Black Stars - The Mors Mortis Trilogy Book 1

Prologue - The Girl

To die would be an awfully big adventure.

- J.M. Barrie, Peter Pan

The cell was dank and dark, and smelt strongly of rust, dirt and urine. Faint light slithered in from a square carved in the door, barred with iron rods embedded into the metal. If someone had chosen to look through, they would've seen nothing of importance, just a lone sack slumped in the corner beside a piss bucket.

Only once the room was unobserved, would the girl uncurl. It was better to be invisible here. At first, she'd screamed and called for help, but nothing good ever came of it, only a little jeering to lift the guard's spirits. So, she'd dissolved into the girl they didn't want. The girl that had no fire. The girl that had no answers.

The girl, she hoped, they'd have no purpose to keep.

The familiar click of the lock echoed through the room and light flooded in, exposing the broken lamp hanging from the ceiling and the holes high up in the walls where the cement had worn away, just big enough for the rats.

The girl shivered. She preferred this room unlit.

She looked towards the doorway, even though she already knew who would be there. He was tall for his age, which she supposed was only a year or two older than hers. The first time he'd come she'd been surprised; she hadn't thought they'd put a teenager in charge of an interrogation.

She didn't meet his gaze as she stood, the chains that bound her wrists rattling like Marley's ghost.

"What do you want, Jared?" she asked.

He gestured that she should move forward, and she did so uncertainly. This was not the way their interactions usually played out. Usually she wasn't allowed near the door.

The moment she was within arm's reach, Jared grabbed her and a soft rustle reached her ears. She glanced down the corridor to see a familiar man leaning against the wall. She didn't cry out, though every nerve in her body screamed to.

"Jared tells me you've been uncooperative," the man said, watching her carefully.

Her jaw clenched against the accusation, but she made no reply.

He sighed and straightened, moving toward her.

"I'm going to ask you once more, Azemar. Where's the Device?"

"I don't know. I already told you everything."

He watched her silently, head tilted to the side. He reminded her of a falcon, narrow eyed and clawed.

"You've told me everything you're willing to tell me," he said, "but that's not the same thing, is it?"

She dropped her gaze, letting dark, matted hair fall across her face. It was easier to play her part that way. The poor, defeated girl act was far less convincing with fire in her eyes.

"Please," she said softly. "I – I don't know anything more. I was never told –"

She saw his hand a second too late and it connected with a force that ricocheted from her cheek all the way to her toes. Her whole body whipped to the side and for a second she dangled, only held upright by Jared's grip on her arm. Blood welled in her mouth and she spat.

"I don't like liars," the man said calmly. "Now, considering Jared's interrogation methods have been unsuccessful, we're going to start doing things my way. I have a new machine I'd like to try out, and none of my men are willing to be the lab rat."

The girl froze, eyes widening.

"I would, however," the man continued, "reconsider if you just told me where the Mors Mortis Device is."

The girl was still for a second before she lashed out. Her chained hands swung around and crashed into Jared's face. He let out a curse, releasing her arm and she spun away, charging at the man with a yell. But before she could reach him, Jared appeared in front of her again. A knife flicked to her throat, resting under her chin threateningly.

"Don't move," he snapped.

She froze as their eyes met. Jared's cheeks were flushed a bright, feverish red, his eyes flashing dangerously.

"How about you take these handcuffs off and we have a fair fight?" she growled.

Jared opened his mouth to retort, but the man spoke first.

"Enough." His voice boomed down the corridor. "Jared, grab her and follow me."

He spun on his heels and Jared seized her once more, shoving her down the corridor, but she pushed back, digging her heels in.

A deranged sense of fear was bubbling up, tearing her insides apart as she forced it to remain internal. She would not show them her panic. Not the all-consuming extent of it.

Jared let out a grunt of frustration at her resistance and his grip tightened, yanking her forward with a strength she couldn't wish to match.

The corridor expanded in front of her, its full length indistinguishable in the dim light. Her heart lurched when the man turned off, leading them into another room. There was a table in the middle, metal cuffs bolted into its sides and wires running up the legs. Next to it was an IV pump, the bag filled with a dark red liquid.

She felt a rush of something. Everything. Her whole being flooded with emotions as if trying to encompass a lifetime of experiences she was beginning to realise she may never have.

Because she knew what this machine was. And if it worked she'd be worse than dead.

She thrashed against Jared's hold, throwing every curse she could think of at him as he tugged her forward and dumped her unceremoniously onto the table. Her scramble to get back off was thwarted when a cuff close around one ankle. And then the other. Her whole body was vibrating as he unlocked the cuffs from her cell and tied her hands down too.

The fight was beginning to drain out of her, the inevitable sinking in, and she didn't bother resisting as he stuck a needle into her arm and attached it to the IV drip. The liquid started winding its way into her system, aided by her frantic heartbeat, as her eyes met Jared's once more.

"I bet you're proud, aren't you?" she said quietly. "Two Azemars in one month."

Jared's mouth tightened, but for the first time she saw something other than hatred enter his eyes. Before she could identify it, he turned away, moving to the man's side.

The girl closed her eyes and took a deep breath. This was it.

Goodbye Mum.

A switch was flicked. The table thrummed alive and her breath caught.

Goodbye Dad.

The surface started to vibrate, growing hot enough to scald.

Goodbye Seth.

The tugging began and she whimpered, muscles scrunched tight against the pain in her chest. A tear slid down her cheek.

I'll see you all on the other side.

Her eyes flew open as the pulling became unbearable and she finally allowed herself to scream, unable to do anything else as her soul was ripped from her chest.