Chapter 98. Behind the scenes
Cellblock of Treachery—
In the damp, dark cellblock of the Pillar of Treachery’s jail, Vivien leaned against the cold stone wall, gazing at a tiny, stale hunk of bread—her sole sustenance for the day. A heavy slave collar dug into her neck.
Other prisoners surrounded her, munching on their sparse rations with desperate hunger, their starved faces revealing starvation’s price. Vivien’s stomach growled, a sharp pang of hunger she’d never known in her sheltered life. She ate the bread in small bites, its dry texture barely easing her discomfort, and swallowed hard, the small portion doing little to quiet her hunger.
Lysa, the girl beside her, without a word broke off half her own bread and offered it to Vivien. Surprised, Vivien hesitated, her crimson eyes looking at Lysa’s gaunt face. "You... don’t need this?" she asked softly.
Lysa’s voice was faint, her eyes dull. "Hunger fades here. I can’t stomach much anymore."
Vivien accepted the bread, eating it quickly as her stomach demanded more. "What’s your name?" Lysa asked, her tone quiet but curious.
"Vivien Caulem," she replied, managing a small smile despite her fear.
Lysa’s brow lifted slightly. "Caulem... a noble?"
Vivien nodded, then tilted her head. "And you? What’s your name?"
"Lysa Threx," the girl murmured.
Vivien’s eyes brightened. "Threx? So you’re noble too!"