Mystic

Chapter 10

Taryn awoke in a small cell, probably large enough she could touch both walls with her hands if she wanted to. But with her wrists handcuffed above her head to the wall behind her, that wasn't going to happen.

"Mattias!" Taryn screamed. "I know you're there, come here!"

Sure enough, Mattias walked in front of her cell, a wicked smile plastered to his face. "You called?"

"Let me go," Taryn demanded.

"And why would I do that?"

"We were friends once."

Mattias laughed. "Please, we were acquaintances at best. Besides, once you took your place in the royal army I was hardly even on your mind."

"You don't know that,"

"True, but I have a hunch." He raised an eyebrow. "I'm sure the queen would love to have you back home again."

Taryn didn't stay anything.

"What, you scared of your--"

"I'm not scared of anything," Taryn fought back, cutting him off before he could finish.

Mattias crouched down, staring Taryn straight in the eyes, a small smirk growing from his lips. "I disagree."

"There are people dying out there, from both sides. Doesn't that bother you? Knowing how much blood has been spilled for a war that no one even knows why they're still fighting?" Taryn was pulling at strings, desperate for something to click in his mind, just long enough to let her free.

Her attempts were met with anger. Mattias grabbed onto the bars of the cells with full force, the metal rattling through the walls of the cell. Taryn flinched at the sudden sound.

"Why would that bother me when I'm the one that killed them?" Mattias spat.

Taryn glared at him. "You're making a mistake,"

He shook his head, laughing to himself as he stood up. "No Rinni, the only mistake I've made is letting you go the first time. I won't let that happen again."

"She trusted you," Taryn spat, her teeth gritted.

Mattias smiled. "Your sister was a fool, just like you. Enjoy your time here, it'll be better than anything the queen could offer."

He turned his back towards her and walked down the hall. Taryn leaned as far forward as she could, trying to see him. Though he disappeared from her field of view, she heard the door at the end of the hallway slam shut, meaning she was all alone.

She scanned her cell, trying to find a way out. She glanced up at the handcuffs holding her hands. The piece of metal holding them to the wall was rustly. If she pulled hard enough, she might be able to break the handcuffs away from the wall. Taryn closed her eyes and took a deep breath. She tightened her hands into fists and pulled her wrists away from the wall as hard as she could. After a few seconds of pulling, the piece snapped and flew against the bars of the cell, echoing down the prison hall.

Though the cuffs were still on her wrists, at least she could move her hands around freely, a small section of chain dangling from each handcuff.

Taryn stood up, grabbing onto the bars of her cell, looking down the hallway of cages. Through the dim torchlight, she could see no one else in the other cells. Now she just had to figure how to get out of hers.

She tried kicking and pushing the door open by force as she had done with the handcuffs but no avail. She searched her person to find something small enough to pick the lock with, but once again found nothing of use.