Chapter 16
It was hard saying goodbye to Elbar, as there was no celebration, hardly any time for hugs, and Scarlen wondered if they’d ever meet again. She hoped so, just not in prison.
They stood at the door of Green Block Two and wished each other well as Dionne slipped one of Temple’s food bars into Elbar’s hand.
‘For when you miss us.’ Dionne chuckled, then sniffed back her emotions.
Elbar tapped the Rings binding her magick. ‘These I won’t miss.’
They all shared a warm smile before Elbar was led away, each person in the block wishing it were them.
In some strange way, it was a good morning, and the atmosphere in Green Block Two had lifted as they were ushered to the shower chamber to get ready for their day.
Passing the pillory yard on the way to breakfast swiped them of the little joy they had, as Mr Jontson was pacing by the platform, his black cropped hair in need of a wash, his grey eyes deathly.
Gazes met the ground to avoid any confrontation, as the inmates knew his bad moods were taken out on them.
Jontson was obviously having a bad day, his firm snarl showing all not to eyeball him, not that it mattered.
Without warning, he jabbed his lightning rod into the nearest inmate, causing the others to stop walking as the lad fell to his hands and knees, stunned briefly before Kane started to hurry everyone towards the opened side door towards the canteen.
Scarlen lowered her gaze as she passed the poor prisoner still on the ground, hoping she wasn’t next, knowing everyone would be thinking the same.
Jontson wasn’t finished with his bad mood. He grabbed Wynter by her jaw, forcing her to meet his glare. ‘What did you say about me, girl?’
Wynter tried to shake her head, but his grip was tight. ‘Nothing, sir.’
Too late. He let go and pressed his baton to her waist, and Wynter dropped at once, first held by the power, then the tremble of the after-effects, then he jabbed her again, and urine leaked into her bottoms, adding shame to her shock.
Scarlen went to leave the line to ask permission to take Wynter away, but Bear run out from the corridor, where Amber were heading to breakfast, and pounced on the guard, slamming him to the ground, each loaded punch taking Jontson closer towards death until Binnow stopped Bear with her lightning rod, not once but twice, as the first seemed to pass right through him without acknowledgement.
‘Pillory,’ Binnow yelled, and Kane and Lackly quickly dragged Bear to the platform, securing him in place as fast as possible, the worry of him beating on them obvious in their eyes.
Binnow’s face was somewhat distorted as she rammed her baton into Bear’s back.
The inmates watching from outside and in the corridor froze as the lightning seized him completely before he dropped in the pillory, saliva slipping down his chin.
Then she did it again, and again, and again.
Her wicked gaze was on the other prisoners.
‘You think you can do what you like here?’
No one replied. All attention was on Bear.
Binnow’s baton was running low, but still she used it on Bear as she gauged the reactions.
The fear in the air feeding her. ‘You are nothing,’ she told them all.
‘And most of you will die here.’ As if to prove her point, she struck more lightning into Bear, who was semi-conscious, hanging by the pillory alone, eyes closed, mouth gaping, breath as shaky as his weakened limbs.
Scarlen’s breath was taken with his, and her heart nowhere to be found, and with little thought for herself, she ran forward, landing on her knees, hands begging, head dipped but eyes on Binnow. ‘Please. Please stop. You’re killing him.’
One side of Binnow’s mouth curved upwards, and she lightly touched Bear’s back with her baton. ‘What, like this?’
He juddered, hissing, before his body fell limp once more.
Kane cleared his throat. A feeble attempt for the torture to end, but his power in the yard was as weak as Bear’s, but before Binnow could question his interruption, Scarlen got up and threw her arms around Bear, clutching him with all her might.
Some gasps came from the inmates, even Kane, but Scarlen could only concentrate on holding Bear. Don’t die. Please don’t die.
‘Move,’ he growled, barely.
They both knew the next blast of lightning would go through her as well if she was touching him, but she couldn’t let him go. She just couldn’t.
‘Are we done here?’ came the harsh voice of Mr Lackly. His way of ending the punishment.
Binnow almost smiled. ‘Yes. Mr Kane was about to take Vyer and Smithson to the wheel.’
Kane immediately released Bear from the pillory, needing Lackly’s help, as the deadweight of Bear was too much for one man to carry.
Scarlen noticed Raven had arrived and scooped up Wynter, carrying her towards Green Block Two with Miss Harnish, and the other lad who was on the floor had also been taken away, by who, she wasn’t sure, but Dionne’s eyes were wide with worry, staring only at her, a plea in them not to cause any more trouble.
Scarlen followed as Bear was draped between the two male guards, his legs dragging all the way to the wheel, where Kane tried to prop him. Scarlen placed in front.
Kane was the only guard left on duty, and there were no other inmates in the silent system. He went to the middle of the wheel and tightened the screw to its maximum, then with a small sigh, he stepped back and quietly told them they could begin.
It was going to be an impossible task, but Scarlen gripped the handle, dug her feet hard into the ground, and tried with all her might to turn the wheel. A faint squeaky noise came from the middle as the wheel moved all but an inch.
She glanced over her shoulder to see how the movement had affected Bear.
He was slumped half on the handle, half over the middle, his eyes fluttering, his mouth drooped, a dribble lacing his ghostly skin.
She turned and gently wiped his mouth with her sleeve.
‘Just take small steps,’ she whispered, knowing Kane could still hear.
Knowing she could add more time to their punishment just for talking, but Kane paid an interest in his fingernail as he turned his back on them.
‘He can go to the healer.’ Kane leaned against the wall by the door, his voice matter-of-fact. ‘But only if you’ve turned the wheel once.’
There was no way Bear could help turn the wheel, as he could just about stand, so Scarlen took a deep breath and pushed as hard as she could, gritting her teeth, growling out her frustration, which she knew was also not allowed.
Silent meant just that, but a rush of anger, confusion, and hurt swept over her, bringing sheer determination into her arms, her feet, each breath.
The sound of a gull filled the icy air for a moment, its cry reminding Scarlen there was life outside the prison, and she knew once free, she would do something about the way things were run.
Warden Cardell, Horstal Island, Jontson, and that fucking bitch Binnow were going to receive all of her royal attention, whether her father approved or not. Somehow, she would find a way.
Burning in the shoulders struck Scarlen first, swiftly followed by back pain and cramping calves. Each time she moved the wheel an inch, she checked Bear was still upright. Still being guided around. His mumbles were incoherent, but he was awake, if not alert.
It grew dark with rain looming, and the occasional turn of the beacon faintly illuminated the tips of the high walls, while the hushed sound of the bay brushing against the island soothed, encouraging Scarlen to keep trying.
Was her father watching now? Could he see the cruelty? Would he even care? She cared. That’s all that mattered, and soon the whole kingdom would know the truth of Horstal Island.
Moving another inch, she wondered if she should go straight home after her sentence or continue to run away. She had always planned the latter, but how could she be of use to the inmates if she wasn’t wearing her crown?
So much of Scarlen didn’t want to ever live in the palace again or see her father, but things were different now.
The people in the prison were in danger; she had to help.
She had to be the princess. Perhaps that was the point of her father’s cruel games.
Was he making her the princess she was supposed to be?
Hard, cold, fearless. His personality. Milon’s.
The thought led her to her brother. Obviously, he had done nothing to change the horrors of Horstal. Why? Why would he leave such a place and not look back? She could understand how someone might want to block out the experience, but surely it would haunt him.
Bear groaned, so Scarlen paused to gently wipe his mouth once more. ‘Almost there,’ she whispered, then glanced at Kane’s back. He remained silent, so she carried on.
She wasn’t almost there. She was coming up to a quarter way but felt it best to only speak positively. Perhaps Bear had no idea what was going on anyway, but she liked to believe he could hear her, that she was a comfort somehow.
Another deep breath, and another inch. Hate stopped driving her, taken over by the need to get Bear to the healer. He needed to rest. His friends would take the best care of him, and she could tell Wynter all was well.
Tears pricked, but she blinked them away. That wasn’t happening. Nope. There was a time to cry, and it was never in company. Her father would take his belt to her backside for such an embarrassment.
A pain shot through her hip, causing a moment of soundless cursing, then she pressed on, ignoring the soreness also in her shoulders by silently singing to herself. A song her mother would sing when tucking her in at night.
Let moondrops wash away the day
You’re safe on clouds so soft
Each precious moment spent with you
Soaring with the doves
Over the seas, my sweet
Over the land
Over the trees, my love
Through the sky, through the sky, hand in hand
Scarlen sniffed, her memories of such gentleness reaching deep within her soul, cradling her close, breathing new air into her burning lungs.
Onwards she marched, gripping hard into each footing, closing her eyes while pushing, the song loosening the screw, her mother’s love extra hands on the wheel.
Together, they walked. The voice of her little sister cheering for her.
Always believing Scarlen could do anything.
Oxley’s voice echoed around her. ‘Come on, Smithson. You can do this,’ he roared, and she glanced towards the doorway to see him standing there, hands gripping the bars, his lips tight, eyes stern.
‘This is the silent system, Torro,’ said Kane, but there was no authority in his tone.
‘I’m not on that side, sir.’ Oxley made no eye contact with him, looking only at Scarlen.
Kane turned to watch the turning of the wheel, clearly showing he wasn’t going to punish the man who often took his money for sex.
‘Push that fucker, Smithson.’ Oxley’s words motivated her to move forward another inch. ‘Don’t let it own you.’
She shifted Bear again, then pushed and pushed.
‘Heave,’ roared Oxley. ‘Heave.’
Shaking, sweating, every fibre of her being spent, she somehow moved the wheel all the way around to the sound of Oxley’s encouragement, her mother’s song, and the need to get Bear to the healer.
‘Done,’ said Kane, and as soon as he opened the gate, Oxley charged in to carry his friend to the healer while Scarlen’s knees buckled.
Sitting on the cold, damp ground, she simply stared at nothing as jobs had started and those assigned to the silent system started to enter the yard, each lightly touching her shoulder as they passed, their wordless praise giving her the strength to stand and continue with her day.