Mara brought Arvin into the room by his ear, and sat him down in a chair, removing the cloth in his mouth. Arvin took a deep breath in, its awkwardness and sweat running down his face gave away his fear. Fingers twiddled in his lap.

Mara frowned. "I couldn't break him much, but I got a few points across."

"There's no new physical damage," I said.

"I had too much fun with Ember," Mara said.

Arvin gulped. "So, y-you wanted to see me?"

"Afraid of Mara, Arvin?" Zolona asked.

"No, of— of course not. She's a monster who ruined my grandfather's life ... I know she stole five serums and drank one to make herself into an immortal being of magic. I also know, being the oldest living Overseer of my family's clan, I'm the one person here who can replicate that serum, which why I'm still alive," Arvin said.

Zolona chuckled. "You're truly a smart lad."

"Nothing compared to me," Mara bragged.

Arvin gulped. "You won't get the serum's recipe while my circulatory system is operational."

"Not without violence." I popped my knuckles.

"What kind of violence did you have in mind, 635202?" Zolona said.

"We kidnap the Yoanggeng family to put on a chopping block. You'd give us the recipe then, wouldn't you?" I asked.

Arvin's lip quivered. "You... you can't."

"No fair," Mara crossed her arms, "You said I'd kill the Yoanggengs. Say no Zolona!"

Zolona rolled her eyes. "You can still kill them if Arvin doesn't corporate. I'll keep my promise."

Mara slouched into her chair. "I guess that's fair... for you."

"The Queen is p-probably expecting something like that to happen."

"Is that really what you think?" Mara asked.

Arvin gulped.

"That's what I thought," Mara said.

Zolona produced a sly smile. "Of course, we don't have to have to get them if you recreate the serum."

"Grandfather would rather die than have me tell you. I'm... I'm sticking by that," Arvin spat in our faces, but tears welled in his eyes.

"Why?" Mara asked.

"You've already abused your first one, and as a righteous human being, I wouldn't want you to overdose," Arvin said.

Mara pulled out a gun. "You give me the recipe I want or I will kill your family."

"You were killing them anyways," Arvin said, refreshed from his vengeful line.

"I can see why you haven't broken him," I gestured to Arvin with my bandaged left hand.

"You have a week to decide. We'll make sure your family pays, if you don't cooperate," Zolona said.

"I... I doubt that," Arvin said.

"Take him away." Mara ordered the guards who casually did so.

"Who's next?" I asked.

"Hand her the schedule, Mara," Zolona said.

I raised an eyebrow. "You made a schedule?"

Mara handed me a sheet of paper. "You know how hyper-organized Zolona is."

"I'd prefer clean." Zolona cleared her throat.

The paper read: Arvin, Ember, Dusk, Echo.

Mara giggled. "Here comes Ember now."

Screaming lingered down the hall from Ember. When she finally reached the chair, she resisted. I pushed her into the chair and restrained her.

"Have you had enough?" I gave a cold glare.

"I'm getting warmed up," Ember said.

Zolona stared at Ember's hair before bursting in laughter. "Nice hair cut. Your stylist knows how to make sure you're humiliated."

Ember looked down before looking at Mara and Zolona rebelliously. "When it grows back I'll use it to make a rope to hang you with."

"Feisty today, aren't we Miss Netherwood?" Zolona asked.

"I loved having long hair and my skin not bruised. Besides, I'm starving," Ember said.

Zolona spoke again, "Ahh...yes. You didn't eat last night, did you? You didn't eat this morning, didn't eat this afternoon, and guess what? You're not eating anything tonight but paper. Forget about sleep."

"You can't just feed us paper," Ember's lip quivered, "It's just filler."

Mara gave a crooked smile. "We know."

"I'm not joining you. That's suicide." Ember clenched her teeth.

"Then it's fair to take away your food for rebellious conduct. Besides, why take it out on you when we have your brother?" Zolona asked.

Ember's face became grim, ready to accept a fatal end. "What have you done with him?"

"You don't want to know," I said.

"I'm a rebel. No stupid crap you give me or Echo will change that," Ember said.

"Give her fifty lashes," Mara ordered the guards who took Ember away.

The next person the guards brought in was Dusk-- who five guards placed down in his chair. He squirmed like a caterpillar being carried by human hands.

"Dusk... right? Quite a show the other day," Zolona said.

Dusk raised an eyebrow. "Got a problem with my name?"

Zolona laughed. "I just need clarity on..."

Dusk spat on Zolona's sleeve and smiled. "That answer your question?"

I cussed him out and had the guards drag him away.

Zolona wiped the spit off the sleeve and sanitized her hands vigorously.

Mara placed a hand to her face. "Did you learn anything from him?"

"He was abused by his father," I said.

"He won't take extra violence lightly... especially if we do more to Ember. She needs harsher methods," Zolona said.

Echo was the last to come. When he sat, he closed his eyes took a few deep breaths.

"Hi, Echo. Heard what happened this afternoon. You deserved that." Mara's smile even made me nervous.

Echo-- to my surprise-- didn't smile. "I'm not dead, am I?"

Zolona's smile sharpened to a cunning grin. She was ready to break him at that moment. "Your sister was just here. You're eating paper tonight."

Echo looked directly to Zolona's face. "Thanks for warning me."

"Have you thought about my deal?" Zolona leaned back into her chair.

Echo smiled. "I have, actually."

"And... no, right?" I asked.

"I think joining is a wonderful idea," Echo said.

He can't be serious...

"Really?" Mara's eyes widened. "I was expecting you to last twice as long as Ember."

"All I'm afraid of is finding out whether or not my aunt's as evil as they say," Echo said.

Zolona was thrown off guard. "Interesting... are you actually serious?"

"It's a better choice. I wouldn't have considered it if it weren't for Raven," Echo said.

Zolona laughed in a moment of pride. "Smart boy."

"I try to make good decisions," Echo said.

"This is a good decision?" I questioned. This can't be a real submission. I hate putting up with his crap.

Echo nodded. "You get someone willing to corporate, and I get to discover more about myself."

"You won't 'discover more about yourself.'" Mara said using air quotes.

"I want to know more about my family. That includes you all. Raven, 635202, she... well... what she did today was..." Echo paused. "I-- I don't even know what to say about that... but it... it showed me I don't know much-- about me, where I come from, even magic..."

Mara's jaw could drop to the floor at the rate it was lowering, and her eyes and eyebrows could've come clean off her face from how much they popped up. "This has to be a trick."

"... I believe the boy's telling the truth," Zolona said.

My eyebrows shot up. "Bullcrap!"

Echo smiled, but it was weak.

"Well done, 635202," Zolona said.

I bowed my head, still not convinced of Echo's words. "Thank you?"

Echo cleared his throat. "On four conditions: One, you'll stop starving my friends. If I eat, they do too. Two, Rav-- 635202 and you all won't use foul language. Elitists would come by our farm and use them to belittle what little my foster folks had-- I swore never to use those words because of that. Three: you won't torture my sister. I don't want her going through what I had to. The fourth: I won't hurt or kill anything without my consent."

"Accepted," Zolona said without consulting Mara and me.

"But there goes my fun, Zolona!" Mara whined.

Zolona put a finger to Mara's lips. "Quiet Mara. Let the grownups talk."

"Can I talk to my sister?" Echo begged.

"Why? There's much for you to do," Zolona said.

"I don't want her to worry," Echo said.

"635202, take him to his sister. Mara, stop Ember's lashes," Zolona ordered.

I clenched my teeth, trying not to feel anything towards the situation. "Yes, Mistress."

Echo and I were opposites.

While I avoided friendship and love at any cost, he embraced it. When I loved to fight and prevented myself from getting happiness, Echo was all over peace and making others happy. The fact this was happening sickened my stomach.

Plus, he banned me from using my only form of expression. Swearing was second nature to me because of my background. Zolona even used it sometimes to show how ticked off she was about a behavior. It gave a sense of casualness, but also intimidation when it needed to.

I led Echo into the prison. His wide-eyed sister glanced through the bars unharmed.

"The guards were going to lash me, but they stopped. Zolona said they did something horrible to you..." Ember said.

Echo struggled with his words. "I... I took Zolona's offer. I told them they can't torture you anymore."

"What!?" Ember clung to the metal bars like a stress ball.

"I want to give our aunt a second chance. Everyone's the way they are for a reason," Echo offered his hand to Ember.

"You're not getting sympathy from me. Was your mind that shallow to go against all tradition?" Ember's eyes were filled with tears, but she resisted letting them fall-- probably because she didn't want to show how upset she was, just her disapproval.

Echo's lip quivered but he still managed to smile. It made me disgusted just to think about. I had a long way to go if I was to train him.

"Ember, Zolona's a part of our family, and tradition or not, some traditions need to be broken for the greater good." Echo said.

"She doesn't deserve a second chance. You'll end up like her. Guess I was right about you," Ember slumped to the floor, "You're another spider. Dusk's the only one I can trust. He cares about me-- loves me... unlike you."

"I hope you know what you're doing, Echo," Arvin said.

Echo's smile was filled with confidence. "I hope you'll be okay without me."

Ember pointed out of the dungeon and towards the staircase. "Just leave us," She lowered her head, "You're the oldest. Don't forget the fight you need to do."

"It may not be mine to fight. The Oracle said it could be either of us," Echo said.

"He's right, Ember. You're the one likely to fulfill the prophecy. He's the negotiator and you're the fighter," Arvin said.

"I'm not cut out for greatness. I'm cut out for looking pretty at someone in lavish settings and parties. Leave us." Ember turned away.

Echo reached out his arm towards her, before sighing and heading back to the door where I was.

"There's a prophecy?" I asked.

"Zolona and Mara already know about that," Echo smiled.

I gave him a cold glare. "There's no time for emotion with Zolona, and she's always right."

"There's always time if you make the time, Raven," Echo said.

"Stop calling me that."

"It fits you better than 635202."

"Shut up." I clenched my teeth.

"I hope we become friends," Echo said.

"I have no friends. There's no time for any."

Echo raised an eyebrow. "Aren't Mara and Zolona your friends?"

"They're my mentors. I only have time to make allies, training, and being stone cold, as will you."

"Then... I hope we'll become allies."

"The only way anyone becomes my ally is if they save my life. You're not that kind of material."

He followed me like a lost puppy. "Can you take me back to my aunt so she can show me around?"

"What do you think I'm doing?"

"I was just making sure."

"Walk faster."

"Sorry," Echo paused. "What do you do around here?"

"I just told you. Train," I said.

"Or is that all that you do?"

"Yes, that's all that I do. I doubt you'll get anything differently."

I led him back to Zolona's throne room, his feet dragging behind me.

Mara giggled. "He came back from Ember alive after all."

"How was your sister?" Zolona asked.

"Angry... but I'm glad she's safe," Echo said.

"Ember's a fragile creature, isn't she?" Zolona raised an eyebrow.

"A lot of people relied on her family for support, put so much pressure on her too. It's kind of sad," Echo spaced out. He was probably thinking of the things he knew happened to her.

"And you didn't help her?" Zolona asked.

Echo shook his head no.

Zolona scoffed, "Just like your mother."

"I never actually met Ember until we were taken two months ago, and I didn't even know we were siblings until a couple days later," Echo said. "I was a farm hand and she stayed at Pandora Manor."

"... You didn't meet each other until two months ago?" Zolona quivered, surprised by the revelation no doubt.

Echo nodded. "Otherwise, I would've helped her like my foster family."

"You never mentioned that, Mara," Zolona said.

"I didn't think it was important..." Mara said.

"So, what do you want me to do?" Echo asked.

"Wash up. You look like you've been through a sandstorm," Zolona said.

That was true. Parts of his face and clothing were covered by a gray soot. Sure, he lived in a farm most of his life, but the guy looked like he'd been through a bombing of cannon fire. Let alone, the prisoners slept in a cell meant for one. Guess he took the floor.

"Where? The locker room?" Mara asked.

"The Mineral Spring," Zolona said.

"That's unfair..." Mara pouted like a toddler.

Zolona never let anyone in there. The Mineral Spring was Zolona's bathing area on the lowest level of the castle. She never worried about cold water, unlike the upper showers, because of hot springs. Minerals like zinc, copper, sulfur, and even some selenium, were healthy for her skin. Zolona's skin glowed, and was unusually soft considering all her hard work. Why the hell would she let that by-blow, who could've been tricking us, into her Mineral Spring? God knows it wasn't fair.

"Take him. I'll let you visit the room you wanted to go in," Zolona said.

Mara's eyes lit like firecrackers. "You mean it?"

"Here's the key to the Room of Screaming." Zolona gave Mara a ring of keys. It was bulky and looked like no other keys could fit. When Mara took it from Zolona, her hands dropped from their weight.

"Which key?" Mara asked.

Zolona sighed. "The one with the skull."

"Which key is for the Mineral Spring?" Mara asked.

"The rose," Zolona said.

"Thank you. Let's go, Echo," Mara grabbed Echo by his arm and exited.

Zolona and I didn't speak a word to each other, letting the crackling of wood from the fireplace burn next to us. Silence allowed for the events to seep in.

I raised an eyebrow. "Did you know about the prophecy?"

"Stating one of Isla's children will kill me and bring an end to our time here? Yes," Zolona said.

"Why accept his offer if the prophecy with your life at risk?"

"Echo's not the one I should be worrying about."

I plopped down in a chair. "I don't understand."

"According to the prophecy, only the oldest would be my undoing. Prophecies are confusing, but it didn't mention my young nephew."

"What?" I asked.

Zolona let out a heavy moan. "It's nothing you can understand, 635202. It took me a while before I could get it."

"So, Ember's your undoing?" I asked.

"It appears that way. The prophecy has been altered dramatically with Echo in the picture. He's those bloody Oracles of Wrathful Vengeance don't want to share his scroll," Zolona said.

I raised an eyebrow. "Is it possible that oracle told you wrong?"

"Impossible. She was one of my closest friends. Everything she says can be twisted, but most of the time, her prophecies are spot on. She's one of few to take kindness on me when others didn't. She even saved a child's life once."

I changed the subject. "Then why did you accept Echo's offer?"

"Because, the boy's right. I want to know my family. It isn't like he's a part of the prophecy. Unless..." Zolona started.

I squinted my eyes. "Unless what?"

"There was a part of the prophecy saying I'd reunite with lost family— family who'd win my quarrel. I think this is a part of it," Zolona said.

"But what does it mean?"

"We'll be nice to Echo, take him into our little 'family' of sorts. Once he decides he can never go back to where he came from, we'll harden him up and make him one of us. He'll be put through every test we can give him, and we'll reward him greatly if he wins. He'll never see it coming, and neither will I."

I crossed my arms. "Except there's one tiny piece of crap we've got to worry about: Echo doesn't fight. Load of crap if you ask me."

"Did he ever find the courage to explain why?"

"Maybe I can find out. It's probably because he never feels like he needs to."

"Interesting..." Zolona paused. "Very well, 635202, I'll let you do that. This new development goes perfectly with my plan."

"What do you want me to do next?"

"Tell the chef to make the elite meal for four, not three. I'll explain better during dinner."

I bowed my head. "Yes, Mistress."

It was too much change to have in two days. Between new prisoners and interrogations, let alone this new development, I was in over my head. The person I loathed more than anyone would be dining with us. The food might as well have been poison. In the back of my mind, I sensed there was a lot more to come after the spoonful I just swallowed down my throat, burning with every bite.