Author's Note:

I guess you guys like this one? I hope so because I will be continuing it, it'll be slower with the updates unless you guys really really like it, then I'll update as often as I can!

Thank you for all the reviews last chapter, here's the second (finally)

The overwhelming stench of rat droppings and mold made her stomach churn and she can feel bile sitting at the back of her throat.

Her arms are slightly numb from leaning into them and she shivers, the cold stone seeps through the tattered clothing as she finally snaps the rope free.

Brittany huffs and rubs at her raw wrists, blowing warm air into her palms she rubs together as she stands, dusting herself down she walks calmly up to her cell door.

"So….I just sit here then?" She asks, peeking between the bars, straining to get a glimpse of her guards.

But the hallway is silent…..she's pretty sure she's the only one behind bars and it seems that her guards expected her to remain that way considering that there isn't a single one down her watching over her like a hawk.

Oh well, that just means it'll be easier to escape, reaching up with pulls a pin from her auburn locks, ignoring the few wavy strands that fall lose as she begins to pick the cell's lock.

It barely took her a minute, the lock was mere child's play to the thief and she tucks the pin back into her hair for safe keeping.

Cautiously she moves along the hallway, just because she couldn't hear them and they couldn't hear her doesn't mean that they're far gone…..they could've been napping for all she knows.

The cells were actually a floor above the castle's actual basement, she heard her captors discussing it and wondering aloud why the King never allows them to the lowest level, but then again who wants to go to a floor where there's no windows or light?

Brittany isn't fond of dark cramped places and she's thankful that their cells have windows and the King keeps many candles burning, giving his castle a warm honey glow…..just like his eyes.

She shakes her head firmly as she ascends the stairs, paws barely making a sound on the stone as she feels her cheeks heat up slightly, she is not going to swoon over King Alvin like every other girl does.

They say he's the most handsome of his brothers…though she also heard that King Simon and King Theodore are also quiet charming, though she'd rather not meet them…..unless it's under better circumstances.

Brittany pauses at the top of the stairs, staring blankly down a long hallway that branches off in various directions and rooms…she should've paid closer attention to her surroundings when they dragged her to the jail…then again she was still woozy from being punched in the gut again.

Rubbing at her tender stomach she starts off down the carpeted hall, ears trained forward as she glances quickly into each open room she passes.

So far so-"Hmph!" Brittany bumps into another being, panic fills her quickly and she turns to run but a low unearthly groan stops her short.

Staggering back a few steps she lets herself take in the being she ran into…it's not even human.

The decaying black figure blinks wide white eyes at her, it's mouth hangs open and black ooze drips from it's jaws and onto the carpet, burning a swift hole in the thick fabric.

All her hair stands on end when she realizes that it's face is the only thing close to being normal, it's body is hunched over at an unsettling angle and the rest of it's body is just a black mass…..no legs or feet, just black slick flesh that reminds her of a slug's body, does it move in the same way?

She doesn't really want to stick around and find out, yanking a candle off the wall she lunges forward and thrusts the burning end into the creature's center, watching in awe as a horrible screech escapes its messy mouth and the area around the flame bursts with bubbles before caving in.

The creature wretches away and scurries off quickly, away from her and the flame.

"What is that thing…?" Brittany watches it go, confused and frightened by the sight she clutches the candle close and takes off running in the opposite direction.

It doesn't take her long to find out where all the guards went.

She didn't make it to the throne room, rather she was in a large dining hall and every guard in sight was battling one of those black creatures…..and people dressed in dark crimson wielding poisoned weapons.

Her eyes sweep the battle quickly and she catches sight of a flash of gold, her eyes land on the King, keeping an assassin at bay with a long blade he was rather good at it…but if she knows anything about assassins she knows they play dirty.

Brittany looks around wildly, spotting a discarded bow she scoops it up and takes off running across the eminence room, ducking sparring bodies she comes across a few arrows but a lot of them are snapped and she only manages to get one arrow notched in the bow.

Leaping over the table she lights the tip of the arrow on fire with a candle just as one of the creatures comes up behind the King and grabs hold of him, pinning his arms down the munk struggles desperately as the assassin reaches for the chain around his neck.

She aims for the creature's eyeless face as the assassin rips an amulet from the King's neck, letting the arrow lose she watches in grim satisfaction as it buries itself in the creature's face and it erupts into flames.

Screeching it rears back and he takes the opening, lunging forward he tries to sink his blade into the assassin but they dart aside with keen swiftness, Brittany is there in a moment, leaping off the table she knocks the dark clothed being to the ground where the snatches the amulet from their grasp.

Her whole arm explodes with pain and she screams, rearing back her hand won't release the blue and gold piece of jewelry despite how much hot pain races up her arm.

She tries to shake it lose but it feels glued to her palm and as her other hand comes into contact with the assassin beneath her she feels the fire race through her entire being and into her foe who thrashes wildly beneath her before going still.

Her breath is coming in rabid bursts and her vision blurs, everything smears together into a mess of colors and sound, her body feels light and her head is racked with dizziness…she welcomes the darkness.

Jerking awake she tries to stagger to her feet, wanting to escape the amulet, fear still fresh in her mind and body she struggles against a hand on her shoulder.

"Hey!" His voice snaps her back to reality and she realizes she came very close to punching the King in the face.

He raises his eyebrows at her, a cut across his temple oozes fresh blood at the action and she squints, staring at it, "You're hurt,"

"Yes? And so are you, we had to move quickly so I couldn't afford to play nursemaid, but we should be far enough now," He turns away from her and she takes the opportunity to sit up and take in their surroundings.

She's sitting in the back of the nicest carriage she's ever seen…and she feels the cool press of metal against her throat, glancing down she catches the twinkle of blue and the flash of gold.

The amulet is resting around her neck.

"It likes you a whole lot better than me," Turning her gaze to the munk she feels all the color drain from her face, she can feel the warm humming emanating from the amulet and her pulse skyrockets.

"I-it's cursed…"

"…Yes, it is,"

She hits him now, punching him hard in the shoulder she doesn't feel comforted by his yelp of pain and surprise, no…she still feels the dreadful crawl of terror working its way up her spine.

For the first time in a long time…Brittany isn't sure what to do.

Uh oh, I wonder what the curse is…..and why Alvin was immune? Huh…..guess we'll find out in the next chapter!

Those creatures sound gross too, I wonder how the assassins managed to control them….hmmm?