Quinn Jackson ◊
Starving, dehydrated, exhausted, weak.
I was still mortal, and I could feel myself slipping away with every hour that went by and I still had no way to help myself. I was hurting, but I couldn't even imagine what Luke was going through.
"Kronos, please." I pleaded, my throat dry and hurting with every syllable I uttered, "I need water or something."
He gave a soft smile, one that was still all too unsettling, as he came near, "Oh, my dear Quinn."
"I forget that you are mortal and weak. Honestly though, what would you even become when you're immortal? You're essentially useless." He said, throwing a pitcher of water into the cage and I quickly scrambled to get it upright, to at least have some water to drink.
His words stung, but I did not care. All I could focus on was the water, and how it felt against my hurting throat.
"I don't understand why you're doing this. I am not going to marry you, and Luke is going to die. Don't you care about him?" I screamed, and Kronos turned as he looked at me, an unamused and irritated look plastered over his face.
"I did care about Luke, I mean I still do. He was once my favorite," He mumbled, coming close to the cage and I flinched as his face was close to mine, "Until he stood idly by while Zeus and the rest killed me."
"I'm sure he doesn't even regret it." He murmured, and his attention was turned away from me as Lyla appeared, an upset look on her face.
"Hera, what do you want?" He snapped, and she flinched slightly as she shrugged her shoulders gently and walked towards us.
"Um, just to update you on Luke. He is starting to fade, Father. There is not much longer so we should act soon." She whispered, and I stilled at her words.
"Luke, what did she just say about Luke?" I whimpered, and Kronos cocked a brow as he crouched down to my level, licking his lips as he stared at me.
"Luke is fading away my dear. He was supposed to have married you by now, and granting him eternal kingship once he had his queen." He said.
"How dare you. Don't just let him fade." I growled, and Kronos watched me as I pulled at the chains, laughing slightly.
Lyla stood idly by while she watched, crossing her arms over her chest and I glared at her in disgust.
"You're a horrible person, that's why Luke never loved you." I spat, and she tightened her fists as she walked towards me, but Kronos held her back.
"What else do they say?" He mumbled, and she continued sending me a nasty look until Kronos cleared his throat and she looked up at him.
"Nothing, they are still wondering who it was that is betraying everyone. I am tempted to place the blame on either Michael or Arnold." She said, her voice quiet but I screamed at her once more.
"You are trying to blame others? You are ruining yourself Lyla. Don't you dare bring Michael or even Arnold into this." I snapped, and she rolled her eyes before she was walking towards the cage but this time, I didn't back down.
My muscles were burning from leaning forward so far, but I had to get close enough to her, "Why are you even doing this? You know that as soon as he gets what he wants he is going to leave you behind."
Doubt became clear on her face, and I watched as she glanced back at Kronos who was too busy on the other side of the cage, before she was glaring at me.
"Why did I do this? Why did Arnold always cheat on me? I loved him, more than words could describe but he always left. That's what people do Quinn, they leave." She whispered, and I shook my head as I watched her.
"No Lyla, they leave because you give them a chance or a reason to. Arnold left probably because you're psychotic." I said, watching as she cracked before she was reaching into the cage but only grasped air.
"I will end you Quinn Jackson, even if it is the last thing I do." She growled, before Kronos came over and pushed her away, watching as she suddenly disappeared.
"Enough Quinn. We are kind enough to keep you alive." He murmured, and I growled at him once more. If he was going to keep me trapped like an animal, I was going to behave like one. "Don't growl."
"Let me out of here Kronos. I am not a slave." I snapped, and he rolled his eyes as he waved his hands, and the light from around the cave left, enclosing me in darkness.
"You want to misbehave, I won't stand by." He spoke, and I grumbled as silence followed, and I was alone once more. The darkness seemed to be my best ally at this point.
◊
"Quinn." A voice whispered, and I immediately perked up as I recognized it.
"Mira. Mira, oh my gosh." I cried, pulling at the chains and seeing a figure dart through the dark.
"Quinn, oh wow." She breathed out, pulling at the cage bars but looked disappointed as nothing budged. "I'm going to try to get you out of here."
"Mira I'm so glad to see you." I whimpered, and she nodded as she reached through the bars, her hand cupping my cheek.
"Hey, it's all going to be okay." She said, and tears streamed down my face at the realization that I was going to be home soon.
"Mira, please. I want to go home. I want Luke and I want Albus and I want Cerberus and I want Michael and everyone else." I whispered, my voice cracking and she nodded as she wiped at the tears.
"It's going to be okay. I'm here now." She said, smiling at me but she made no move to help get me from the cage.
"Mira." I said, and she continued smiling before she was in the cage now with me, "Get me out."
She wrapped her arms around me, giving me a big hug and I breathed out in relief and tried hugging her back, but couldn't due to the chains.
"Mira, please just get me out." I whispered, and she squeezed me once more before pulling away, and I screamed as it was now Kronos holding me tightly.
"Get off of me." I cried, pushing at him but he held me tightly, his hands squeezing my arms and I sobbed as he pressed his lips against mine once more.
"You disgust me." I whispered, and he just chuckled as he wiped at his lips, before stepping back out of the cage.
"Oh, I wouldn't say that if I were you my Queen. I know you miss everyone back home." He cooed, and I backed away from the bars as I hit the wall.
"Albus and Cerberus, how sweet." He murmured, and I sank to the ground, pulling my knees up to my chest as I continued crying. I missed Luke's arms, I missed being home with him.
I closed my eyes, hoping that this was all just a horrible dream but I knew it wasn't. Kronos was watching me, before he opened the cage and I watched him in confusion.
"I have something for you." He muttered, a key appearing in his hand as he moved the shackles over, and uncuffed my wrists. I rubbed at the skin, wincing at the redness and rawness of them.
"What do you want?" I whimpered, still holding my wrists and pushing back so I was further away from him, and a look of hurt went across his face before he regained his composure.
"Don't ask questions." He snapped, quickly grabbing me and I struggled in his arms before he was hoisting me over his shoulder and pulling me out of the cage.
"Kronos, let me go." I cried, and he huffed as he set me down on a table, carved out of the same stone from the cave that surrounded us.
He waved his hands and a leather strap wrapped itself around my waist, hands and legs and I struggled to move around but the straps were too tight.
"Just getting some things ready." He murmured, tightening the waist strap once again and I cried out as the leather was harsh against my skin. He pulled out a blade, and I whimpered as he dragged it against my leg.
"What things?" I whispered, wanting to know what he would possibly do but not wanting to know at the same time.
"Oh Quinn, don't worry." He mumbled, and I cringed at his tone, so carefree at this point. "Just trust me."
"Like I could ever trust you." I snapped, and he rolled his eyes before pulling the dagger up and away from my skin, and I breathed out slightly in relief until the dagger hit the wood, inches from my face.
I shrieked out as I processed, before Kronos was climbing on top of me and straddling me slightly. I was disgusted as he leaned forward, his breath hitting my face.
"Quinn, you are so beautiful. You and I, we could run the world." He said, his hand on the dagger still, before he was raising it up into his hands and I whimpered as he held it above me.
"If you're going to kill me, just get it over with." I whispered, and he chuckled as he shook his head.
"Oh my dear. I would never just kill you. I have so much planned for you Quinn." He murmured, before dragging his hand up the front of my body, pushing the material of my shirt up and leaving my skin exposed.
I whimpered as he licked his lips, before taking the dagger and piercing the skin. I cried out, the blade stained red with my blood before he was wiping it along my body.
He started drawing out symbols on my body, using my own blood, and I was beginning to feel nauseous as I looked down. He chuckled as he pierced my skin once more, this time on my arm and I cried out again.
"Kronos, stop." I pleaded, and he pressed his lips into a line as he stabbed my other arm, and grinding my teeth together as the pain multiplied.
He took a deep breath as he took the blood and smeared it around, before drawing the same symbols along his skin, and I grew light-headed as I watched him, before he chuckled darkly and looked at me.
"Soon Quinn, you'll be right by my side as we take out the council. I will become king, and everyone will bow down to us. This world will become mine once more."