Cas didn’t know what he’d been expecting when he’d told Iris to go along with Ethan’s demands, but when she stepped in front of him, willingly shielding him from the gun aimed in their direction, he felt his heart stop. He knew the rebels wanted him dead and that it was entirely likely they would shoot him where he stood. It wasn’t like he wanted to be killed either. However, he’d rather they shot him than go through her to get to him, which was the very situation she was putting them in by standing between him and the other two men. Judging by the feral look in her ex-boyfriend’s eyes, he might actually put a bullet in both their hearts if that was what it took to have his way too.

“Iris, stop it,” he hissed, panic written on his face now that she was putting herself in danger alongside him. He’d given up for the sake of making sure she stayed safe. If she was going to openly take his side and fight Ethan, his efforts were pointless. Injured and unarmed, they were outmatched by the rebels, so their chances of getting away were slim to none. The only logical choice here was for him to surrender, hope they wouldn’t shoot him between the eyes, and pray that they wouldn’t be too harsh on her for helping him escape the first time.

Unfortunately, it seemed like he and Iris were not on the same page, because she began trying to reason with Ethan. Inwardly, he groaned, predicting that negotiating would get them nowhere. The rebels’ goal was to sever the lineage of the crown, as had been made quite clear to him by Regis on multiple occasions. It didn’t matter what they thought of him. That he was Atlas’s son gave them all the cause they needed to kill him and pretend like they had done Aspiria a major service by doing so.

As Ethan mocked Iris and aimed his weapon at her, Cas felt a mixture of fear and anger stir inside his chest. He narrowed his eyes, loathing the way the other man spoke down to her as if she was stupid. Getting to know her, he knew she was anything but. He wanted to leap to her defense, to tell Ethan that he was the one who should shut up, but with a gun fixated on her heart, he was smart enough to bite his tongue. He didn’t trust her ex-boyfriend not to kill her if he said something that would make him mad. Unless they had a way to turn the tables on the rebels, he needed to stay focused on keeping her alive.

Yet again, Iris’s agenda was apparently vastly different from his own. Cas’s eyes widened as she suddenly lunged at Ethan, grappling with him for the gun. For half a second, he worried that she was going to get herself shot, but he didn’t have time to think about it for long. In the next moment, he came to his senses as he realized that Thomas was springing at him with one arm cocked back to swing.

It wasn’t the turn of events he’d been expecting, and he’d never been in a real fight before—even the one with Regis had just been an act of self-defense—but he fell into the rhythm almost instinctively. As Thomas threw a punch at him, he quickly dove to the side, so the other man’s fist only grazed his cheek and then pivoted on his foot to return the blow. The rebel didn’t seem to have anticipated that he would fight back, so his punch hit its mark. His fist crashed into Thomas’s jaw, and the rebel staggered. Surprise flickered across his features for no longer than a second before he leapt again, and they brawled, grasping at clothes and exchanging heated blows as they raced to overpower each other.

Cas’s first impulse had been to flee, but now that Iris’s life was being threatened too, he couldn’t leave her behind. Despite her desperate command for him to run, he stayed, doing his best to fend off Thomas so that he could join her in her scrap with Ethan. In the back of his head, he found it fascinating how the surge of adrenaline cushioned every strike his opponent managed to land. He was vaguely aware of the pain when Thomas punched him in the jaw or kicked at his knees, but it wasn’t enough to discourage him from fighting back. He stayed on his feet, using everything he could to gain an edge over the rebel.

Unfortunately, he didn’t take into account the fact that determination alone wasn’t enough to win against someone who had more experience than he did. As he threw another punch at Thomas’s head, the rebel took him by surprise, catching hold of his arm and twisting it until he he’d pinned the limb tightly behind his back. Cas grimaced painfully and drove the elbow of his free arm back into the other man’s ribcage, but Thomas merely grunted and pinned that arm as well.

The motion jarred his injured bicep, and the prince bit his lip to stifle a cry as the torn muscles were contorted agonizingly. Desperate to break free from his hold, he stomped his foot down on Thomas’s shoe, but his effort only made the rebel twist his arms further behind his back.

“God damn it!” Thomas snarled, apparently pained by the trick even though it hadn’t worked. “Stop fighting or I’ll dislocate your fucking arms.”

“Let me go!” Cas snapped back, struggling against his grip. In response, the rebel twisted his arms again, and he gasped as pain shot through his shoulders. He’d dislocated his shoulder once before when he’d played rugby, and he could tell that Thomas was getting dangerously close to ripping his arms from their sockets.

Reluctantly, he stopped writhing and panted to catch his breath, spitting blood on the ground from a cut on the inside of his mouth that had opened after Thomas had punched him in the jaw. He hadn’t given up just yet, but he needed a breather and wouldn’t have a chance of winning if the other man followed through with his threat to dislocate his arms. Still concerned about Iris, he looked up to find her and Ethan, hoping she was okay.

The fact that Iris had lunged for him and the gun had taken Ethan by surprise, he couldn’t have imagined she would go so far like that. Protecting the monarchy by doing so, gripping the gun tightly as they fumbled with it, battling to win out as they fought over the gun. A part of him didn’t want to hurt her, deep down he had cared for her. There had been something there regardless on if he wanted to admit it or not, moments ago he had debated shooting her for standing in front of the Prince protecting him. A part of him knew he would have pulled the trigger, his mind had twisted with the war and the rebels, her father had been a somewhat bad influence with it all.

As they fumbled, he found himself getting angrier, the part of him who didn’t want to hurt her pushed aside as he felt her nails scrape away the skin of his hand in an attempt to grab the weapon. Hissing he tried to push her away, feeling blood blossom from his scratches his eyes flared with rage, growls emitting from his mouth as each moment passed, he sounded less human.

BANG.

It was as if time slowed down as the sound of the gun firing once more filled the air. Struggles from both Ethan and Iris stopped as they looked at each, horror struck faces as they weren’t sure if either one had been shot from the struggles of the gun. Although whatever emotions or adrenaline that had spurred the pair on seemed to have worn off and Ethan went white, blood blossomed his thigh as whatever bullet had been fired had grazed him. Nothing fatal, it looked like a bad scratch, but none the less he had been shot and it had been her fault.

Within minutes Ethan had registered that she had shot him, that it was her fault he now felt a pain on his thigh from the bullet. “I. Can’t. Believe. You.” Each word left his mouth cold, the words dripping with venom. Anger flowed through him as he lurched forward at Iris pushing her down to the ground with force as his fingers locked around her throat.

The sound of her head hitting against the floor made her cringe, tears formed in her eyes as she was unable to push off Ethan who had pinned her to the floor. For a brief moment she wondered if this was how she was going to die, in the road where no one would care, her body would be left, and no doubt rotted by the time someone would stumble upon her. Is this really it? Though before she could even think morbid thoughts the hand around her throat suffocating her brought her to reality, fingers tightening around her windpipe as each breath became a struggle. “E-Ethan…” Barely choking out her words as she began to thrash, though flailing limbs were met with his firm body that held her in place in some sort of vice like grip.

The idea of being able to overpower him had been silly, not a well thought out plan on her behalf because if she had even managed to wrangle the gun from him, he could have easily taken it back. Plus, would she have had the heart to pull the trigger? Even in self-defence? Already she could feel the pounding her head from the impact of the cold floor, dizziness washing over her from the lack of oxygen, but she tried to fight. Tried to push against Ethan who was not letting up. “..P-P.. le.. ease.” Managing to choke out as her hands gripped at his arm in some sort of bid to pull his strong grip around her neck. Though as the time passed colour was draining from her, it almost looked as if she was turning grey from the lack of oxygen to her body and only then did she feel his hand drop. Panting on the floor she was unable to regain herself so quickly, there was no way she could fight right now not anymore. Though she could still feel it, the hand that had been around her neck moments before draining her life. The feeling still remained, and she touched her neck wincing at the pain from the simple touch.

“Just know Iris, I could have killed you just then. I can’t believe you shot me.” Although she had directly pulled the trigger, the fumble she had caused for the gun had wounded him and it had sent him into a frenzy. Had Ethan not seen the colour drain from her he probably would have killed her, shooting a glance towards Thomas at the Prince he growled as he raised the gun once more towards Iris whilst looking Cas in the eye, “Now. Are you going to come quietly? I have one bullet left and I’d happily shoot it at her, or you if you'd prefer. Get in the car.” Hissing his last words as he nodded his head towards the vehicle waiting for Cas to get inside before he would drag Iris in with him.

The instant Caspian turned his head toward Ethan and Iris was the same second the gun went off. All color fled from his skin as the world seemed to stop turning for a moment. Unable to see if someone had gotten hurt in the skirmish, he staggered dizzily, silently pleading with whatever god might listen to him that she hadn’t been shot. He wished he could have been strong enough to fight off Thomas so that he could have helped her. He knew she wouldn’t be able to overpower Ethan, and yet he’d been powerless to come to her aid. If she had gotten wounded grappling for the weapon, he didn’t think he could forgive himself.

However, his panic only lasted for a few seconds before Ethan reacted. Apparently, he was the one who had been shot, not Iris. Cas felt weak with relief, his dark eyes locating the spot on the rebel’s leg where the bullet had grazed him. Spurred by the hope that swelled inside of him, he resumed struggling against Thomas’s grip, trying to get to her before her ex-boyfriend could retaliate.

His efforts weren’t enough yet again though, as he watched Ethan wrestle her to the ground and lock his hands around her throat. Wide-eyed, he felt his heart begin to stumble as the rebel choked her. The look in his eyes was frightening. By all appearances, it seemed like he was actually going to suffocate her to death. No, he thought urgently, managing to wrench one arm free in his desperation to save her. Taking advantage of the useful limb, he spun around and rammed his fist into Thomas’s face, hearing a crack as his knuckle broke the other man’s nose.

The rebel screamed and let him go—but only for a moment. Before Cas had a chance to run to Iris, he felt his breath leave him as Thomas tackled him to the ground. His head hit the asphalt hard, and he laid still, delirious from the impact. Craning his neck, he could just see Iris and Ethan, the latter’s hands still wrapped coldly around her throat. He could also see that the color was draining from Iris’s face.

“You’re killing her!” he called out in a strangled cry, writhing beneath Thomas’s weight. The rebel had him pinned once again with his knees pressed painfully into his lower back and his hands bearing down on his arms, so he couldn’t get up. Nevertheless, he fought in vain, terrified that he was going to end up watching Ethan murder Iris right before his eyes. “Let her go! You want me, so take me. Leave her out of this!”

When the other man eased up on her, a stunned expression took over the prince’s features. He hadn’t taken Ethan to be a rational man. A second surge of relief pulsed through him, and he continued to watch as the rebel gave her a final warning and turned his attention onto him. Cas’s eyes flicked to the gun aimed at Iris’s head and then back to her assailant’s face. Knowing now that his first impression had been wrong, he didn’t trust either of them to let her off easily. She was their enemy now too, since she’d taken his side. He swallowed apprehensively, his mouth still tasting of blood. He didn’t want to go with them if it meant that both he and Iris would be at the rebellion’s mercy, but they weren’t giving him any other choice.

At least this way, she won’t be killed right away, he reasoned, trying to find a sliver of hope to grasp onto in an otherwise hopeless situation. Once he stopped struggling, he felt Thomas’s weight lift from his back, giving him the option to follow Ethan’s order to get in the waiting vehicle. For a moment, he laid still, keeping his gaze fixed on Ethan and his gun, before he reluctantly sat up on his knees. “Fine,” he growled, demonstrating by the tone of his voice that he wasn’t rolling over to them like a submissive animal.

With a wistful glance at Iris, he climbed shakily to his feet and allowed Thomas to usher him over to the backseat of the car. The rebel grabbed him by the hair, and he winced as he was forced to duck inside like a criminal who had just been arrested. He just hoped he was making the right decision by giving them what they wanted. As long as Iris made it out with her life, that was all that mattered to him. I’m probably not going to get out of this one alive, he thought nervously, sliding over to the far side of the car and staring dully out the window.

Watching, waiting for the Prince to finally get in the car he looked down at Iris who hadn’t moved from her spot. Glad that she had not defied them anymore he nodded to Thomas who had assisted him, thankful he had come along to help restrain them both because had he been on his own he could have lost especially with the shocking events of Iris trying to wrestle him for the gun. Looking down at his thigh he could see the blood was pouring away from the wound, it was starting to ache, but he knew he could get it sorted back in their base. Though he didn’t know whether to lock them together or lock her in a room separately.

Sighing heavily, he grabbed Iris by the arm and forced her into the car, pushing her into the back of the car before slamming the door shut. Shaking his head at the whole ordeal, anger still flowed through him and he knew if he had just squeezed harder, pushed harder he would have taken her life. “Fucking nightmare.” Talking to himself as he got into the front of the car, thankfully child lock was still a thing so there was no way they could open up the car doors from the inside.

“Tom, let my father know we are on our way back. Medical attention needed. Fucking bullet.” Ethan growled as he got inside the drivers’ seat hands clasping the steering wheel, knuckles turning white from the effort. At least where they were going, they had a better holding cell for the Prince than the makeshift one in the basement of her fathers’ home. Ethan made no mention of Regis or anything that had happened there, he didn’t want to give them the satisfaction. If they knew he was dead it would give them hope, there was no way she knew yet. Knowing he was dead would change everything, there would be no fear of the consequences of being caught.

Starting up the car he began to drive them further along the road, going further into the districts which would technically be closer to the Capital. They had a strong hold in one of the districts it was also the last one standing currently as all the others had been attacked. Grinding his teeth, he was angry, he wanted to just kill them both on the road there and then, but he knew that was not what the plan was meant to be right now.

Flinching as the door slammed Iris hung her head in the back of the car, using her long hair to hide her face to hide the hurt because all she could feel was the resonating pain of his fingers clenched around her throat. She had let them down, let him down by not being able to protect him and herself down because now she couldn’t make good on her promise of getting him back to the Capital. “I’m so sorry.” Whispering under her breath to Cas in the back of the car, you could tell by the sound of her voice the damage that had been done to her neck, it was hoarse and rough and it sounded painful.

The feeling of dread crept up on her, returning to her father facing him after what she had done seemed scary. There was no telling what he would do, especially as she knew his mind wasn’t in the right place. Not with the alcohol and his current obsession with the monarchy, well everyone seemingly had an obsession with the monarchy now even Ethan. Unable to stop it she felt herself tremble, shivers running down her spine as she thought on just what would await them going back to the rebel base. How would they be able to break out of this one?

While Ethan dragged Iris over to the car, Cas took a moment to lick his wounds. In retrospect, he knew he could have come off much worse, but his body had already begun to ache now that the initial surge of adrenaline was beginning to wear off. His jaw hurt where Thomas had punched him, and the open cut inside his mouth throbbed where it seeped blood. The rest of him was sore wherever the rebel had managed to land blows on his arms, legs and torso. Worst of all was the deep pain in his chest though. He’d landed awkwardly when he’d fallen, and two spots under his skin hurt quite a bit when he inhaled. It was hard to tell if he’d broken his ribs or just bruised them badly. Either way, he couldn’t help but press a hand down over the area, trying to will away the sharp, stabbing pain that had started to plague him as he breathed.

As Iris was thrown into the back of the car beside him, he looked her over silently to make sure she was okay. Aside from the end of the fight, he hadn’t seen much of her skirmish with Ethan, so he didn’t know if the rebel had hit her or done anything else to injure her while they’d scuffled. To his relief, she seemed to be okay. He would have liked to take a closer look at her neck to see how badly she was bruised, but her long hair concealed the spot from his vantage point, and he didn’t want to provoke their captors by moving around too much and drawing attention to them. There would be time to inspect her wounds later, so for now, he kept to himself, so Ethan and Thomas wouldn’t have another reason to beat them any more than they already had.

Sliding down in his seat, he subtly reached across the middle to find Iris’s hand while the car bumped down the road. With his other hand, he tested the handle of the door he was sitting beside in a halfhearted check to see if it would open. Of course, it didn’t budge, and the lock wouldn’t open while the vehicle was set in drive. They were stuck there until the rebels took them to wherever it was that they were going. Back to Regis’s house? He wondered, letting his gaze roam the surroundings beyond the window. The theory was quickly squashed as he calculated that they were heading closer to the capital rather than away from it. If they were going back to Iris’s father, they would have needed to head in the opposite direction.

They must have another hideout further west, he decided privately as he intertwined his fingers with Iris’s. Thinking about her father, a cold shiver trickled down his spine. Regis had already tried to murder him once. He had to think that the only reason Ethan hadn’t shot him on the road was because the rebel leader wanted to kill him personally. Now, they were heading straight to him. The further they drove down the street, the more convinced he felt that he probably wouldn’t live long after they got there. He closed his eyes, hearing the roar of his hammering heartbeat in his ears. He wasn’t ready to die, but how were they supposed to get away from the psychotic man this time? If Regis shot him upon arrival, he wouldn’t even have time to think about escaping. It felt like he was marching to his death.

Quietly drowning in his panic, he almost didn’t hear Iris when she apologized to him. His eyes fluttered open, and he glanced her way. “For what?” he whispered back to her, shifting his weight on his seat as he leaned into the side door. “It isn’t your fault… I was the one who said I didn’t want to go back to the capital right away.”

“Shut up back there,” Thomas snapped, peering over his shoulder to shoot him a warning glare.

Cas rolled his eyes in response. Compared to Regis, Thomas didn’t scare him nearly as much. The most the rebel could do was rough him some more. Their leader was the one who was going to pull the trigger. He was tempted to make a scathing comment about the other man’s broken nose but held his tongue for Iris’s sake. If her ex-boyfriend was willing to choke her almost to death, he wasn’t sure what the other guy was capable of doing to her. So, he squeezed her hand silently, trying to assure her without words that everything would be alright.

Feeling his hand seek out hers was the comfort she needed the warmth of his hand comforting her, although they didn’t talk openly the feel of his hand in hers made her feel safe amongst the horror they were now facing. Just his touch was making her feel somewhat better, but even then, it wasn’t enough. Had it been her fault? Her undoing that had now landed them in this mess together, should she have been more persuasive or demanding that they continue back to the Capital? If she had then perhaps, they would not be in the current mess they are now facing.

Even with her sorry it didn’t fix anything, as much as he could tell her it wasn’t her fault, she didn’t believe it. Even though he had said he didn’t want to go back right away she should have known better. I should have known better, now he won’t survive. There is no way they will let him live; he will be killed, and I played a big part in this.

Hearing Thomas snap at them telling them to shut up she felt herself go quiet, as much as she wanted to talk to him to explain why it was her fault she didn’t want to give them the satisfaction or reason to harm them further than they already had. Glancing out of the window she could see they were driving closer to the Capital, further away from her district. Her home. “Ethan… you’re not going back home.” Unable to stop herself from asking as she felt herself frown voice still raspy and broken, the fact they weren’t going back home only furthered her concern. Worried that their fate might be worse than what she had already thought, well what could be worse than the death they were facing.

“No.” Ethan replied curtly as he continued to drive, glancing at the mirror he could see the Prince and Iris in the back seat. Eyes narrowing as he could see them holding hands, it only angered him further because they were seeking comfort in one another even amongst the fact they were now prisoners. “We have a more… permanent base of operations. Something that will hold the stupid Prince.” It was hard to not sound jealous as he spat out the words, but he resented Caspain and there was no denying that fact.

Permanent base? Surely, they don’t mean… Thinking to herself as she recognised where they were headed. One of their holdouts was one she couldn’t forget; it was one that had scared her when she was younger, haunted her in some nightmares on occasion when she reminded of the place. It was an old abandoned prison and it still to this day sent chills up her spine, it was eerie and cold, but some places had been turned into areas for living whilst some of the cells were intact. Regardless it was still creepy. Though… he said hold the Prince? What does he plan to do with me?

“Yes. You know the one. I’m sure we have a nice cell all arranged out for his highness.” Mocking as he took a turning on the road heading towards the district he was headed towards. “I have something prepared for you too.” Those his words sounded more sinister by the second, oh Ethan couldn’t wait to get the Prince in a cell. Taunt him and perhaps beat him up some more before they finally killed him.

For a few minutes, the car was quiet when everyone stopped talking to each other. Caspian fidgeted absentmindedly with the door handle as if it would eventually unlock if he tugged on it enough times. Of course, it didn’t, but it was an outlet for his pent-up energy, so he kept at it anyway. Sitting in the back of the rebels’ car felt surreal. Just that morning, he’d been happy and hopeful that his enemies had stopped looking for him since his father didn’t seem to care about his disappearance. It had seemed like his close encounter with death was behind him and that he wouldn’t have to go through it again.

Apparently, his impression had been very wrong. As Ethan drove on to wherever it was that he was taking them, a flurry of emotions stirred inside Cas’s chest. He didn’t know what to think. What was someone supposed to think when he was being escorted to his execution? He’d never been close enough to any of the crown’s prisoners to ask. Part of him was afraid, but another part of him was oddly calm. He couldn’t tell if it was because he’d accepted that he was going to die or because the reality of the situation hadn’t struck him yet. It felt unreal that his life was going to be cut short at the young age of twenty-four, and he still had a sliver of hope that he could make it out alive.

When Iris spoke up, he glanced at her again, curious to know where they were headed too. Ethan’s reply was oddly hostile, and it didn’t do much to give him any clarity. Perhaps his vague response meant something to Iris, but to him, it gave no clues as to where he was going to be held this time. The only thing he got from it was the allusion that he wasn’t going to be killed as soon as he set foot outside the car. He let out his breath in a soft sigh of relief. Being made into the rebels’ prisoner a second time sounded more than unpleasant, but at least they weren’t planning to have him murdered right away.

As Ethan threatened to “prepare” something for Iris as well, Cas squeezed her hand possessively. The rebel was most likely talking about throwing her in a cell too, but he didn’t like the tone of his voice when he said it. They had a history together of some sort—the exact details were beyond him, since even Iris didn’t remember—so he suspected that her ex-boyfriend wanted revenge for the fact that she had run away with another man. The prince had no idea what he was capable of, so the cold words hung ominously in the back of his mind. He wasn’t sure if he would be able to do anything to protect her while they were at the base, but he was going to try his damnedest to make sure they didn’t hurt her, even if it meant taking her place in the beatings.

“I don’t think Regis would like it if you treat his daughter like a criminal,” he warned, trying to make Ethan think twice about touching her. In reality, he had no idea if Nox-Fleuret would care if anything happened to Iris, but it was worth a shot. Maybe he was the kind of father who didn’t like it when anyone beat up his daughter aside from him? God, that’s a horrible thought, he wrinkled his nose in disgust.

The words that were exchanged only frightened Iris, the way he spoke to her sent her mind racing. What would he do to her? Though as much as she feared for herself, she feared for Cas more. There was hope her father wouldn’t allow her to be killed, there was a slither of hope in that, but Cas wouldn’t be in the same boat. They wouldn’t allow him to live when their ultimate goal had been to kill him, to end the monarchy line and there was nothing she or anyone could do to sway their minds from that goal. Cringing she felt the squeeze of his hand, but all she could do was tremble in response even as Cas spoke of her father. I doubt it, as long as his goal is met, he doesn’t care. After all he sent me to my death before.

Ethan laughed; he couldn’t help it because they didn’t know what had happened to Regis. He wasn’t going to tell them, oh no they didn’t deserve that. In fact, he could use it to his advantage as he continued to drive along, the car making unhealthy sounds as it pottered along the uneven road. “Oh, that’s sweet. You remember her father’s name. Though I don’t think you know him like I do.” The car started to slow down, approaching a rather grim looking building. Grey crumbling walls, high fencing and barbed wire and even old rusted bars. Coming to a stop he turned in his seat, a flicker of pain crossed his face from the gunshot wound on his thigh as he looked at the pair in the back seat. “You see Regis will let me do anything I want to his daughter. He see’s me as his son already, he wanted us to be married.”

He’s not lying there; Regis always saw him as the son he never had. Biting her lip as Iris looked at Ethan before shaking her head, “You don’t know that, my father loves me. He won’t stand for it.” Although she tried to sound confident in her words deep down, she didn’t feel it, in fact her father had changed so much she barely recognised him, but she hoped there was still love there.

“I’ll let you in on a little secret Princey boy. Regis… left me in charge. I make the rules right now whilst he enjoys his time in retirement. In truth his disowned his daughter the minute she tried to help you escape.” Shrugging as he looked towards the building, rebel members were stood outside with guns so there was no way they could just run from the car and escape. They would be shot dead. “Now, what do I have in store for you today. I’m thinking a good thrashing for the Prince. What do you think on that Tom?” Ethan hadn’t made his mind up on what he was going to do just yet, but he wanted his ominous words to unsettle them both.

“Get out the car, if you run, they will shoot.” Growling as he pushed himself out of the car, dried blood was now on his thigh from the bullet wound that had scraped his skin. Limping he didn’t even need to check they were following, there was no escape now they were at one of the biggest rebel bases they had in the districts.

Ethan’s laughter caught Cas off guard, and he blinked confusedly. When he’d mentioned Regis’s name, he’d thought it would instill fear and respect in the rebel, but instead, it seemed like his comment had been taken as some kind of a joke. Unnerved, he held onto Iris’s hand tightly, wondering why her ex was so amused. Perhaps Regis was even crueler than he’d thought, allowing others to abuse his daughter just like he had. The thought made him feel sick. No one deserved to be treated like that, used and pushed around for everyone else’s benefit, and he couldn’t stand the thought of her being put back in that kind of life. Even worse, he hated that he was powerless to do anything to stop them from doing so. The rebels were the ones with the manpower and the weapons. All he had was his will, and that hadn’t even been enough to carry him to victory in a one-on-one fist fight.

As Ethan went on, Cas’s initial nervousness gave way to simmering anger. Listening to the rebel speak about Iris in such a degrading manner made him want to deck him in the face. However, one of the things he said didn’t make sense. Retirement? The prince puzzled. Just a week ago, military intelligence had learned that Regis Nox-Fleuret was the leader of the rebellion. It was an undisputed fact. Leaders didn’t just ‘retire’ in the middle of a war. That would be chaotic and destructive to his cause. He studied Ethan quietly from the back seat of the car, wondering if it was a lie or if something else was going on that they didn’t know about. Maybe Iris’s father had been forced into an early retirement after he’d lost their prisoner? It was possible, but there was still something fishy about it.

Knowing Ethan would never tell him anything more than he already had though, Cas didn’t press the issue any further. Instead, he turned his head to peer out the window again as he noticed belatedly that the vehicle was slowing down. As soon as his gaze landed on the building ahead of them, he paled. His last “cell” had been Nox-Fleuret’s basement, so he hadn’t been prepared for the rebels to take him to an actual prison. The enormous gray building loomed ominously over them, a massive representation of security and strength. If he’d had any hope of escaping from them before, it was draining quickly now.

Ethan’s flippant threat didn’t help either. He’d already been somewhat prepared for the fact that the rebels were probably going to beat him again, but he was sore and exhausted and had hoped they might put it off long enough for him to get some rest first. Unfortunately, it seemed like he’d set his expectations a little too high.

Reluctantly letting go of Iris’s hand, he climbed out of the car at the new rebel leader’s instruction. The armed guards standing by were daunting, and he kept them in the corner of his eye as he made sure Iris was keeping up with him and followed after Ethan. Behind them, Thomas provided additional security, making sure they didn’t try to run.

Cas rolled his aching shoulders and let his gaze roam the property. By all appearances, it looked like they were going to be kept as prisoners in a real prison. “This isn’t promising,” he whispered, keeping close to Iris out of both protectiveness and apprehension.

Did my father do something so bad to go into retirement? Had his mind snapped so much they could no longer stand it? Thoughts swirled through her head as she felt his hand leave hers, the last bit of warmth and safety left her the moment he let go. Of course, he had too, they couldn’t just cling to each other in the car because they had to move, but still she had feared this place. The prison itself stood tall, looming over them as she finally managed to urge herself out of the car. All colour had drained from her face because she had never wanted to see this place again, she had stepped foot in it once before and her memories were hazy over it but the feeling of the memory told her everything. That fact all she could feel was the immense amount of dread for this prison, fear and cold it just didn’t bode well, and she hoped to keep whatever memory of this place she had repressed.

Already she knew there was no way she could break them out of this, this prison was no doubt home to at least fifty rebels. If they still had that manpower, she had no idea anymore because she was so out of touch with what was going on. Though the people outside standing with guns didn’t bode well at all. “I… I…” Stuttering as she failed to get her words out, scared to go inside the prison as Ethan continued to walk in front of them. “I don’t think I can get us out of this one.” Whispering to Cas as she looked down at the floor, she sounded broken as if she was ready to accept her fate. Given up because to her it was a suicide mission trying to get out of here.

Looking back at Cas she couldn’t believe that this may be finally it, that he would die at the rebel’s hands and again this was all her fault. “This is all my fault. If only we’d never met… you wouldn’t be walking to your death.” Unable to stop herself from blurting out her thoughts, as much as she cared for him and she was truly happy she had met him. If she hadn’t though, he would never have been taken, he wouldn’t have been hurt and he certainly would not be walking to his death either. Though talking for her was now becoming painful, there was a clear handprint covering her neck, marking her from what had happened earlier. Already there was a slight discolouration of her skin, but she knew that tomorrow it would be worse.

“Iris?”

Ethan shot one of the rebels a look who had beamed at seeing Iris, clearly thinking she was a friend and not a threat but with the look he gave the rebel they instantly backed away avoiding their gaze. Holding their tongue. “Iris is not in the right frame of mind right now; she is not to be disturbed, but if she does run, she is to be shot on sight like his highness.” Hissing out orders as he stormed inside the fortress, the creak of old metal bars opening as he moved inside limping. The pain his thigh was becoming worse by the second and he needed to get it seen too, waving away people who began to flock him he waved down some of the rebels who were inside the Prison. None of the metal doors were locked but the cells were. They still had keys to the cells, just not the doors and hallways that surrounded it, but thankfully they were still open in the abandoned prison.

Stopping in front of an open cell he pointed to it signalling Cas to move inside, the cell had an iron bed and nothing else, but it was enough, and Ethan could lock it. Out the corner of his eye he could see Iris walking to go inside the cell, but he stuck his arm out in front of her stopping her in her tracks, “Not. You.”

When Iris said she didn’t think she would be able to get them out of the prison, Cas didn’t say anything. He hadn’t expected that she would be able to do it. When she had helped him escape from her father’s basement, she’d had a much easier task. He had already dismantled his cell, there had been no other people around, and the had been familiar with the building and the area. All the factors had worked in her favor. In this real prison, the opposite was true. If this place had been built by licensed penitentiary designers employed by the crown, as most were, he wouldn’t be able to simply unscrew and pull up his cell bars. There would also be guards around every corner, and as far as he knew, neither of them knew anything about the layout of the building nor the surrounding ones. It was practically impossible for them to get away without getting caught and killed by the rebel watchmen. It also would have been too much for him to believe that she could do it.

At her following apology, he shook his head. “You have to stop blaming yourself,” he murmured, side-eyeing the guards near the entrance of the prison. All of the men were armed to their teeth, and he didn’t know what might set them off, so he kept his voice down as low as he could. “None of this is your fault, and taking the blame for it isn’t doing either of us any good. Just focus on getting yourself out of here… no matter what happens to me.” The sentence was difficult to vocalize, and he stifled a wince as it left his lips. Speaking about his own demise out loud made it feel more real, and cold dread began to wrap its tendrils around his heart. This was it. There would be no escaping from the rebellion this time. They were going to kill him, and there was nothing he could do to stop them. Thinking about it made him feel lightheaded, and he took a slow breath as he focused to keep himself from stumbling.

The sound of Iris’s spoken name made him look up, and he caught sight of the guard who was looking at her with unexpected glee. He wondered if it was an old friend of hers from before she’d lost her memories, but he didn’t get the chance to ponder over it for long. As Ethan gave the order to shoot her if she ran, he ground his teeth. For a moment, he was tempted to jump to her defense, sick of letting her ex speak about her that way. It wasn’t like they could threaten to do anything to him that they weren’t already planning on doing. He fully expected that they would torture and kill him as soon as he was behind bars. If someone shot him now, at least he would spare himself the pain. However, there was always the risk that they would hurt her too, so he quelled his tongue and walked silently into the building.

The inside was even grimmer than the outside. It looked almost identical to the penitentiary in the capital with narrow hallways and rows upon rows of cells that the rebels seemed to have transformed into different kinds of rooms. His dark eyes skimmed each one they passed with idle curiosity until they came to a bare, empty cell that had been left open. Stopping beside Iris, he watched Ethan point at it in a wordless command to get inside. He didn’t move to follow the order right away though. Hesitant to trap himself in the concrete and metal cage—especially one in which he was expected to stay without Iris—he willfully planted his feet.

“No,” he said before he could think through his actions. Narrowing his eyes at Ethan stubbornly, he held his ground. In the back of his mind, he knew he wasn’t going to get anywhere by protesting, but he had nothing left to lose. Backed into a corner, he wasn’t going to let them take his life without putting up a fight. It wasn’t like he would be rewarded for good behavior, after all. Committed to his decision, he went on obstinately, “I don’t trust you twisted bastards alone with Iris for a single second. Either she comes with me, or I go wherever you were planning to take her.”

I know I have to stop blaming myself… but I can’t. I legitimately feel as if it’s my fault. I know it’s not doing us any good, nor will it help right now. I… Sighing to herself as the realisation that this prison would be their death came to mind. They were both powerless to it, nothing either of them could do would get them out of this mess and for once she hoped his father was looking for him. That somehow the Aspirian military had gained this information and would be making an effort to storm the Prison and rescue him. Though the fleeting thought was nothing more than a slither of hope, something she tried to cling too in this dingy place.

The fact someone had called her name had caught her attention, of course Ethan shut it down quickly but even with a glance she didn’t know who it was. Though with her broken memories and barely being able to remember key things she doubted she would be able to recall an acquaintance and she wished she could. If she could remember a name, just something about the rebel that had called out it could be the key to getting home. Though again these were all wild and desperate memories because reality was, they were stuck here, Cas most likely to lose his life and she knew she wouldn’t be able to live with herself if they killed him.

“Cas… don’t.” Eyes widened as he stood his ground, not wanting to be separated. Though inside she was over the moon as she didn’t want to be alone with anyone, she knew it would only anger him further and who knew what he would do.

“Oh, for god’s sake. There is no one around to witness your charming self. No one cares here.” Ethan couldn’t help but sigh heavily, dragging his hand across his face clearly sick of this interaction already. It was hard to control his anger and with the aid of the throbbing pain in his thigh it was hard to think straight. “You really want to be at her side… like some sort of dog? You will never be as loyal as I have to her. Never.” Spitting to the floor as his other hand ran fingers through his dishevelled blonde hair as it was clear he was taking a moment to assess things.

“I don’t want to be alone with you either.” Iris whispered looking over at Ethan who looked exhausted, perhaps she could play to her strengths, if he knew she was afraid of him perhaps he would back down. Of course moments ago she hadn't wanted Caspain to antagonise him, but noting how seemed tired she hoped she could push through to a more reasonable side of Ethan.

“Tough. I make the rules here.” Ethans voice raised slightly as he looked from the pair, taking a step forward he flinched as he felt a shooting pain in his leg. He knew he needed to get it seen too, time was being wasted here right now. “So, you can either back down and let her come with me where she will be escorted to her room, or she can stay down here with you and be a part of your punishment.”

Without thinking Iris reached out taking Cas; hand in her own as she stood next to him, her hand trembled in his, but she held it as firmly as she could “I will take whatever punishment. I would rather be with him.”

Clearly it had not been the answer Ethan had wanted, a hand raised as if to strike them both, but his exhaustion was getting the better of him and he would not show weakness right now. If he hit them and there was no force behind it, they would know, he would not show weakness. “You know what. Whatever.” Nodding his head one of the rebels stepped forward and shoved them both into the cell before locking them in, “Enjoy this time. I will be back for her later and we can then discuss your punishment.” Aiming his words to Caspain before Ethan turned on his heel, pushing the rebel out of his way as he moved off into the distance to find someone to deal with his leg.

Cas’s eyes flicked to Iris when she told him to stop, but he held his ground. As it was, he had nothing left to lose and everything to gain by standing up to Ethan. He also refused to stand by and let them take Iris somewhere else, where he couldn’t see what they were doing to her. The rebel had already almost killed her once, so he was going to do whatever he could to keep her safe, even if it meant taking an extra beating before they eventually decided to shoot him for their twisted cause.

Ethan’s taunts were irritating, but to the prince, they just showed how warped his view of him really was. He didn’t know what the other man thought was “charming” about his actions. If he had been faking his concern for Iris, he would have stopped trying the instant the rebels threatened to harm him. He didn’t know anyone who was so dedicated to their lies that they would put themselves in harm’s way just to keep up an image. Had he been the pretentious, haughty royal Ethan seemed to think he was, his true colors would have been revealed the instant they had captured him.

His following comment about loyalty struck a nerve though. “Oh yeah, you put a gun to her head,” he spat scathingly. “How incredibly loyal of you.” He didn’t usually snap at others so venomously, but Iris’s ex was getting under his skin. He wasn’t going to let Ethan have the final word without throwing a few verbal punches, himself. After seeing everything Iris had been through just in the last week, he felt like she deserved to have someone stand up for her, and he was going to be that man.

As the rebel stepped toward them, Cas bristled and curled his hands into fists at his sides, readying himself to fight if Ethan swung at him. Even though he was still sore from the blows he’d taken from Thomas, he wasn’t in so much pain that he couldn’t defend himself and Iris. However, it seemed like he wouldn’t need to do anything at all, because in the next moment, Ethan appeared to reconsider his decision. He’s probably hurting too, he realized, glancing down at the bleeding wound in his leg. They had gotten lucky this time.

He was just beginning to wonder if they could make a break for the exit while Ethan was too injured to chase after them when he felt Iris reach for his hand. Thinking about the other guards in the corridor, he decided it wasn’t worth the risk and unclenched his fist to let her hold his hand while she demanded to be locked up with him. Her determination made him feel a burst of fondness for her, but he didn’t like Ethan’s warning about her getting wrapped up in whatever “punishment” they had decided on for him. It felt like they were trapped between a rock and a hard place. On one hand, if Iris was sent somewhere else, she wouldn’t have to suffer with him. But on the other hand, the rebel might do something worse to her if he had her alone. Too distrusting of her ex to allow him to take her away, he begrudgingly kept his mouth shut on the matter as the guards shoved them into the cell and walked away.

Almost as soon as they were alone—or as alone as they could be with the remaining guards nearby—Cas let out his breath and leaned back heavily against the side of the bed with a wince. He’d kept up a tough face for show when the rebels had been watching him, but the pain of his various injuries had caught up to him, and he was feeling miserable. He pressed a hand to his chest where his bruised or broken ribs felt like they were stabbing his lungs every time he breathed in, wishing he had access to the advanced medicine in the capital that could take away all his discomfort.

“Are you okay?” he asked Iris quietly after he’d taken a moment to catch his breath. Despite his own soreness, he wanted to make sure she wasn’t in too much pain after everything Ethan had done to her when they’d scuffled in the street. “How’s your throat?”

Iris could tell that the pair of them were getting under each other’s skin, the way Ethan acted it was clear that Caspain had unnerved him. Annoyed him and she probably hadn’t helped either. Though at the same time Caspain was defending her, standing up for her even as Ethan taunted them both about punishments. Seeing the way Ethan had hesitated her gave her a slither of hope, perhaps he was considering how crazed he sounded? No. He is just hurt, that bullet must have hurt. Another thing I caused, my fault. Ethan won’t let that one go, not easily.

The weight of their situation was settling in, the sound of metal bars and patter of footsteps across the concrete floor. Rebels or guards with guns ready to spring into action if they tried anything funny. Security wasn’t top notch here, not like the Capital, but it was enough to keep them in whatever cell they had chosen to lock them in. though thankfully for Iris Ethan had relented and allowed them to stay together. Though at what cost she didn’t know, but they would get through it together. The past week had been crazy, between the destruction of Bel Bicis, the bombings and even the kidnapping of Cas. It had been quite the wild ride already and she felt like it was coming to an end. A bad one at that.

With each passing minute and day, it was hard to keep pushing down the guilt when Iris still blamed herself for everything that was now happening. To Iris had she not listened to Ethan, swayed by his words she never would have lured the Prince from safety. There would never have been a kidnapping and although she would have been found out as a rebel, they were most likely to arrest her, lock her up before throwing her back to districts. “You’re hurt.” Whispering as she looked over at Cas as she sat herself on the hard iron bed that was in the cell. As much as she wanted to keep apologising to him, speaking about how this was her fault she knew Cas would have none of it and right now dwelling on the matter wouldn’t help.

“I… my throat.” Grimacing slightly as she raised her hand, fingertips brushing against the discolouring skin that had started to swell from the force that had been used. In that moment Iris had thought she was going to die; she had been so close from death but then Cas had been the same too back in her home with her father. Regis had nearly killed him, though what did it matter now? They were going to get their goal; her father was going to win this unless by some miracle they were able to escape this prison.

“Maybe he will see reason. My father might… I don’t know.” Sighing softly as she placed her hand on his shoulder, though thoughts went back to the fact Ethan had said he was on retirement. “Are you okay?” It was a silly question to ask because deep down she didn’t think he would be okay. The fact is he was here to die, how can anyone be okay with their life that had barely just begun end so quickly? “Maybe your father is still looking for you… they could find this place and rescue you.”

When Iris pointed out that he was hurt, Cas brushed off the observation with a half shrug. She wasn’t wrong. He’d come off pretty terribly after his scuffle with Thomas, even though he’d tried his best to win. The only good thing was that he could say “you should see the other guy.” The prince had come away with damaged ribs and a mottling of bruises, but the rebel had left with a broken nose. As petty as it was, a vengeful part of him hoped that the nose would heal crooked, just so Thomas would never forget their fight.

However, he didn’t feel like talking about the pain he was in. Dwelling on it wouldn’t change what had happened, and he was sure she would just blame herself again if he acknowledged it. At the moment, he preferred to focus on the bruises on her neck that Ethan had caused when he’d choked her. She seemed to be doing okay, but that didn’t change the fact that he was concerned about her wellbeing. Watching her ex-boyfriend shove her to the ground and try to kill her had been infuriating as it had been terrifying. Now that they finally had a moment to catch their breaths and check their wounds, he wanted to see how she was doing.

Gingerly, he reached out to brush her long hair away from her neck and frowned as his gaze fell on her budding bruises. She didn’t answer his question, but he was sure she was hurting too. Again, he wished they had access to the capital’s advanced medicines. There was a salve they could have gotten from the pharmacy to ease the ache of their injuries. He remembered that when he’d used it on the bruises he’d gotten when he played rugby that it was an effective treatment for minor wounds.

“Maybe,” he sighed, unconvinced when she tried to suggest that her father might see reason. After his first encounter Regis, he’d been thoroughly convinced that there wasn’t even a sliver of morality left in the man’s heart. If there was anyone who wanted to see him dead, it was the leader of the rebellion. But that wasn’t all. “I don’t think it would matter though,” he went on, searching her eyes with a concerned expression. “Ethan said your dad is in ‘retirement,’ so I don’t think he has the power to make that decision anymore. It sounds like it’s up to Ethan to decide what to do with us, and you know how he feels about me.”

He was reluctant to get his hopes up now that he had been caught by the rebels a second time. Before, he’d had Iris to break him out of his cell, but this time, they were both trapped with no way out. So, when she mentioned his father, he dropped his gaze to the cement floor. “That’s assuming he was looking at all,” he muttered pessimistically, still residually frustrated and disappointed that Atlas didn’t seem to care that he was gone. In fact, that was the worst part. If he died at the hands of the rebels, he would most likely die alone. No one else in the prison cared about him besides Iris, and honestly, he would have preferred if she wasn’t with him, just because it could mean that she would survive after everything was over.

With nervousness fluttering in his stomach like frantic bird wings, he sat himself down on the edge of the bed and leaned lightly into her side, taking solace in her presence while they were still together.

Frowning as she saw him shrug his own injuries off as if it wasn’t important saddened her. The fact he was taking a disregard to his own health made her wonder if he was coming to the conclusion that he was going to die here. Something she desperately didn’t want to happen. The thought of him being killed here was absolutely horrifying and she didn’t want him to give up hope even though there was barely a slither of a chance at getting out of here alive. Not for him, her own chances weren’t looking great either, but she had a far better chance than he did. That was all dependant on Ethan though, he didn’t seem all there anymore, and she knew that he was still mad over her and Caspain and wanting to share his cell. That alone probably rubbed salt in the wound that was already there.

Even with her words about her father and his father potentially coming to their rescue it was highly unlikely. If they did come to their rescue it would be great, but they couldn’t sit here and hope on it. They would have to make their own escape and she didn’t know how to do it, not without any of them getting hurt. Though they were going to die anyway so would it really matter if they tried something and got hurt? As much as she hated to admit it, he was right about Ethan, it didn’t sound like her father had any say in anything anymore. “I don’t understand… retirement. It doesn’t make sense. He lived and breathed this rebellion even though his morals were wrong… he would never just give up on what he believes is to be the right cause.”

Then there was his father, who had not found him yet and she didn’t know why. The comment Caspain made only caused her to flinch because she felt it was true, surely, he would have been found by now but yet they were now in the rebellion holding cell. Getting their hopes up would be useless, but at least she could be with him as she didn’t want him to be alone. She didn’t want to be alone either, even if these were going to be their last moments. Thinking on it who would she want to see in her last moments? Her father? Not likely, Maisie of course, but the one person she would want to say goodbye too would have been Caspain.

Closing her eyes as she leaned into him as well thankful for him being beside her, his presence was calming even though they were likely to go to their death soon. “I wish I could get you out of here, I’ll think of something.” Whispering out her words as she relaxed sitting beside him, “You should get some rest, before they think of a punishment. No doubt he will come back once his leg has been seen too.” Although it was afternoon when this had happened, she knew that even if he got in a bit of rest now he could start to recover, wounds could start to heal before worse ones made an appearance.

“Maybe someone forced him to step down,” Cas suggested uncertainly. He didn’t understand the reason for Regis’s disappearance either. Iris’s father had been the leader of the entire rebellion, so even if he’d been thinking about retiring at some point, it made no sense that he would have done so in the middle of the war. His work hadn’t been finished yet. It seemed far more likely that someone else was pulling the strings and that the last revolutionary leader had had no choice but to pass the torch to a successor. The only thing missing was a motive, and the only possible reason he could think of was that someone else with a lot of power in the Scourge had been furious with him for losing their captive and had taken away his authority as a punishment.

When Iris said that she would think of something, he fell quiet again. Inwardly, he doubted she was going to be able to get them out of this prison like she had when he’d been locked up at her father’s house. There were so many more barriers here in the forms of increased security, improved containment, and a lack of support from anyone on the outside. It was going to take nothing short of a miracle for them to get away from the rebels this time. He still tried to hold onto an ember of hope that, somehow, they were going to escape with their lives, but he was emotionally drained and physically exhausted. It was difficult to be optimistic when every part of him ached, and he was surrounded by cold, gray walls that were likely to be the last thing he ever saw before he died.

“You should rest too,” he advised her solemnly, shifting his weight on the metal bed to lay down. The hard slab wasn’t comfortable in the slightest, but he was too tired to care about the way it pressed into his side as he settled. The motion jarred his injured ribs as well, and he had to hold his breath for a few seconds until the pain ebbed away. The more wounds he took, the less sure he was about which ones he should prioritize taking care of. His arm threatened him with infection, but now so did the scrapes on his skin from being grated on the asphalt and the gash on the inside of his cheek. If his ribs were actually broken, they needed to be treated too.

Although, none of that matters if they’re just going to shoot me, he thought with a grimace. There was no point in giving medical attention to a dead man, after all. His dull eyes wandered back to Iris. He didn’t have much of a chance of escaping, but she still did. She was a member of the rebellion—a traitorous one, but a member nonetheless—and he didn’t want her to lose her life with him. She didn’t deserve that after everything she had done to help him.

“Promise me something,” he said quietly, keeping his voice down both to prevent the closest guards from overhearing and because he was weary. “Promise me that you’ll do everything you can to keep yourself alive, even if you have to leave me behind or go back to their side to do it… I don’t want you to be killed for my sake when they’re going to shoot me no matter what. You need to live, Iris.”

Perhaps my father was forced? Who would pull those kind of strings, I mean I know they all weren’t happy with his alcoholic tendencies but… Grimacing to herself as she began to think on what could have happened to her father she could only think of worse case scenarios, had they just told her retirement? Perhaps he was ill? Maybe he was just passed out drunk somewhere… or maybe he was dead. The later she did not want to think on, even though he had made some bad decisions and took a few wrong turns she wouldn’t wish his death. At the end of the day he was still her father, there still had to be some care in, there right?

As much as she could think of something nothing would be concrete, not without some sort of help. Perhaps she would recognise some of the rebels? Sway them to let her go? It was an option, a far fetched one but none the less it was something to work on. Though Ethan wouldn’t let them out of his sight, not without good reason too. Looking down at her hands she was well and truly lost in what to do, if only she had never made that decision in the first place. If only she had just run rather than drag Caspain along in this stupid mess and war. It was not fair for him to lose his life because of her.

Caspains next words sent chills down her spine, the initial shock made her blood run cold as her skin grew pale. Staring at him with wide eyes she couldn’t quite comprehend what he meant, promise him she would do everything to keep herself alive? As much as she could promise that she knew ultimately upon his death the guilt would eat her alive, she would never be able to forget the guilt and it would be her downfall. Though who was she to deny his promise? How could she deny a promise to someone that was dying, he would be killed here unless a miracle happened. Who was she to deny a promise like that, even if it was one she couldn’t keep. “I… I..” Feeling her voice falter as she moved down on the iron bed to lay beside him.

“I… p-promise.”

Reaching out she gently caressed his cheek before placing a soft kiss on his forehead, even though she doubted her own survival she would make that promise to him. If only to give him some sort of relief as he made peace with his own fate. His death. Settling down herself she closed her eyes as her mind raced with thoughts, she would try to get some rest after all there was no point in keeping guard whilst they were in the cell. Though sleep was not easy, especially with the promise and their current dire situation. Of course Iris would still blame herself, she was highly unlikely to forgive herself even if they did make it out alive and as much as they had spent a few brief moments of happiness she couldn’t help but wonder if she had pushed them on would they be here.

As time wore on hours passed and Iris had somehow fallen into a light slumber, though it was not easy. Dreams did not come, nightmares haunted her instead as the fear began to win in her mind. The place itself was fearful enough and something she had not really gotten over, but as time passed, she became restless. Fidgeting in her sleep as her small form began to shake against the cold iron bed, whimpering as the nightmare plagued her not allowing her a peaceful sleep.

Caspian could hear the uncertainty in Iris’s voice when she promised him that she would do her best to make it out alive. He knew her safety wasn’t guaranteed just because she had a history as a member of the rebellion, but he at least wanted to know that she wouldn’t give up on getting away if they killed him. If she did her best to run, that was all her could ask of her, so hearing her say that she would try gave him enough peace of mind to relax on the uncomfortable prison bed.

As she pressed a kiss to his forehead, a half smile crossed his lips. It was difficult to feel cheerful in their grim, gray cell, but she still had a way of sparking some happiness inside of him. He was glad that they had managed to stay together in spite of Ethan’s attempts to split them apart. Now, if the rebels did kill him, at least he wouldn’t die in solitude. There was some comfort in that thought even though the rest of the image was intimidating. He wrapped an arm around her midriff to hold her close to himself, closing his eyes and taking solace in her warmth against his aching chest. With her next to him, he managed to drift off into a light nap, giving his wounded body a chance to recover from the trauma that had been inflicted upon him since the first day he’d been abducted from the capital.

--

After a few hours of uninterrupted sleep, Cas stirred at the feeling of Iris twitching and fidgeting against him. He stretched, stiff from lying on solid metal, and blinked his eyes open, slightly disoriented upon waking inside a prison cell. A moment later, he realized that her soft whimpers were what had roused him, and he looked down at her, furrowing his brows with concern. It seemed like she was having a nightmare about something, so he gently stroked her back with his hand, trying to soothe her without waking her up. He didn’t want to cut her rest short if she still needed it. God knew he did.

As soon as he’d resurfaced from unconsciousness, he’d felt the pang of his recent injuries strike again. Breathing was still painful, and every part of him ached. He bit his lower lip to stifle a groan, wishing he had slept more deeply, so he wouldn’t have to endure the soreness for a while longer. Unfortunately, now that he was awake and being terrorized by the fire in all his nerve endings, he couldn’t still himself to fall back asleep. Instead, he laid his head back down on the metal slab with a sigh, studying Iris’s sleeping face quietly. Although she appeared troubled by whatever her imagination had conjured to frighten her, he took idle notice of how beautiful she was. Pink lips, soft face, golden blonde hair that always seemed to frame her cheeks perfectly… He knew he was completely and utterly smitten, and he was sad that their time together was most likely going to be cut short.

Almost as if on command, the sound of footsteps echoing off the corridor beyond their cell caught his attention the instant after the thought crossed his mind. Swallowing nervously, Cas glanced up to see who was coming. Not knowing when the rebels planned to kill him was stressful. All he could do was pray for the best and brace himself for the worst as the person beyond the wall came closer.

Within the hours Ethan had himself seen too; the bandage was wrapped tightly around his side underneath his new set of clothes. For once Ethan had chosen to dress up, he was wearing a suit, it wasn’t perfect, and it was worn but he looked somewhat smart. Ethan was wearing a shirt which used to be white but with whatever detergent used or just time in general the colour wasn’t a bright white anymore, it looked slightly grey. The suit jacket and trousers were meant to be black, but again just like the shirt it was a little more worn. The odd scuff mark or greying in certain patches but overall and compared to everyone else in the district he looked the smartest.

Walking along with his slightly small dress shoes he approached the cell that was being used to keep a hold of the Prince and Iris. A part of him had wanted to see her, another part of him still angry over her choices, but again his father swiftly reminded him that he could still use her. Approaching the cell, he tried to keep a clear mind, after all he knew his anger wasn’t the easiest to control and he had nearly killed them both once before. Eyes swiftly looked over the cell and he could see that Iris appeared to be asleep, distressed and for a moment he remembered her fear of this place. A brief pang of guilt crossed through him, but it was soon replaced with anger when he could see the Prince trying to soothe her from whatever distress she was facing.

“Cosy are we?” Growling as he hit the bars sending a loud rattle throughout the cell knowing it would disturb her from her sleep. Folding his arms, he leaned against the bars glancing in at them, “So, it’s high time for some good old interrogation. I’m sure you are familiar with certain techniques. After all you have no problem with harming our own for information, so I figure let’s try it out on you.” His tone was cold, and you could hear the anger behind his words, but he perked up at seeing Iris stir.

Frowning as she stirred, she was grateful to be brought out of whatever nightmare she had faced, the horrors slowly disappearing as she opened her eyes realising that she was still in the cell. Jumping at the loud bang she looked over at Ethan who was stood just out of the bars, in a suit no less. It was then she caught up on his words, interrogation? Surely not, they probably weren’t going to use reasonable means and she didn’t want him to get hurt. “Ethan… you can’t do this.”

“Oh, pipe down, my father wants to see you whilst we are talking to pretty boy.” Ethan shrugged as he opened up the cell, nodding to one of the rebels to stand guard just to make sure no one ran. “Escort Iris to my room, my father is waiting. I’ll deal with the interrogation of the Prince personally.” Ethan didn’t care if he was being too rough and without warning he grabbed Caspains arm pulling him to his feet, his grip painful but he didn’t want to give Caspain the chance to run.