The heavy steel door slammed shut behind Kali, sealing her in the dungeon. She glanced back at the door, knowing guards stood just on the other side, but that didn't ease the knot of nerves coiling in her stomach. The sharp click of her heels echoed against the cold stone floor as she made her way deeper into the dim corridor toward the man's cell.

Pulling her coat tightly around her, Kali avoided the stares of the prisoners in the other cells. Their whispers followed her like shadows, muttered profanties and cruel laughter snaking into her ears. One man, an older prisoner with wild, matted hair spat in her direction, and she flinched as the glob landed on the ground near her feet. He grinned, revealing his decaying teeth, and muttered something under his breath.

Across from him, a woman with hollow cheeks and sunken eyes clung to the bars, her bony fingers curled around the metal like claws.
Further down, a youth, barely older than Kali, huddled in the corner of his cell, murmuring to himself. His wide, unblinking eyes seemed to follow Kali as she passed.

The flickering torchlight warped their faces into otherworldly shapes.

Straightening her posture, Kali lifted her chin and fixed her gaze forward, ignoring the taunts. But then, she noticed a figure further down the corridor.

A shadowy form stood in front of a cell.

Relief flooded her chest as she recognized him. For once, Death's presence was a comfort. Quickening her pace, she hurried toward him.
"Thank goodness you're here, I-" she started, but Death didn't acknowledge her. His gaze was fixed on the cell before him.
Kali followed his stare, her words faltering as she took in the scene before her.

Inside the cell, hunched against the wall, was Mr. Timbetts- or what remained of him. His knees were drawn up to his chest, his body trembling from both the chill and the lack of clothing. Bruises spotted his pale skin in hues of blue, purple, and green. His hands, shriveled and peeling with burns, lay limp at his sides. Deep gashes crisscrossed his shoulders and torso, wounds that could only have been inflicted by a whip. A single slash had met his left eye, swelling it shut, while blood ran from his scalp, hinting at hairs that had been ripped out rather than simply lost with age.

She shuddered at the sight, gripping the cold iron bars of the cell for support.

"I hope you get what you want out of him," Death's voice resonated in her mind, cold and cunning. "I don't want to give him the satisfaction of death."

Without another word, he stepped away from the cell, reatreating into the shadows of the wall behind her.

Right. She was here for a reason. To justify the decision she'd made. To prove that she could balance authority with compassion, even in this grim moment.

Taking a deep breath, she lowered herself to his level, "Mr. Timbetts," she began softly, keeping her tone even. "I really hate to see you suffer like this. If you could just-"

"Save it," he spat, his voice hoarse and laced with venom. "If I were anyone else, you'd have burned me alive with the rest of them. I don't want your pity. It's you who's caused me to suffer this long."

The accusation struck like a blow, and she pulled back from the bars, momentarily at a loss. Everything he said was true.

"I understand," she said at last, her voice steadier now, "but that's exactly why I've kept you here. You'd be dead if my brother and I didn't think so dearly of you. I know somewhere in there, despite where your loyalties lie now, you must still care for us. Even just a little. All I need to know is what their plan is with my brother. You know how important he is to me, and I'll be damned to believe he doesn't matter just as much to you."

Timbetts scoffed, turning his face to the wall as his one good eye slid shut. He gave no response.

In growing frustration, Kali turned toward Death, silently pleading for guidance. He remained still, studying the scene with his arms crossed, his expression inscrutable. His eyes flickered to hers, and with a slight tilt of his head, he gestured for her to continue.

Why was he here if he wasn't going to help? Was this another of his tests?

A low groan escaped her throat as she turned back to the prisoner.

"Who are you answering to? Where has the information you gathered been sent? You cannot truly tell me, after all this time, that you hold no regret for the act of your betrayal." Her voice grew sharper with each word, an edge of determination overtaking her frustration.

Timbetts turned his head just enough to meet her gaze, the sight of his battered face making her stomach churn.

"Betrayal?" His lips twisted into a bitter grin. "You've no idea the origins of my loyalty."

Her lips pressed into a thin line, knuckles whitening as her grip tightened around the iron bars. Yet, she had no immediate response. His words brewed a storm of thoughts within her, each more troubling than the last.

"Your family thinks they hold the strings," Timbetts continued, a laugh bubbling up from deep within him. "Little do you know, you're the one being pulled, Princess."

His bloodshot eye drifted past her, lingering on something- or someone- behind her.

Kali's eyes furrowed, gripping the iron bars as Timbetts' words sunk in. The sneer on his battered face sent a ripple of unease through her.
Behind her, Death shifted, the faintest sound of his coat brushing against stone. She glanced over her shoulder, but his expression was unreadable, his gaze fixed on the man like a hawk watching prey.

"Mind your shadow," Timbetts rasped, his voice thick with mockery. "Not everything that lurks in there is on your side."

Kali's breath caught in her throat. "What- What do you mean by that?" She pressed, her voice tight with urgency.

Timbetts answered with nothing but a bitter laugh, his cracked lips curling into a faint, mocking smile.

When it became clear she would get no more from him, her hands dropped to her sides, and she stepped back from the cell, frustration simmering beneath her skin. Turning sharply toward Death, she let her words spill over. "Why are you even here if you're not going to help?" She scolded. She didn't wait for a reply, turning on her heels to walk back to the door.

"Forgetting something?" Death called after her, calm but lace with challenge.

She froze mid-step, her snapping back to him. For a moment, she was caught off guard- his attention was fully on her. His eyes were sharp and probing, and one of his brows lifted in amusement.

"As much as I'd love to do it myself," he drawled, "I think you'd appreciate the extra practice."

His cunning voice sent heat rising to her cheeks. How could he manage to be both infuriatingly caring and utterly conceited at the same time? Teeth clenched, she marched back to the cell, her eyes burning into his before she shifted her gaze to Timbetts.

Her hands were clammy, dampened by the heat surging through her. The prisoner looked so small, so weak, yet he still held this power over her. He made her angry. He made her scared. He reminded her of all the ways she felt helpless.

It should be easy- so easy- to stand here and let him burn for what he'd done.

"You're giving them what they want," Death's voice came calmly from the shadows. "Control your emotions."

She blinked, startled by the sudden brightness in the corridor. The flames inside the torches lining the walls had swelled, their light spilling over the stone, licking at the iron cages that could no longer contain them. The heat seemed to press against her skin, threatening to consume everything.

Relax. Death's earlier words echoed in her mind.

Kali inhaled deeply, the breath filling her lungs like the first sip of water after a drought.

Little do you know, Timbetts' voice rattled in her memory, you're the one being pulled, Princess.

She closed her eyes, slowly releasing the breath. Her tense shoulders slumped, hands unclenched, and the flow of heat steadied throughout her body rather than being funneled to her hands.

She pictured the silent panic of the King's Court, imagined her brother isolated in the safehouse, the weight of her family's future resting on his shoulders. None of this was her fault. It was his. The man before her. He had betrayed the heir to the throne- someone who would give his life for anyone on this planet. He was the reason her family now lived in constant fear, the reason her brother was in danger.

By ending his life, I take back control, I end the fear.

But what if it didn't?

Her thoughts flashed to the family in the burning home, their screams still echoing in her mind. Was this humanity? The weight of uncertainty pressed on her chest, threatening to smother her resolve.

Her breaths quickened, panic clawing at the edges of her mind.

"C'mon Princess," the old man cooed before falling into a fit of ragged coughs.

Kali's stomach churned, her fingers trembling. She couldn't stand to hear his voice one more time.

Looking away, she felt the heat stir within her, building from her core to her palms. A flame flickered to life, growing hotter with each passing second.

She closed her eyes tightly and released it, a single cry piercing the air as the flame made contact with its target. The corridor fell silent, save for the crackle of fire.

She couldn't bring herself to look.

She just stood there, her chest heaving, fists clenched around her gown.

"You can't afford to hesitate every time," Death cut through the silence, his voice firm, but not unkind. "What happens when there's more at stake? A bigger threat than a nearly dead old man? When the wrong choice costs you lives you can't afford to lose?"

She turned sharply to Death, her eyes blurred and burning with anger, and something else.

"How can you be so-" she clenched her jaw, "so detached? Do you have any remorse for what any of this does to me? You could have helped."

He stepped forward from the shadows. "I'm not here to give you answers. Only to see if- and how- you find them yourself."

"And is what I did not enough? You wanted me to kill him. Everyone did. So I did, and you stand there acting like I'm failing. Like I'm losing this sick, twisted game you're playing." She blinked the wetness from her eyes, but her frustration simmered beneath her skin still.

His flickering shadow stretched on the wall as he stepped closer, the air between them stiffening. "This isn't a game. Every choice you make now reflects how you'll respond to what's coming," Something flickered in his eyes- an ache, a regret he was too proud to voice. "You didn't fail. But you hesitated. That hesitation will cost you if you don't learn to overcome it." His voice was lower now, more steadier, but no less sharp.

Her eyes narrowed as she took in the weight of his words. "Even if I didn't hesitate, there's no way you are going to make me feel good about doing that." She jabbed a finger toward the smoking remains.

The corners of his lips twitched into a faint smile. "I would hope not. If you did, I'd be worried."

Kali scoffed, turning her head away from him. "Nice to see my misery is so reassuring for you."

For a moment, the silence stretched between them.

"Do you really think I don't care?" Though his voice was quiet, it was edged with something she couldn't place. "If I didn't, I wouldn't be here. You think everything I'm doing is to hurt you, but-" he paused, and she lifted her gaze from the floor, catching the shadow of something raw passing over his face. "You did what you had to do. He never deserved mercy in the first place, but you showed it anyway. That's why you're not like the others. But that alone will not save you. Save anyone. That's the burden of being who you are."

She lifted her head to look at him fully, but didn't respond.

"None of this is easy." His voice was just above a whisper. "It never gets easier, but it is necessary."

Her eyes searched his for answers to the questions burning in her mind. "And what if I can't do this?"

He took one final step forward. Their toes were almost touching, and the chill of his proximity sent heat rising to her neck. "You are much stronger than you realize, Kali," he said, her name slipping from his lips softer than the rest, carrying the faintest trace of vulnerability.

When would she believe it, herself?

His gloved hand rose to lift her chin to meet his gaze. The cold of his touch seeped through the leather of the glove, but it wasn't the chill that made her breath hitch. It was the weight of his words, the unspoken promise in his eyes.

"One day, you'll understand the strength we see in you now. But strength isn't about always having an answer. It's about choosing what to do when the answers don't come."

Taken aback by his tenderness, yet reassured by his words, she stared into his eyes, searching for a hint of deception- something to justify the dwindling ember of anger still flickering in her chest. But she found nothing. Only that frustrating mix of cold certainty she'd started to expect from him. His words echoed in her mind, feeling more like a challenge than a vote of confidence.

She pulled her chin from his hand. "I'll believe it when I see it," she muttered, smoothing her gown with her dampened hands.

She took one last look at the pile of ash where Timbetts had been. The faint smell of smoke and burnt flesh still hung in the air, wrinkling her nose. With a sharp breath, she straightened her spine and strode toward the exit, heels clicking rhythmically against the stone floor as she made her way down the long corridor.

As Kali climbed the dungeon steps, flanked by two guards, the scenes of the past hour flashed through her mind. She tried to shake them. It was time to move forward.

Her birthday, just a week from today. The welcoming ceremony tomorrow- another grand event where she'd be expected to smile, be perfectly poised, to pretend everything was fine.

But everything wasn't fine. Her hands still trembled as she clasped them in front of her, her pulse unsteady from what she'd done- and what she hadn't.

What would they think when they realize she'd been wrong? Would they call her brave, merciful, or stupid? Would they blame her for the next thing to happen?

Another guard opened the door to a grander, more familiar part of the palace as they reached the top of the steps. The cold, stale air from the dungeons was replaced by a crisp, floral essence. She squinted, her eyes adjusting to the bright lighting above.

She paused, looking out at the setting sun over the bustling kingdom. It seemed to go on forever. Over the next few days, her home would be filled with these people- commoners, aristocrats, and political leaders from other countries. The panic in her mind stretched as endlessly as the horizon, each thought bringing a new wave of uncertainty.

Strength, she bitterly recalled, wasn't knowing the answers.

It was moving forward when you had none.

"Miss?" A guard snapped her out of her trance.

She let out a long breath, nodding once before gesturing for them to continue toward her chambers.

If there was one good thing to come out of the next few days, it would be this: she'd see her brother again. And, with everything in her, she hoped he'd find love.