Chapter 4 4. Lifeless

The Ravens, as well as Archie and Ethan, arrived at Castle Brook. They quickly applied their notice-me-not runes to their skin. They activated them with their own blood. The plan was simple; Nila and Archie would cause a distraction, and Seraphina, Prudy, and Ethan would go find Emma.

The Resistance had left before they had to retrieve the so-called Philosopher's Egg. A mission based on Seraphina's research, her knowledge, and the Ravens' intel. None of which they were even thanked for. The group split, with Archie setting fires and Nila making sure they kept going.

It was a risk to go into the castle, but they all agreed Emma was worth it. The group moved to the bowels of the castle. They had to be down there. Dungeons, from what Serphina knew from her travels with her mother and what she had come to learn, were on sub-levels. There was no one standing watch.

Why would there be? The castle was secluded. It wasn't considered a hot spot for the Resistance to attack. The men here just used it to hold their cattle, or more accurately their human slaves. Serphina recoiled at the sight of the rows of cages. The plan was simple: get Emma, leave the others.

They couldn't afford to take everyone out, and it broke her heart. Seeing the women they passed. Some looked to be starving, others already split open and lying dead. But when they passed a cage with a child, Prudy, though invisible, grabbed Serphina's arm. She knew what that meant.

Serphina loved her sister. She loved her heart, her compassion, but a child was a risk to get out. Especially a frightened one who was still alive. Both of them wiped off their runes. Ethan followed. "We can't leave her, Serphina." She looked to Ethan, then the child. She knew what the girl would be subjected to, what she probably already had been. Her stomach recoiled.

This was the consequence of this war, Serphina knew, as did Prudy and Ethan. "Fine, take her, Ethan. Prudy, replace the rune and go with him. Ethan, don't use the rune; they won't know you aren’t one of them, just be quick. I will get Emma and then meet you at the extraction point." It was a risk. She looked at the frightened girl that Prudy was helping out of the cage. Was it worth it?

Was this what she had come to, choosing to save a child and wondering about whether their life was worth it? She hated herself; she hated the choice. But it was done; the girl would be safe from now on, but the horrors of this place would remain. That girl's life would continue, but would her mind? She crept further amongst the cages.

Then she saw it: the last cell, the last cage; her body was naked. Her hair long, with splashes of blood in it. Her nails broken to the quick. Then there was her abdomen. It was jaggedly ripped open; her organs gone, teeth marks all over her.

Serphina's body tensed, her breathing heavy. She looked at her friend, her sisters' lifeless eyes staring back at her. They had butchered her. Serphina’s body staggered, another sister, another Raven she failed. Emma was gone, and her heart was beating erratically at the sight of her. Serphina’s back hit a wall, staring at her sister's dead, slaughtered body.

The wall gave way behind her, a hidden door; then she was falling. Serphina quickly scanned the room; yes, she was invisible with the notice-me-not rune on her arm, but she could still be at risk. Her eyes landed on what she assumed a dragon egg would look like. With weird grooves in it reminding her of scales. It also looked like it was corroding. Then she heard the whispers.

"Release me"

"Help me"

"Save me"

“Release me”

It filled the room, pulling her toward what she assumed was a large egg. Her mind was consumed by an undeniable pull toward it. Her hands reached out, and as she grabbed it, her vision plummeted into darkness. Her body was doused in frigid cold, then burning hot, her eyesight gone. Her body was unmoving. Time stopped, and then it vanished.

Her breathing came back; she felt her body it was the same. Serphina didn't know how long she had been out, but she stood quickly, looking at the egg. The corrosion was gone on it, but then she saw it for what it was. The Philosopher's Egg- the depiction was uncanny from the old journals she had studied. It was a deep purple and looked better than it had moments ago. She had to get out of there.

She pushed on the wall she had fallen through and back into the dungeon. Emma still lay there; her chest felt like it was cracking open. There was nothing to be done; nothing she had failed. As she went to exit the room, an invisible hand grabbed her. "Ethan?" She knew the touch. "Thank fuck, we have to go. Is Emma here?"

"She’s dead."

"We have to go; we have been here too long. The others had to shimmer back already. I came to get you." She nodded, and the two of them made their escape. When they made it back to headquarters, Nila and Prudy were already waiting.

As they made their way outside, she saw him. Her heart jumped a beat. His blue eyes were on her, Elios Prince. His scar was unmistakable.  He was looking at Serphina; she was sure of it. Though he couldn't see her. Not with the notice-me-not rune. Ethan grabbed her arm, and they vanished.

"Where is she?" The question was asked the second she saw her sisters.  Then Serphina's face fell. She had to tell them. She had to tell them they failed, that she failed. Only offering the peace of omitting how she was savaged in death. "Emma’s dead," Serphina said, her voice cracking.

The silence was deafening between the Ravens. "Where is the girl?" Serphina asked. "Archie took her to the other rescues; we have been waiting for you and...." Nila went quiet, knowing there was no Emma. There would be no funeral, no words ever shared about their fallen sister. No one would talk about her courage, her strength, her sacrifice.

There was silence. The three of them would mourn. They would cry themselves to sleep, wishing they each had done more. That they had sacrificed more, tried harder to rescue her sooner. The self-loathing would intensify under the pressure of having failed their sister.

It was hours later, Serphina alone in her small room. Her eyes were now focused on the small black lines that ghosted on her inner wrist; she would be able to cover them with her bangle. It looked almost like veins; she surmised they claimed her when she was unconscious with the Philosopher's Egg. Why was it there, and not where the Resistance had gone? Why did it look corroded before she blacked out? She needed to do research again. She needed to know what had happened to her.