Blood for her Crown

Chapter Twenty-Nine

Ciden

Another three days must have passed when Ciden saw the door opening. A towering figure emerged from behind the well-lit throne room. Dyon lit the candle and took a close look at him. No, not Dyon. This time, it was Vayne who was standing there. His gaze was cold, without regret or sympathy. He approached Ciden in three leisurely steps, holding a glass of water in his hand.

"Your brother had more important matters to attend to."

Ciden's lower jaw felt too heavy to move properly, so he couldn't answer even if he wanted to. At that point, he didn't have a single ounce of energy in his entire body.

"You look horrible, but I assume you are aware of that," Vayne felt the need to point out.

Yes, of course he was aware of it... Ciden merely glared at him before casting a desperate glance at the glass in his hand.

The assassin sighed before allowing him to drink. The desert in his mouth began to fade. But it wasn't enough. He could drink an entire river and still not be satisfied.

"Given that Dyon told me I could throw this glass at your head, I assume this cut is from him?" he asked, pushing Ciden's hair back.

The only thing Ciden could do was nod arduously. He felt a sting near his hairline on his right temple.

"I will refrain from doing so before you die on us. The next time one of us walks in here, it will be the last time. Then it really begins, so prepare for that."

With that, he left Ciden alone again.

After nine days of this, they'd begin their final torture? No, he doubted that. They wanted to stretch this out for as long as possible. The only reason they had to do something else for him soon was because he'd starve to death at one point. 

It wouldn't surprise him if they forced an entire meal laced with glass shards down his throat. In fact, he was convinced that something similar would await him in three days.

This was more than just torture for these two; it was a game of vengeance.

It would only get worse with every scenario they had planned for him, that was for sure.

Cider's stomach growled in frustration as the pounding in his brain worsened.

The headache had gotten to the point where he longed for unconsciousness to overcome him.

And it did, after what seemed like hours.