Chapter 167: The Pit
Rhaegar felt as though his head were as heavy as the lead bowl he’d once stumbled across while roaming the border with Cara. He tried to move, but even the slightest twitch of his muscles sent sharp waves of pain searing through his body.
A low groan escaped him as he turned his head to the side, only for a fresh surge of throbbing agony to grip him, binding him in its spiky, relentless chains.
"Oh, alive, are you? Don’t move! They didn’t leave a single spot on you untouched—you’re black and blue all over!"
The sound of a high-pitched, chipper voice made Rhaegar wince in confusion. Forcing his eyes open as much as he could, he found himself staring at another boy leaning over him. The stranger’s dark, dirt-smudged face was split into a wide grin, exposing a row of surprisingly straight and white teeth with small sharp fangs.
The boy’s long, curly hair framed his thin face, casting shadows over his high cheekbones. Those shadows made the bright glow of his narrow golden eyes seem even more striking.
Rhaegar tried to lift his hand to push the boy away, but the pain slammed it back down to the floor. He clenched his eyes shut and stifled another groan, his body refusing to cooperate.
The boy clicked his tongue and shook his head, clearly unimpressed. "I told you not to move! You’re so big, I thought you were older than me—and smarter! Just stay still. You have to let it pass."
"What... what happened to me?" Rhaegar managed to rasp, though his voice was so weak and strained that he wasn’t sure it had even been audible.
Thankfully, Rhaegar didn’t need to repeat his question. The boy beside him let out a long, exasperated sigh and frowned in disgust, offering an answer instead.