Chapter 59

“Are you going to tell me what I desire to know?” He asked, tilting his head as his hand remained suspended in the air; waiting to strike me.

“I ... I won’t betray my father by telling you ...” I stuttered, panic beginning to seep through my bones as I shifted my eyes between the immortal and his hand; breathing heavily.

“Your father ordered you to obey me, so you must respect his dying wishes.” Mortem growled furiously, slapping me across the face.

I cried out at the force of his blow, causing my head to snap to the side, my cheek beginning to throb as I turned to stare up at the immortal; my tone desperately high. “Only because you forced him to sign the scroll, otherwise he would have never agreed to such a thing! You are a monster and I will not obey you!”

“However, the scroll was signed by your father, meaning that you must obey; or you will receive consequences.” The vampire king countered, dragging me towards one of the large wooden benches as he snarled, barbarically smashing me into the bloodied surface.

I screamed, pushing against his grasp as I attempted to jump from the table; the immortal creature forcing me back. Panting for breath, I continued to struggle against the impossibly strong vampire as he fastened the leather straps around my wrists, binding me to the wooden bench as he repeated the process for my ankles; testing the strength of each strap. He struck me across the face when I screamed in frustration, the demonic glint in his lifeless eyes causing me to freeze; my small frame trembling in horror. - What were the consequences that the king spoke of? - My heart thumped against my ribcage in panic, my muscles tightening in expectation of what was to come. - Though, what did he intend to do to me? -

I watched with wide fearful eyes as he attached the straps to a vast chain, the metal connecting to a large lever. He turned to look down at me for a moment, tilting his head to the side as he bared his teeth in a predatory motion, his razor-like fangs puncturing his bottom lip. I yelped in pain as Mortem began to tug at the lever, the torturous machine stretching my aching muscles. I screamed, clenching my eyes shut as my shoulder bones dislocated simultaneously, a deafening crack echoing through the bloodstained chamber.

“Tell me what I wish to know, girl!” The tyrant commanded, viciously twisting the lever as he snarled.

“No!” I wailed in anguish, my small frame shaking with strain as I fought against the straps, the bones in my ankles dislocating with a slight pop.

Mortem shook his head in annoyance, barely uttering a response as he increased the pressure of the straps, the agonising pain worsening with each flick of his wrist. Taunting my cries, the immortal laughed wickedly, slowly releasing the pressure of the leather straps. I breathed deeply, panting for breath as my bones ached with a deep throbbing; clouding my mind in nothing but discomfort. I screamed suddenly, the unmerciful king slamming the lever forward in a vicious and untamed attack, the small bones in my wrists snapping as the pressure caused them to break; shattering the increasingly fragile bone.

“Now, will you divulge what I wish to know princess?” He asked harshly, releasing the lever as he moved to stand beside my trembling frame; lightly toying with my broken wrist.

I weakly shook my head, tears sliding down my cheeks as I attempted to remain brave; to push through the pain. As he jolted my broken bones, my whimpers of agony increased. Mortem growled at my silent response, ferociously tearing the leather straps from my ankles and wrists. My eyes widened as he lifted me into the air, savagely flinging me across the large chamber; my body crashing against a large wooden machine that I didn’t recognise, before smashing into the ground with a vibrating thud. I trembled on the ground as he stalked towards me, pushing my left foot into a small latch on the wooden machine; locking it in place.

I sobbed, anguished screams escaping my lips as he pulled a thin chain, strategically suspending a large stone slab a few feet above my ankle. He released it suddenly, the stone brutally slamming into my ankle. The bone shattered with a gut-wrenching snap, my heart seeming to skip a beat as I pleaded for him to stop, my small frame unable to take the pain. The immortal creature laughed menacingly, the vile sound moulding and twisting into a bloodthirsty snarl as he forced his foot into my side, knocking the wind from my lungs. I gasped, wheezing as I fell into a violent fit of coughs, unable to move as I withered on the ground, awaiting his next move of unmerciful brutality. I felt foolish for pleading with the putrid and unfeeling creature, knowing that he had never permitted any soul mercy, only ceasing his cruelty when he either grew tired; or got what he wished for. - Though, could I live with the guilt of betraying my grandfather? Of giving the information I had on the hidden passages in and out of the palace to Mortem? -

“Do you feel like speaking with me now, little girl?” He questioned, removing my broken foot from the machine as he lifted the thin chain back to where it had started; suspending the stone slab.

I thought for a moment, taking raspy and shallow breaths as my panic and anxiety rose, seeing it as though I had no other option. - How much more could I take before I snapped, before I revealed everything that he wished to know? - The vampire king shook his head when I hesitated to respond, forcing my right foot into the same machine; releasing the chain. I barely had a chance to scream before the bloodied stone slab came plummeting towards me, the familiar sound of a bone snapping surrounding me, mixing with the animalistic cackles of the immortal. I screamed like I had never screamed before, the undivided agony unbearable as blood gushed from my right ankle, the stone slab completely shattering the bone; the shards breaking through my fragile skin.

I blinked rapidly, my vision suddenly blurring as I wheezed; barely able to catch my breath. My wails of pain receding into small whimpers as my thoughts began to fade, slipping away as though I was drifting into an induced sleep. Silent tears slid down my cheeks as I closed my eyes, the lids becoming strangely heavy. Unable to pry them back open, I listened, the world around me dulling into only whispers. The immortal king broke the silence with a deep and throaty laugh, my mind attempting to comprehend the situation.

“It is a shame that you cannot hold onto consciousness for longer, Sanctus. I must say that your cries for mercy are quite pleasing, though do not plague your mind with sorrow over this, little one. Once you wake, we can continue our conversation and perhaps come to an understanding.” Mortem purred lightly, whispering into my ear as he added pressure to my right ankle, inhaling deeply.

The animalistic creature basked in the blood that oozed from the gaping wound in my ankle, thoroughly enjoying my whimpers of agony. I groaned weakly as I felt his fingers brush my cheek, pushing the loose strands of hair away from my face; each one clinging to the sweat that formed across my forehead. Screeching, my small frame began to convulse, my back arching. The tyrant king pinned me back down as I gasped croakily; my body betraying me as it shook and trembled, pushing away my thoughts with each burst of agony.

“Sleep, little princess. You will not feel the pain while you remain unconscious.” He soothed lightly, throwing my mind off balance as his voice softened; seeming to emanate with sympathy.

My thoughts receded once more, dismissing his words as they began playing across the last of my conscious mind. I slipped into an unwilling sleep; the pain imprisoning me within my own body.