Avelon had come to a few silent conclusions as she lay on the table, staring miserably at the ceiling. First being that Balor and Elha did not give a rats ass about how long she had been laying on the stone table. She herself had not known how long it had been. Time blurred; it might have been days of suffering. Avelon studied the pale ceiling above her, listening for any sounds beyond the chamber—anything to break the oppressive silence. But there was nothing.

Secondly, Avelon thought with a deep sigh- Balor was using the experiments to somehow try and bypass the awakening ritual- which was bad in the sense of how he was accomplishing it. She frowned deeply. She could not help but think of the minimalistic shred of goodness that was sparing innocent fae lives. He was only using them to create what the continents deemed a fully functioning fae.

He's still killing fae. Images of Fallon's parents flooded her mind, a reminder of the cost.

Fallon.

Avelon's closed her eyes as she recalled Fallon's soft smile and clear eyes. The memory of her lifeless form, hair sprawled like a dark halo, haunted Avelon. She would wake to be an orphan and Avelon would not be able to console her for it. Avelon's eyes stung. She had to get Fallon out of the palace and away from Balor. Would Fallon hate her for being the reason behind all this happening? She could not bear the thought as much as she could blame her if she had felt that way when she awoke.

She accepted the blame for what it was.

Accurate.

Avelon understood that the entirety of blood bending was still wrong, and utterly illegal, but a small part of her fragile heart wanted to believe that there was some goodness that would come from this. She would find a way to make whatever was happening a solution to what was happening during the rituals. If blood bending somehow ignited the stagnant powers within her blood, it could be used to stop the rituals from happening completely. Was that Balor's goal? She doubted it.

Thirdly and most importantly. Avelon knew, despite her inner thoughts and ramblings, she would kill Balor and Elha for what they had done to her and Fallon. Especially for what they had one to Fallon. She could accept the possible hate Fallon might carry for her, but she would not accept Balor and Elha's cause for it. There was absolutely no need for them to kill anybody to achieve what they wanted. There had to be hundreds, if not thousands, of fae who would have been willing to go through the blood bending experiments if it had meant that the rituals died down with it.

They had been surprised.

Surprised when Avelon made it through the first experiment. Which could only have meant that very few candidates had made it before her- if any. Defeat rattled Avelon's bones at the realization. That was why blood bending was illegal- it was lethal.

Why had she survived it?

Avelon's brows furrowed as she tried to piece together the fragments of her thoughts. Had it been mere luck that allowed her to survive the ordeal, or was there a greater purpose behind it? Was some divine force—one of the Gods perhaps—playing a hand in her fate? The question lingered, but she dismissed it with a sharp exhale.

She was not a puppet.

With a quiet, frustrated hiss, she tugged at her restraints once more. The effort was pointless; she knew that. Any attempt to escape would end in failure. Still, the need to break free—to free her body from the painful bind, was a physical ache she could not ignore. Her body sang with pain with every move she made. Groaning in frustration she tapped her head on the stone.

She was too unsure of anything happening- speculations and unsupported facts and ideas would get her nowhere. She had to comply, suffer and wait for Elha to say something as she knew Balor would not give her any information. He was smarter, and deadlier.

Avelon had to look for information on the outside in the meantime. The palace was sure to have a library and she hoped that some of the books would contain insight into what Balor and Elha were doing. Information was power, after all.

Avelon made a mental note to ask Brianne the moment she saw her again.

The possibility that Brianne might carry some information infiltrated her thoughts. Avelon assessed and weighed her options- She could not speak of whatever happened in the chamber, though Brianne was the closest thing to an ally she had. Brianne was a mystery, but she was the only Fae in the palace who could help her.

Avelon definitely did not trust Brianne enough to outright tell her anything, even though they had come to an acquaintanceship built on common ground. She had only known her for a few days and that could not form any structure of trust.

Avelon's jaw tightened, but she could pry-for Fallon and Gods damned it, for herself as well.

***

Voices—distant and indistinct—pulled Avelon from the depths of her restless dreams. She somehow managed to drift to sleep during her racing thoughts. Her body succumbing to the numbness that sleep provided. She was thankful that the ache in her body had subsided enough to be tolerable.

Avelon's consciousness surfaced slowly, as the voices grew clearer- A mix of hushed whispering and the clinking of metal. Avelon's heart pounded in her ears as she considered the possibilities of another experiment. She would not survive another session of being burned alive. Carefully, she kept her eyes closed, feigning sleep. She controlled her breathing until it became measured and even.

"...the Awakening must be accelerated," said a voice laced with urgency.

"It's risky," another countered, the sound of footsteps approaching. "The last subject barely survived the process."

Avelon recognized the first voice as Elha's. The second, unfamiliar but distinctly male, was likely another of Balor's associates. They were discussing the Awakening—her Awakening? She focused intently, committing every word to memory.

"We don't have time for caution," Elha insisted. "Balor is growing impatient."

The footsteps halted near Avelon's table. She sensed someone leaning over her though she could not tell whether the presence belonged to Elha or the other Fae. The warmth of a hand near her cheek had startled her, luckily, she managed to remain still. She resisted the urge to flinch away from the hand.

"See? She sleeps soundly," Elha said impatiently. "The blood bending has left her weakened but stable."

Avelon's mind raced, they believed that she was still asleep.

"Now, you need to leave before she wakes." Elha commanded.

Silence followed her command and then retreating footsteps directly after. Urgently, Avelon opened her eyes- she had to take a look at whoever belonged to the voice. She had to keep track of every single fae that had a part in this.

"Hello Avelon." Elha's face hovered directly over Avelon's face. A yelp of startled surprise left Avelon's mouth as she met Elha's lifeless eyes.

"I commend your attempt at whatever that was," Elha rose and sneered dismissively, "but I do think your tactic needs improvement."

"Do you take pleasure in watching fae sleep?" Avelon remarked sarcastically and cocked her head sideways with a pout of her lips.

Elha clicked her tongue at Avelon and started untying the bonds that held Avelon's feet. She stilled instantaneously.

"What are you doing?" Wariness lined Avelon's tone.

"As much as I would prefer testing your limits," Elha shook her head in disapproval, "Balor deems it appropriate to let you roam about while we study the outcome of our experiment."

They wanted to study her.

They needed to evaluate the outcome of the experiment.

Avelon's wariness morphed into suspicion as Elha's fingers worked at the bonds around her ankles. How she had managed self-control was beyond her. All she wanted to do is kick Elha right in the face.

"Roam about?" she echoed Elha's words, her voice laced with disbelief, "And if I refuse to be your lab rat?" Her eyes narrowed with defiance.

Elha paused, her cold eyes meeting Avelon's. "Refusal isn't an option." If she ran, she would leave Fallon behind for Balor to do as he pleased, and Elha knew Avelon would not take that risk.

"You're part of something much larger than yourself," she stated flatly. "Complying will make things easier for you."

Avelon cringed at the thought of Elha and Balor torturing her or her friend. Her mind spun with the implications. They needed to observe her, to see how the magic within her would manifest- If it would manifest. That sounded manageable.

She nodded slowly. "Fine," Avelon said, her voice steadier than she had felt. "I'll play along with Balor's game, it's not like I really have a choice in the matter."

Elha's lips twisted into a semblance of a smile as she released the last bond. Avelon thought her face might crack at the emotion.

"Wise choice," she murmured before turning on her heel and leaving Avelon alone in the chamber. A rattle resonated behind her. Of course she was locked in. They had not shown her the way in, they would not show her the way out.

Once the echo of Elha's footsteps faded, Avelon sat up, rubbing her wrists where the bonds had chafed and split her skin. She flinched at the pain as she traced the any red welts. The game had changed, and she needed to adapt. She took a deep breath, steadying herself. Avelon had to go through with Balor's plan for the time being. Until she could figure out a way to free Fallon and herself. Finding Fallon was the first priority on her list.

Avelon rose unsteadily, her limbs heavy and aching. Her eyes darted across the chamber, desperate for any sign that might lead her back to this cursed place should she need to investigate. The thought of returning sent a shiver down her spine, but she knew it was necessary. Hidden within the room, she hoped to find something—anything—that could serve as a weapon for any future experiments. She could perhaps equip the table with something sharp to use against Balor and Elha the next time she would be in here.

At first glance, the chamber's entrance had evaded her, as if swallowed by the very stones that entombed her. Panic clawed at her chest, her breaths shallow and quick as she frantically searched the walls. Her hands glided over the stones that stood behind the table. Time seemed to stretch into eternity as her fingers sought the seam of a hidden door. Balor and Elha, amongst others- including herself, have entered the chamber and exited. Avelon knew there had to be a door.

Then, her pulse quickened as her fingertips grazed an anomaly—a faint crack, the subtle hint of a doorway. A surge of relief threatened to overwhelm her, but it was quickly tempered by the stark realization that she was still a prisoner in the chamber. The tension in the air was palpable, as she glared at the almost invisible door.

Avelon knew she had to find a way to turn this experiment on its head. She needed more information on blood bending and its outcomes. Avelon had somehow managed to survive the first experiment, which surprised Balor and Elha more than they care to admit. The thought unsettled Avelon.

They had expected her to die, but she did not. Why?

A groan escaped Avelon as she paced the small confines of the chamber. The entire area was big enough for only a table and at least 3 fae. The walls seemed to close in on her as she paced- her thoughts crashing in on her, but she pushed back against the rising tide of claustrophobia with thoughts of open skies and freedom.

"Get yourself together, Avelon." She reprimanded herself and closed her eyes.

Instead of focusing on the chamber she was in, Avelon planned for when she got out. As she strategized, a faint sound caught her attention—a whisper of movement outside the chamber. Avelon froze, listening intently. The sound came again, closer this time. Someone was approaching. With each silent sound that grew clearer, Avelon's heartbeat thrummed harder. Expecting the worst and bracing herself for it, Avelon walked over to the door- Neatly blended with the walls- almost invisible.

The door creaked open, and a sliver of light cut through the dimness surrounding her. A figure stepped into the chamber, their features obscured by the dim illumination. Avelon readied herself, ready for confrontation or escape, whichever came first.

"Sleep." A guttural voice echoed with unwavering conviction.
Before Avelon could decipher the confusion flooded by the statement, a sweet smell took over her senses. Sudden fogginess clouded her vision.

"What is happening?" She slurred, the room spinning as she took a step back.

Realization struck as she felt her head nod in instant fatigue. The fae had drugged her to retrieve her. Avelon's world tilted, the chamber's walls swirling as she staggered backward. The sweet scent was overpowering, suffocating, but she fought against the pull of unconsciousness with every fibre of her being.

"What have you done?" she gasped, her voice barely a whisper as her hand reached out to steady herself against the cold stone wall. Her vision blurred, but she willed her eyes to remain open, to remain aware. Darkness raced at the edges of her vision as she tried to identify yet another unknown fae.

The figure advanced, a silhouette against the light. "Necessary precautions," the voice replied, the tone not unkind but firm. A male again.

"You must understand, Avelon, that you cannot be allowed to disrupt the plans. Therefore, you cannot know where this chamber exists."

Avelon's mind raced, panic and clarity warring within her. Her knees buckled as she reached in front of her- Somehow the steadiness of the wall had escaped her reach.

"Sleep." The voice repeated. The sweet scent knocking her to her knees. How was the fae not feeling the same side effects? She gasped as her vision completely blackened- her hearing muffling every sound.

Avelon had fallen to the ground. The only reason she had known this was because of the cold, harsh sting she had felt on her cheek and side of her head. She could not see or hear anything beyond the coldness and steady hands gripping her arms.

How had she still remained aware? Struggling, Avelon tried opening her mouth to tell whoever was handling her body to leave her the hell alone, but her mouth remained unmoving- just as her body had. She had felt her body move- her awareness only going so far.