One Day More - a Sartorias-deles fanfic

Chapter 28

Iris curled up in a ball on the cot in her cell, shivering in the cool temperatures. She would have expected it to be muggy below the surface, but instead, it was almost cold enough that Iris could see her breath. Not that she had much light to see by. A few torches lined the stone walls. The dim light reflected off the water droplets that covered the surface of every flat surface. Iris watched two of the droplets race out of sight; her chosen one lost.

At least the king had not ordered her death on sight. And Raec was not infuriated with her, although he had every right to be. No matter what happened, she would have that small comfort. Iris only prayed with what knowledge she could provide, the Renselaeus family could stop her parents and bring them to justice—whatever method they determined that justice should be dealt. Iris did not want to die, but she would accept her sentence. She deserved it.

The prison was beneath one wing of the castle; Iris did not know which one. Open cells lined the outer walls, while the interior spaces were filled with isolation cubicles that were lined on all sides with metal. The only openings in each were slits, through which meals could be delivered and dirty dishes promptly taken away. Iris was relieved not to be in one of them. Although her space was cold, she could still see her surroundings. She was the only one in the dungeon currently—not even the Primas, which surprised her. This was the only prison she knew of in the capital city, but then again, Iris hardly knew the city—especially its underground secrets.

The light dimmed; one of the torches must have sputtered out. Iris tugged the coarse blanket from beneath her and wrapped the fabric around her upper body. Still chilled, she pulled her legs under, too, and leaned her head against the wall. At some point, she must have fallen asleep, for the metallic ring of a door opening caused her to jolt awake. No one said anything, though she heard footsteps across the stone until her own cell door swung open. Someone slid a tray across her floor but not all the way to her.

"Thank you," Iris said. She only received a grunt in response, and she was once again left with only herself as company.

Anywhere else might have served pitiful food to their prisoners. Iris was surprised to see steaming meat—though she did not know what kind—two different vegetables, and a biscuit. She ate every piece of it, still unsure about the meat even after consuming it. Iris tried not to think about it; better to know she would not die of starvation. Once she finished, Iris pushed the empty tray, plate, and utensils against the front part of her cell.

Time passed in a blur. Iris had no idea what day it was when her door opened, and the visitor did not immediately leave. All she knew for certain was that she had eaten five meals in total, and she guessed they were delivered twice a day. For the most part, Iris spent her time on the cot, thinking of her time with Alaraec and all she thought she had done wrong. All of the times she could have told him the truth, yet kept her mouth shut. Because she did not trust him with the truth—or rather, she did not trust his reaction to it.

She did not move to look at who entered, even when she felt her cot sag under the additional weight. A hand touched her ankle beneath her skirt, the edges of which had frayed and turned brown from the prison's scum. She raised her head. Iris could only see the visitor's outline, but it was more than enough. Iris would recognize Alaraec's silhouette anywhere.

"I'm so sorry," Iris said. Her voice crackled like crumbled paper. "I know I keep saying that."

Raec's hand went to her cheek, and he rubbed her skin. "Your face is a mess."

"I am not surprised." Iris smiled, though her heart was not in it. "You shouldn't be here."

"I had to check on you," Raec said.