Forgotten Monsters

Chapter 15- Parting

Tessa lay panting on the throne room floor, and not for the first time in that hour, she wished herself dead. Of course, the list of people she wished dead grew with every day, and on this particular day she wished the little red-haired foreigner would die in a particularly horrifying way.

The Queen was mad with fury at having lost two prisoners, she had been raving about wanting the red-haired girl's heart since she had summoned Tessa to the throne room. At first Tessa had welcomed an escape from the prisons, but she had been wrong.

When she had caught her breath she dared to look around the room. There was a smattering of lords and ladies, eyes averted from what was about to happen. Tessa willed herself to be strong, and then she stood and faced her attacker. A hooded figure, flanked by two soldiers, advanced on her again. She raised her chin, looking away from them straight into the Queen's eyes. The two soldiers grabbed her by the arms and threw her to the floor, holding her down on the cold marble. The hooded figure drew his weapon, a saw, its jagged edges flashing in the light.

The soldiers drew her skirt up to her knees, revealing the smooth expanse of her shins. She glared as hatefully as possible at the Queen, who was still seething with anger. This time, she told herself, she would not scream. The saw pressed against her right leg.

This isn't real. She told herself. None of this is real.

But that didn't stop the pain from being real as the saw bit into her leg, sawing into bone.

Why did the girls have to escape the prison. Didn't they know there was no one who could withstand the Queen's power? Tessa looked down at her legs, saw the blood pumping from the right stump, felt her body shudder in agony as the saw bit into her second leg.

She couldn't help it, she screamed.

***

Aydrus raved for hours, screaming obscenities and lashing out at Resa and Matthew if they got within striking distance. Resa was sitting sullenly in front of the only exit, nursing her hand against her chest. Matthew flinched every time Aydrus screamed that she hated him. That she blamed him for being locked up for years, that he was pathetic, useless, and worst of all:that he had lied to her when he had told her he would keep her safe.

Even though rationally he knew that this wasn't her, that this was some strange possession, it didn't stop her words from biting. The Queen was digging around in his sister's head for her darkest thoughts. On some level, even if it was deeply buried, Aydrus had thought all the vile things she was hurling at him now. It was a relief when she exhausted herself, slumping against the far wall and drifting off to sleep.

"How's your hand?" Matthew dared to ask Resa, but even in the dim light he could see that it was bad.

"Useless," Resa spoke quietly.

It was the worst thing she could have said. She lived on the streets. If she didn't have use of both hands she was as good as done. Another person who he'd failed to protect, though he doubted Resa would value his protection.

"I need a doctor, soon," she continued, "Or..." she couldn't seem to finish her sentence.

There was something that had been bothering him that he finally needed to voice. "You said my sister isn't herself. It's because the Queen took her heart isn't it."

Resa nodded grimly.

Matthew watched the way her shoulders hunched like armor. "Did she take yours too?" It was something he had been wondering since finding her in the dungeons. With his sister he had dared to hope the rumors weren't true. But something about Resa suggested that she had given up on keeping herself safe a long time ago. Perhaps it was because her life force had been taken from her.

"No," she laughed but it wasn't a pleasant sound, "I'm not exactly her type."

"What do you mean?"

"The Queen steals the hearts of beautiful girls. Not plain faced street rats."

Matthew watched her curiously and she shook her head.

"Please don't say some lie to try and make me feel better. I've long since stopped trying to pretend I'm pretty."

"I wasn't going to," Matthew said and when she snorted in disbelief he laughed. "I think I know you well enough to not try to flatter you."

She smiled a little at this. They were quiet for a while and then out of nowhere she said "my younger sister was beautiful." Matthew didn't respond, willing her on, "She had our mother's shiny black hair and delicate features."

She looked like she was going to say more, Matthew wanted to hear more, but at that moment Aydrus stirred. Both of them stood up, braced for more screaming. But when Aydrus opened her eyes it was just her, whatever had possessed her before had given up.

"Matthew," she breathed. "Matthew you need to take me far away from her."

Matthew's eyes darted to Resa, but then he realized she must mean the Queen. "Okay," he nodded slowly, thinking it through, "Okay we'll need horses and provisions but we should be able to get out of the city by tomorrow night."

At this she shook her head, still surprisingly lucid, "No. You need to take me away right now. Matthew, if you don't I'll kill myself."

Her eyes flickered to Resa, "Tell him! You've seen what she can do with the people she controls. I won't be a weapon in her arsenal!"

"Fine," he raised his palms in surrender, "We'll leave now, we can figure it out on the way."

"You're coming with us," Aydrus turned to Resa who shook her head slowly.

"I need a doctor, if I can't get help it won't matter if I can escape the Queen or not." Aydrus cringed away from Resa's hand, looking guilty.

"I'm sorry that after all you've done for me all I've done is hurt you," Aydrus said, unable to meet Resa's eyes. "I'll let you two say goodbye." She swept out the room, almost like the sister he had lost those years ago.

"Do you know where you'll go?" Resa asked.

Matthew sighed, "No, but we'll make it work." He gestured at her hand, "I hope no permanent damage is done, those vendors deserve a little competition."

Resa smiled, "Thanks, keep Aydrus safe." She turned to leave but he placed his hand on the door to stop her.

"You may not be beautiful, but I like how you look." He met her eyes squarely, "You look like a survivor."

"Then let's hope looks aren't deceiving."