“Quinn. Quinn, wake up.”

I inhaled deeply and looked back over my shoulder. “I told you to leave, Aki.”

“Yeah, I know that. I fucked up. I know. I’ve got something for you.”

I turned on my back and gently rubbed my eyes. They were still immensely sore. I pushed myself up in a seated position and sighed deeply.

“Aki...”

“Just open this.” He put a wrapped present in my lap.

I didn’t even wanna argue. I pulled the silk paper off to reveal a box of salted caramel filled chocolates inside.

“Your favourites. I’m trying to apologise.”

With chocolates? He thought chocolates would make this all better? I looked back up at him, completely baffled.

“Try one. It’s from that little shop, you know? The one on the corner.”

I couldn’t do anything but open the box and look at the flower shaped chocolates inside. I slowly picked one up. I loved these. And now they were utterly ruined for me. I moved my arm, so my hand was over the edge of the bed and let go of the chocolate.

I picked up another and looked him straight in the eye, dropping the chocolate on the floor.

“You’re being childish.”

“You brought me chocolates?” I said with a shivering voice. I picked up another and threw it at him. He pulled his hands up to shield his face as I threw another.

“Look at my face, Aki! Look at my fucking face!” I pulled my nightshirt off, showing off the scars on my chest from both the explosion and from the torture. “Look at my body! Look what you did to me.” I stood on my knees on the bed and shoved the rest of the chocolates off it. “Now get out! Get out!”

“Quinn-”

“Get out!” I screamed at the top of my lungs.

His hand shot forward, and his fingers wrapped around my throat. He pulled me forward, so I was inches from his face. “I tried to be nice to you. And this is how you repay me?”

“Fuck you!” I croaked and tried to remove his hand. He raised his other hand. “Fucking hit me!”

He shoved me down on my back, his hand still around my throat. His other hand slowly lifted and then it flew right towards my face. I saw stars and had a hard time focusing on anything than the pain in my face. Then he punched me again and I blacked out.

***

I was staring at the ceiling. Tears were running down my cheeks, but I couldn’t feel anything.

“They were talking about how the state of the country has never been better than it is now. We’re doing great things, Quinn. And you’re a part of that.” Aki smiled at me from the chair next to my bed. “Everything could be so amazing if you would just open your eyes to it.”

I didn’t answer. I didn’t want to answer. I just wanted to disappear.

A court physician dabbed my fresh wounds with cotton, holding a bowl of water to dump them in. The water had turned blue long ago already.

I used to love Aki’s eyes. How they were so black and cold, but despite the coldness, he was so warm. Now there was no warmth, as he just sat there, looking coolly at me. Even his smile was cool.

“I know I’m harsh with you, but I only want you to understand.”

I met his gaze as he leaned forward a little.

“Kill me,” I whispered.

“What?” He frowned.

“Please kill me.”

He sighed and rose to his feet. He walked across the bedroom and stopped by the door. “Think about it, at least. And stop being so dramatic.”

Dramatic. Yes, I was just being dramatic. Dramatic Quinn. That was me.

Aki left the bedroom with the physician, and I sat up.

I’d show him just how dramatic I could be. If I hadn’t been pretty, this would have never happened. If I had been ugly and no one had ever looked my way, I couldn’t have invited him into my bed. Or maybe that part didn’t matter. Maybe it was only the fact that I was a prince that mattered to him.

I stumbled to the washroom and grabbed the sink, looking at myself in the mirror.

Fuck this.

I slammed my forehead into the mirror, and it broke, cutting me in the face. I did it again. My head hurt so badly, but I didn’t even care anymore.

“Quinn! What are you doing!?”

Someone grabbed me and hauled me away from the mirror.

“No!” I screamed as someone got me down on the floor, pressing my back to their chest.

“Quinn, calm down.”

I shook my head and tried to fight my way out of his arms, but Islo held me back.

“It’s okay, Quinn. Calm down. Don’t hurt yourself.”

“I don’t wanna live anymore. I can’t do it. I just wanna die,” I cried and finally relaxed against him.

“I know, Quinn, I know. Come on. Come. We’ll go to my chambers and get you cleaned up.” He hauled me to my feet despite my protests and got me dragged to his chambers. He put me on his bed, even though I was bleeding all over the white pillow covers.

He disappeared and then reappeared with the bowl and wash cloth from last time. He cleaned me up in silence, very gently picking shards of glass out of my face.

“I need to get out of here,” I whispered.

“I know,” Islo said softly. “I’m not sure it’s possible right now. They’ve upped the amount of guards in the stronghold. We’ll figure something out, though. We’ll figure something out.”

“Promise me.” Tears were burning in my eyes.

“I promise. We’ll figure something out. This can’t continue.” He very gently brushed my hair out of my face. “Sweet boy, just rest now, okay?”

I nodded and then tears spilled out of my eyes again. “He… He hurts me.”

His expression turned cold first and then furious. “You’re not going back to your chambers anytime soon, Quinn. I promise. I don’t care what he says, you’re staying here.”

I sat up and circled my arms around him. I just needed a hug. It almost didn’t matter who it was from, I just needed a hug. Islo didn’t object, he hugged me back and stroked my hair. I needed someone to just take charge, and Islo did that.