest. In the end, she had to close her eyes, and draw in several deep breaths, before she could force her attention to the situation around her.

The first thing she noticed as she pulled herself to her feet was the fact that this level of the tower resembled her quarters in the menagerie more than the dark cells she and Del had experienced before. The main similarity came from the light source--a large, open balcony that overlooked the Chuteros skyline. The quarters--or more accurately, prison cell--consisted of a large, near-empty, circular room. The only pieces of furniture she could see were a large mat and a wooden wardrobe.

More importantly, however, was the thick iron bar suspended across the open tower ceiling.

Secured to it by an intricate pulley were several iron chains. The system held them taut, suspending a familiar figure to a sickening height. The soles of Lykos' bare feet just barely met the stone beneath his frame. Between the iron collar encasing his neck, and the heavy cuffs on his wrists, Iliana was left with no doubt about the origins of the deep scarring Eumelia usually had glamored away from view.

After all, while it was hard to see due to the dim lighting, and the dark stone, she was fairly certain the dark stains coating the iron and the ground were remnants of dried blood.

Iliana took an unconscious step forward, unable to pull her eyes from the man that not long ago, she had convinced herself she should hate.

Lykos' wounds from the duel had been addressed, much like Del's, but also like Del, they hadn't been healed. The man's golden skin had a certain, sallow edge to it, and a thin, glistening sheen that didn't spell well for his health. His mess of dirt-blond hair hung limp with grime and sweat. Then there were his eyes. They were closed, for once, but even then, Iliana could feel the resignation that no doubt glimmered behind the usually confident steel-gray. It coated her insides, making her feel sick, and angry all at once. Her hands curled into tight fists at her sides.

For once, her distaste for Lykos couldn't burn as hot as her rage on his behalf.

Iliana started to take another step closer, but paused as a noise behind her drew her attention. She glanced back at the balcony, and froze. Between the moment she'd first looked away, and when she looked back, Aran had appeared in the empty space. What held her still wasn't his arrival, however, but his appearance.

With the exception of when they'd met upon her death, Iliana had grown used to the washed out aspect of Aran's body. It was just a part of what made the reaper so strange. Which was why it was so startling to see his dusty hair turn into a rich brown, and his almost-gray eyes into the lightest shade of blue she'd ever seen. Even his tanned skin appeared to have the faint flush of a living person.

As she watched, he started into the tower, his eyes focused on Lykos.

"Aran?"

Iliana couldn't help the question that escaped her, and nearly jumped out her skin when the reaper immediately paused. His gaze flicked to her, before widening in surprise. "Iliana?"

"The fuck?"

She could hear him? How?

"What are you--" Aran began, then cut himself off, his eyes dropping to her feet. "The anklet."

Her previous speculation flickered to life in her mind. Had she been right, then? Did the anklet pull Iliana to the same realm of existence that the reapers existed upon? Was that why she could hear him, and why he had noticed her use of it?

"I...yeah," she replied lamely.

Aran's attention flicked to Lykos once again, before he sighed, carded a hand through his hair, and turned to fully face her. "This isn't a good time. Do whatever it is you need to go back."

His words ignited embers of irritation in her mind. Iliana crossed her arms and raised her chin.

"Why should I? It isn't like he can hear us."

Guilt twisted her insides. Despite her harsh words, she knew exactly why Aran might shoo her away.

"Because he wouldn't want you here. Some sufferings are meant to be kept private, Iliana."

"He shouldn't have to--"

"Lykos is a proud man," Aran interrupted. "Whether he should deal with something alone, or have someone watching over him, is his decision, and he prefers near solitude. I am here because I convinced him long ago that he couldn't send me away."

"Then--"

"But that doesn't mean I don't respect his wishes otherwise."

She hesitated, anger dimming. His point was reasonable. In Lykos' position, she wouldn't want her weaker moments witnessed by someone like her.

"Why is he even like this?" Iliana demanded instead. "The impression I got before, he's an important tool of Zuher's, isn't he? Why do this? Even if you ignore the inhumanity of it all, it's impractical. And for all his madness, Zuher controls an empire. You don't manage something to the heights he has without knowing how to use what's around you. Torturing Lykos--he's wasting a valuable resource."

It turned her stomach to talk about him in such a manner, but there wasn't another way to word her confusion.

Aran frowned, an obvious debate playing through his eyes. "It's complicated."

"Uncomplicate it," Iliana instructed. "All of this involves me, too, you know."

Even she knew how weak her reasoning was. What happened to Lykos had little effect on Iliana at this point--she was too deeply buried beneath Zuher's thumb. But, she wanted to know. After all, Lykos' relationship with Zuher was the direct cause of her predicament. And, she hated it, but she was worried for him.

How long could someone survive suspended like that?

He sighed, shifting his hand to rub his face.

"Lykos...I imagine you have guessed at this point, but Zuher considers him a belonging more than anything else. His status in the capital is--" Aran cut himself off, mumbling something under his breath. His eyes flicked to the man in question as he seemed to once again weigh his words. "Special. He wasn't bought, or captured in a battle. From what I've overheard, Zuher simply introduced him into the palace one day. And, much like those in the menagerie, he kept an eye on Lykos, guiding his development like a father, but with the punishing attitude of a slave mast--"

Lykos slipped.

There was a sickening rattle of chains as he struggled to catch his footing, the soles of his feet scrambling against the black stone. Several taut seconds followed his success as the mercenary fought to recover his breath. For a moment, Iliana could only stare, body frozen in place. Gods. If only she were actually there, not just a soul, but a person who could aid him.

"He could die like this. How could he raise him and--what possible reason..."

She trailed off as bitterness overtook Aran's expression. "You hold as much chance as I, at understanding why Zuher goes this far. At first, before the duel, it was a punishment for his rudeness. That ended. I think...Zuher just didn't lift the order. He'll deal with this until Zuher remembers."

Iliana shuddered, nails digging into her palms.

And to think, she'd been upset about how dark her cell was.

Lykos tilted his head back shifting the stress of the collar against his throat. Perhaps he was trying to make it easier to breathe. Whatever the reason, his movement bared her view of his plunging neckline. The simple, leather cord that hung beneath his collar, before disappearing under his shirt dragged a buried memory to the forefront of her mind.

"Lykos has a signet ring," she stated. "I saw it when he rescued Natia. What sort of...disposable slave, special or not, has a signet ring?"

She was missing something. An important detail that would clarify the dreadful sight before her. As it was, nothing about the situation made sense. And everything about it made her ill.

Aran hesitated. "Zuher gifted it to him when he was little. I asked him about it once, and he said received it before he could remember, and had kept it over the years out of a sense of ownership he couldn't shake. It was the one thing that was his when he lived here as a child. That overrode the knowledge of who gave it to him, I guess."

"Do you recognize the family crest?" Iliana asked.

Aran pursed his lips. Iliana waited a minute, then another, but he didn't break the silence that followed her question. In the end, she scowled and uncrossed her arms.

"You know, but you aren't going to tell me," she accused.

The reaper shrugged. "It isn't my story to tell."

"It isn't as if I can ask him," Iliana retorted. Guilt plagued her mind even as she cast her voice towards the man in question. "Hey, Lykos, mind if Aran spills your secrets?"

When he didn't react, she shot Aran a pointed look. He rolled his eyes.

"Ignorance is not consent."

"Bu--"

"He'll be at the ball tonight," Aran interrupted. "Ask him then. Tell him that pulling your feather means you can talk to me. It would be true enough, if you had pulled more than just the one, that is. Get his permission, there, and I'll tell you everything I know."

How the fuck was Lykos supposed to attend a ball in that state?

She couldn't picture him standing, let alone entertaining guests to Zuher's expectations. And yet, she also knew, without a doubt, that Lykos would somehow manage it.

The overwhelming depths of his cold anger was making more sense by the second.

"Isn't there anything we can--" Before she could finish, a hand fell on her shoulder. Her actual shoulder.

Reality shattered, placing her back in the familiar circular walls of her tower room. She swore, reflexively ripping away from the touch. Del's hands shot into the air, a sheepish smile on his lips.

"Sorry. I wasn't sure how else to get your attention. I called your name, but you didn't respond."

Iliana started to snap a reply, but faltered as she caught sight of the man in question.

For the first time since they'd met, Del resembled the prince he'd declared himself to be.

Del's ebony curls had been cleaned and styled so that their medium, drawn out lengths fell just right against the curve of his jaw. His bruised skin was covered, first by carefully picked powder, and secondly by an intricate, three-piece suit. The long-sleeves of the tailcoat were a deep, pitch black, with intricate swirls of gold near the buttons. Visible beneath the tailcoat was a waistcoat of matching shade, buttoned over a deep, navy-blue dress shirt.

Iliana didn't realize she had been silent for too long until Del's sheepish smile turned into an amused, and somewhat smug, grin.

"It's selfish to only allow yourself a good look," he commented.

Heat flooded Iliana's face. "I'm not--"

"Staring?" he interrupted, grin growing. "Of course you weren't. That would be impolite."

Iliana irritably dropped her leg to the floor, steadily ignoring the fire in her cheeks. Instead of giving him the dignity of a response, she stood, and stepped back so she could place her hands on her hips.

"There. Look all you want," she ordered. "That'd make us even, right?"

Del lifted a brow, before pointedly studying Iliana's dress. If she had thought his scrutiny would weigh any less on her than his observation of hers, she was quickly proved wrong. The trail of his gaze burned beneath her skin, before his eyes flicked back to hers, amusement still glittering in his gaze.

"Nobility suits you, Iliana."

Anything she might have said was caught in her throat. As if realizing the effect he'd had on her, Del laughed, before offering Iliana his arm.

"Come, Aria is waiting for us downstairs," he explained, before a heavily sarcastic, formal tone entered his voice. "His Imperial Highness has requested our presence at the ball." 

A/N: Another short chapter! I decided to go ahead and post it since it's the same length as the last (which is why I ended the last one when I did). 

I'm curious how many of you guys have put together the puzzle of Lykos' story. You've gotten basically all the bits at this point. Any thoughts? 

See you when I post next! The speed at which I'm finishing chapters because of NaNo means it might come before next Friday. If it doesn't, though, you're guaranteed an update then!