50.

Arin crouched in the farthest corner of the black, metallic cage, her heart pounding violently in her chest. The oppressive darkness seemed to close in around her, suffocating her from all sides. Every inch of her body ached from the chains that bound her wrists and ankles, biting into her skin like cruel serpents. She shivered uncontrollably, partly from the cold and partly from the terror gnawing at her core. Her mind was in a fog, trapped in a vicious loop of fear, guilt, and helplessness.

"This is your punishment," a voice had told her when she was first thrown into this nightmarish place. "For abandoning your people. For failing as a queen."

Arin had cried then, too, but it had been different. Back then, it was out of frustration and anger. Now, she was hysterical—her sobs were raw and uncontrollable. The tears burned her cheeks as she clutched her knees tighter to her chest, her body trembling violently.

"Alex... help me," she whispered, though she knew he couldn't hear her. Her heart longed for the comfort of her cousin's presence, but she had no idea where he was or if he even knew she had been taken. She could only hope he would sense something was wrong, that he'd come for her.

A burst of loud, sinister laughter echoed through the cell, bouncing off the cold, black walls like the cruel mockery of her helplessness. Arin's breath hitched in her throat, and she instinctively recoiled, pressing her back harder against the wall. She clenched her fists so tightly her knuckles turned white, the chains clinking softly with her movement.

The laughter belonged to Jack.

It filled the air, reverberating through the small, cramped space, its sound hollow and maniacal. Arin squeezed her eyes shut, wishing for it to stop, wishing for some relief from the torment that had become her existence in this dark prison. But it didn’t. The laughter grew louder, more mocking, as if it were a physical force crushing her spirit.

"You think you're a queen, don't you?" Jack's voice slithered through the bars of the cage, cold and venomous. "You think you're untouchable, just because of your little title. But you're not. Not here. Not with me."

Arin didn't respond. She couldn't. Her voice had long since left her, choked off by the fear that was now her constant companion. Her body shook as Jack's voice continued to echo through her mind, each word a fresh wave of torment.

"You’re nothing but a traitor," Jack snarled. "You failed your people, and now you’ll fail your cousin too. He won’t be able to save you. He’s too busy playing king."

A sharp gasp escaped her lips as another bout of loud laughter erupted, seemingly from nowhere. She buried her face in her hands, her tears soaking her palms. But no matter how hard she tried to block out the noise, it wouldn’t stop. Jack’s voice was everywhere, ringing in her ears like a dark, twisted lullaby.

Suddenly, the air around her seemed to grow colder, and the darkness felt more oppressive. She could feel Jack’s presence looming closer, though she couldn’t see him. Her skin crawled with the sensation of his eyes on her, watching her every move, every tremble.

“You cheater! Be here now!" she screamed, her voice raw with emotion, the words tumbling out before she could stop them. Her voice echoed in the emptiness around her, but there was no answer, just more laughter.

She shivered violently, her body giving in to the terror coursing through her veins. She wasn’t sure if it was real or just another one of the cruel hallucinations Jack had planted in her mind. He had already shattered her reality, leaving her unable to distinguish between what was real and what wasn’t.

Arin’s sobs grew louder, her chest heaving with every shallow breath. The fear that had been simmering inside her finally boiled over, and she let out a desperate, anguished scream that tore through the silence.

“Alex! Help me!” she cried out, though she knew he couldn’t hear her. She was utterly alone.

As her scream faded, replaced once again by Jack’s sinister laughter, a new sense of dread settled over her. Something was wrong. Something terrible was going to happen.

***

Meanwhile, Jack watched the feed of Arin's cell from his control room, a satisfied smirk playing on his lips. The plan was in motion, and everything was falling into place.

Arin was just the first step. Her capture had been too easy, almost laughable, considering her reputation. She was the so-called "queen" of a galaxy, a warrior who had returned from a war that spanned galaxies, but in the end, she had crumbled like all the others.

But the real prize wasn't Arin—it was Aeryn.

Jack’s eyes gleamed with excitement as he thought of Aeryn. She was the key to everything, and he had plans for her, plans that would finally bring Alex to his knees.

"Let her suffer," Jack muttered to himself, watching Arin break down on the screen. "Let her think she's alone. Let her believe her precious cousin has forgotten about her."

In two days, Alex would be hosting the grand ceremony in his kingdom. It was a significant event, a celebration that would demand his full attention. Jack knew that Alex's guard would be down, distracted by the pomp and splendor of it all. And that was when Jack would strike.

The pieces were all in place. Aeryn would be vulnerable, with Alex focused on his kingdom. Jack had already planted the seeds of chaos, and when the time was right, he would sweep in, taking what was his.

"Two days," Jack said with a sly grin. "Two days, and everything will fall apart for Alex."

He leaned back in his chair, savoring the thought of Alex’s devastation when he realized he’d lost Aeryn. Jack could already picture the moment—the look of horror on Alex’s face when he discovered Aeryn was gone, taken right from under his nose.

It was all going to play out perfectly. Jack had made sure of it.

***

Back in the dark prison cell, Arin’s sobs had subsided into quiet, broken whimpers. She was exhausted, both physically and mentally, her body drained of all strength. She rested her head against the cold wall behind her, her eyes staring blankly into the darkness.

She wasn’t sure how long she had been here—days, weeks, maybe longer. Time had lost all meaning. All she knew was that she was trapped, and there was no way out.

"Alex..." she whispered weakly, her voice barely audible. "Please... don’t forget me."

But deep down, Arin knew Jack was right. Alex wouldn’t come for her. He was too busy with his kingdom, too distracted by the responsibilities that came with being king. She was no longer his priority. She was just another casualty, forgotten and abandoned.

As the darkness closed in around her once more, Arin allowed herself to sink deeper into her despair, her hope fading with every passing moment.