Heart of darkness

Chapter Seventeen

"Another witch?" I asked, finding it hard to believe.

Our people despise witches the king most of all, so why on earth would he have one on his side? It couldn't be true, but as I looked into Lizzy's eyes I saw no trace of a joke, no trace of humour, only a serious look from her words.

"This witch is more powerful than I. As I said before, I sensed their aura right when I came through the door. A witch that powerful, I'm surprised my family back home couldn't sense them." Lizzy stated and leaned back against the bars that separated our cells.

"Is there any way we could defeat them?" I asked.

"Not by ourselves. We need help from my coven, though I doubt they'll even want to, they haven't stepped out of their base for decades. Their all terrified of the King and the Prince"

I tried to move closer to Lizzy, to try and comfort her from whatever pain I could see in her eyes, but whenever I moved, pain would shoot through my body and I would crumble onto the stone floor. Trying not to cry whilst there.

"Do you want me to heal you?" Lizzy asked, when she noticed my obvious pain. Her expression was filled with genuine concern, a look I hadn't seen much here.

"Can you do that?" I questioned in disbelief.

"Of course I can, I'm a witch." She said, as if her healing abilities were obvious. I felt my cheeks heat up from embarrassment. Lizzy had already said that she was the most powerful witch in her coven, why would I doubt the words of a fifteen year old with?

Moving towards the bars seemed like the hardest thing I've had to do in all of my life. It felt like a thousand tiny needles were being pushed into every inch of my body, especially my back. I had felt as if I had wasted years trying to reach the witch. Tears pricked my eyes as I finally made it to Lizzy. I was exhausted and felt like I could crumble and step into an unwakeable sleep.

"This might sting a little." She said, pressing her hands to my wounds.

The pain I was in a few moments ago was nothing compared to this. It felt as if I was being beaten all over again, though now by a million whips hitting me at the same time all while being drowned in water that was impossible to escape from. My cries of pain rang out in the empty dungeon and painful tears were streaming freely down my cheeks. It was odd that a guard hadn't come down to check who was making that sound. I was sure the whole castle had heard my cries of pain. But as soon as it came, the pain vanished and I fell to the floor, breathless and even more tired than I was before.

"You said it would sting a little." I emphasized on the little, my words quiet and filled with what little annoyance I had left.. I looked into her eyes and could see her apologetic gaze from mine.

"Well I didn't want you to freak out." Lizzy countered as I sat up and scooted away from the bars. She again gave me a genuine apology.

"Great! That makes it all better." I said, sarcastically. I knew that I was starting to take my problems out on Lizzy and I quickly stopped, feeling guilty from my actions. She didn't deserve more pain and weight on her shoulders, all already had too much from just being herself.

"A thank you would have sufficed." She muttered and another wave of guilt flooded through me. She had done a kind thing and I was being a brat about it, she was becoming my friend.

"Thank you." I said, giving her a warm apologetic smile. I saw her lips curl a little into a forgiving smile.

We sat in silence for a while, my mind wondering from my back to Lizzy's magic and how strong her power really was.

"Wait, can't you break us out with your magic?" I asked, feeling as if we had somehow gotten an advantage on Damian and his father or at least some way to get out of this cage.