Chapter 9

Dark. It was dark and cold and there was silence except for the small squeaks of the rats running around the wet corners of the small room. No, it wasn't even a room at all. It was a prison. A dark and cold prison and she shivered as the cold wind came in through the small gaps that also the only thing that lets her know if it was evening or day time.

How many minutes have passed? Hours? Days? Months? How long has she been lying around here? She wrapped her arms around her legs and quietly sobbed. Never in her life had she felt this too much fear. Was it the end for her? She was now waiting for someone to grab her and take her to Phobos, who will surely give her the punishment of the lifetime.

Yet, she was innocent. She didn't even come near the Prince at all, she was just there watching the festivities and chatting with her friends and trying to get Cornelia's attention. But no, she was now framed for trying to assassinate her former enemy.

And the worst thing is that it was Cornelia who wrapped them in vines and ordered Cedric to send them to prison. What happened to their friend? Has Phobos finally succeeded in poisoning her mind? Did she just lose her friend to evil?

No, Cornelia was way too noble to give in to the dark side. She knew her all too well. They had been close. Perhaps.

And she sobbed violently. All she wanted was just to know if their friend was safe, if she was still alive and Phobos didn't hurt her at all. But now….

"Will? Is that you?" She hiccupped as she heard someone call her name. She opened her eyes and only the darkness welcomed her.

"Who is there?" she called out and from the corner of the room a small fire lit up, illuminating the space they are in. From there she saw her friend, Taranee, the fire guardian. She was curled into a ball in the farther corner of the room. She crawled towards her.

"What happened? Where are the others?" she finally asked when she was near. The fire guardian sighed and she noticed that her eyes were puffy. It seems like she didn't sleep at all or maybe she was crying in fear.

"The guards took them to the throne room. Phobos seemed to be interrogating them after what happened two days ago." Taranee said and she gasped. Two days? They have been here for two days? But how come she didn't notice?

"But why didn't they take me? I was the one blamed for the attempted assassination." She asked the girl but Taranee just shrugged, so she also had no idea why they were still here.

"Maybe Phobos took a break for a while, Cedric can't just move without his master so he can't just question us without the Prince." Taranee suggested. Yes, it must be true. But how about Cornelia?

"Any news about Cornelia?" she finally asked and the fire guardian frowned.

"There's that. I can't still believe that she'll betray us for Phobos. She clearly knows that we are not to blame for poisoning the prince. Still…" She wasn't able to continue as the doors opened and some monster like guards pushed Hay Lin and Irma inside. And to their surprise, there were no scratch on the bodies of their friends but the two seems to be exhausted.

"What happened?" She then asked the newcomers who were now slowly waking towards their places.

"Phobos took us into interrogation. He wanted to know what kind of poison we put in his drink and what motivated us to do such thing." Irma scowled and hissed as she tried to sit.

"But how come you're unscathed?" She asked curiously. Irma sighed.

"I would prefer the physical way of torture but Phobos seemed to enjoy tormenting us mentally and physically." The water guardian said. So Phobos used mental torture to make them spill the beans. She does not know how it feels like but it seems to be scary. "And aside from that he slowly drained our powers."

"And Cornelia?" She didn't mind her friend's last words. Irma's face soured. It seems like she was still angry with Cornelia.

"We haven't seen her in the throne room. She is somewhere inside the castle and probably wanted to avoid us after her betrayal."

"Cornelia didn't betray us! I saw it with my own two eyes; she was in pain when she wrapped us in vines." Hay Lin exclaimed trying to defend the earth guardian. "I think she wanted to save us from Cedric." She then added. Perhaps it was true. But why imprison them when she can just let them go.

"But why would she send us to jail? And she didn't even try to come here and visit us. Explain what's going on." Taranee stated. Yes, that was true. They were here for two days but how come Cornelia never visited them when they were just inside the castles. Surely it wasn't that hard. Or maybe Phobos just doesn't want her to see them after what happened.

"Phobos may have prevented her from doing so." She said. Everyone became silent.

"But who would have framed you Will? Why did they frame you?" Hay Lin asked. That was also what's bothering her mind right now. Who framed her? Who put the poison? Her mind stopped as she remembered the invitation. There is a possibility that no one actually invited them to come but rather that person wanted to frame them for the attempted murder. Someone wants to kill Phobos and blame it on them.

"Someone who hates Phobos." She muttered softly and everyone turned to her, and looked at her suspiciously like she said something wrong.

"Who would that be?"

"Phobos has made a lot of enemies when he usurped the throne. Maybe someone wants to remove him from Elyon's way." She explained.

"If that's the case then Cornelia may also be in trouble!" Hay Lin exclaimed.

"Why?" Irma asked.

"Simple, Cornelia is Phobos' fiancée and since she will also become Queen once Phobos' succeeds surely someone would also try to attempt with her life." Taranee explained as she grasped on Hay Lin's words.

"Then Cornelia will most likely be a possible target." Irma said, Taranee and Hay Lin nodded. "Wow, I guess I'm lucky Phobos didn't choose me as his bride." The brunette joked and they all frowned at her words. If it was another day and another situation, they would have laughed at her but no, they was a way serious issue that can't be solve with one joke.

"Guys. We need to be vigilant. Cornelia is in trouble and we need to find out who framed us and who is behind of all of this." She finally spoke. Everyone nodded and then they decided that it was time for them to rest. There is a chance that Phobos will take another one of them tomorrow and will be brought to questioning. They will need all of their strength. They need to save Cornelia.

What do you think?