3/ Promise*

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Avira shut the door to her chambers, glad to be away from the scrutinizing eyes of the guards who cast furtive glances at her naked form, and slumped against it, sliding to the floor. She brought her knees to her chest, wrapping her hands around her legs. Burying her head, she let the brimming tears fall. Her shoulders shook with barely suppressed sobs and she brushed away the moisture trailing down her sunken cheeks. An ugly little sound caught in her throat as another cry crawled out her mouth.  What had she done?

The image of the dead prisoner flashed in her mind once again, as it had throughout the walk to her chamber. She shook her head vigorously as if to relieve herself of the memory. He was now dead. Another life lost. Perhaps he was to be executed either way but beheading was quicker, swifter. He would have undergone a cleaner type of pain, rather than have himself gutted open like a pig in a butchery.

Leaning her head against the door, her eyelids closed. In her mind's eye, she saw him staring at her in fear and despair. She saw a woman before his vision—a sister? a lover?—, felt his hopes of redemption wither and rot at her execution. She experienced his pain, his unending atonement till his last breath squeezed out his lungs. She let herself embrace this memory. Only then did the guilt recede to a shadow of remorse that would forever remain locked in her mind. His ghost would haunt her dreams for a while—a week, maybe more—before its influence over her withered away, just like the others had. A new flower planted in her garden of specters.

Avira eventually felt the cold seep into her limbs and dragged herself to the chest by her old bed. Grabbing a worn woolen robe, she covered her naked frame and strode to the high narrow slot that was more of an airway than a window. Straining to gaze at the sky, she spotted the two stars that pulsed with color. They shifted from red to green, turning blue before reverting to its initial hue. They shone as one, the twin lights glowing in sync. The sight made her heart clench as an image of her brother blinked to life.

When they had realized mother wasn't coming back, Avira and Renedan sat outside their cabin in the dark, staring at the heavenly bodies. Renedan must have seen the fear of losing another family member shake her little body, for he pointed skyward and said, "Do you see those, Vira?"

Avira peered at the sky. "The glowing stars?"

"Yes," he affirmed. "They're always by each other's side, inseparable. Thousands of years have passed yet they remain together and a thousand years more, they will still be together." He curled his fingers over her tiny hand. "You and I, we are like those stars. Nothing can tear us apart. We will always be together, no matter what. If we are separated, we will find each other." He turned to gaze into her emerald eyes. "I won't ever abandon you. Not in a thousand years."

Now, Avira smiled at the memory. Not in a thousand years. The moon glowed with pure light, allowing some beams to illuminate her chamber. She repeated the vow in her mind, letting strength seep back into her wasted muscles. It was the only thing she held onto these days, otherwise she would have killed herself at the first chance she got.

But what would her brother think of her now? She was a murderer, an assassin to-be who killed at her master's command like a dog fetched a stick. How would he view his innocent little sister when he saw the blood that coated her hands?

She clenched her fists and set her jaw, lips pinching to a thin line. That didn't matter now. All she wanted was to find him, to reunite with him after all these years of imprisonment. Nevertheless, a flicker of a doubt made her stomach churn. She glanced at her tired, pale reflection on the glass window. A mindless puppet stared back.

Eventually, she shuffled away from the window and entered the bathroom. It was small; she could reach out with both hands and brush the grimy walls. But it was more than what other prisoners got—only because she had something the King craved. It was enough to keep her from the cold, disease-ridden dungeons. For that she was grateful. Nonetheless, it stoked the flames of anger to life.

As an Arcane, she possessed abilities that were illegal in all the five kingdoms. If one was found with such powers, they were executed immediately— and indirectly. In the other four kingdoms, the convicted was drowned, a precaution to prevent the aura of power from leaping from the Arcane to a mundane being. However, in Norlay, things were different. If an Arcane was discovered, they were sent to Nesrak, the Isle of Demons.

She should have been sent there; a sure death would have followed without the loss of countless other lives. Instead, the King took her as her prisoner because of her bloodline. At first, she thought the gods had intervened to keep her alive, at least until she found her brother again. Only later was she explained the real reason behind postponed death.

Her mother was a descendant of the Shaya, one of the four ancient races of the fallen empire. That specific people held a unique type of power, one the King craved since his eyes first fell on her platinum white hair. To his utter disappointment, her access to magic had been blocked since before their first encounter. However, in a year's time, she was able to grasp her abilities with the help of the charmed sapphire pendant, though she still did not know exactly what the King wanted from her. But a large portion of her power was still locked away, beyond the gem's reach. They were still seeking the cause and solution to this problem. Avira didn't know if she wanted to find out.

She turned the handle of the faucet and cold water spurted into the small tub. Lowering herself inside, she scrubbed away the grime and dirt that had accumulated on her body from the nights in the cold cell and rinsed herself. After patting herself dry with a towel, she slipped into her airy nightdress and collapsed on her bed with a deep sigh. Her last thought was of her brother before she succumbed to the weight of exhaustion tugging her to sleep.

Hours later, the door creaked open as a guard entered, jolting her awake. The torch he gripped bathed the room in bright light, making Avira wince.

"The King demands your presence."

Hey guys! Short chapter - well, shorter than usual - but I needed to convey Avira's emotions. Thanks for reading this chapter. It means a lot. If you enjoyed it, please don't forget to vote :)

Questions: What do you think happened to Renedan, Avira's brother?

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