The first thing I feel when I blink open my eyes is pain. Pain, fire, rocketing down my spine in spikes of flame. I scream, the fire like it was at my bone, and then try to curl up, but the rope wrapping my ankles to something that I was sitting on stopped me. So then all I could do was scream, scream at the heat anf stay still and fight away the edging blackness. There's only pain. Pain, in white and the blackness descending will relieve me but I somehow know that I shouldn't, I shouldn't give in. I sob, my throat too hoarse to scream any more and the pain, engulfing my spine and it hurts, it hurts, it hurts so much but I can't move and I can't breath and I can't let go. 

And suddenly, when my fingers were slipping off the edges of the blackness, it stops. So fast, so quick, it was almost like it was never there. But I know it was, that terrifying pain, fire in my insides, grilling me inside out. I let out another sob, but this time of relief, but still don't dare to crack open my eyes. Dread clogs my throat, so tight I can just pull weak little breaths out of my lungs, and I don't want to be here, wherever it is. 

But when a finger, cold as ice and burning like fire, trails over my shoulder, leaving a path of ice behind it, I flinch, opening my eyes instinctly. It's the assassin, the one with ice in his eyes, and apparently frozen on his fingertips. I try to shy away, afraid, but the bonds around my limbs prevent me from moving even an inch. He swats in front of me, something like amusement in his whitened eyes. 

"So, our sleeping beauty's finally awake!" He says, and it sounds so much like what Kibum would say I have to surpress another flinch. I just cower, never remembering feeling as low as I do now, and try to strink in on myself, as if he somehow couldn't see me. 

"Aw, he's scared," the man cooed, his frosted tone warm, but not really. "Don't worry," he said, patting my head like I was a dog, his dog. "We won't hurt you... as long as you don't misbehave!" 

Wonderful. I feel so relieved. 

"My employer will just want to ask you a few questions, m'kay?" 

No. 

I only narrow my eyes at him, and he chuckles, the laugh sounding like ice clinking together in a glass. It sends shivers up my spine.

"And then," he pats my shoulder, and his hand is cold, too cold. "We'll just send you back to your father, 'kay?" 

A jolt runs through me, and I flick my eyes up to lock with the ice eyes of the man in front of me, feeling a chill lightening through my burst of anger. "You killed my father?" I hiss, taking the bait, and realizing that there was a hook too late. 

"Well..." He trails off, looking thoroughly entertained. I, on the other hand, was thoroughly pissed. "It certainly wasn't your Key, at least." 

I blink, stumped. "I don't know a Key." 

"Oh, yes you do." 

"No, I don't." 

He smirks. "Yes, you do. He's the lovely assassin you've befriended. Taken him in, gave him some food, you got him tamed, don't you? You've got him on your leash, don't you? Every prince needs an assassin, dontcha think? Unless, of course, you're an assassin yourself. 

"Tell me, Jonghyun, are you an assassin?" I spit at him, and he moves to the side, chuckling, and his teeth, white and gleaming like a wolf's, shine in the little light.

"Oh, that's okay that you aren't. No need to get defensive. I mean, not everyone can be assassins, you know? It requires a great deal of brains... and strength... and height... and, most importantly, you have to be able to lie. You have to be able to lie well, to everyone around you. Do you remember anyone close to you lying to you?"

He knows. He knows Onew was an assassin, he knows who killed him, and I want to kill him, I want to stop his stupid mouth from talking. But I can't, so I just sit there, seething. 

"Annyway, Jonghyunnie, I gotta go. Don't cry now, I'll be back," He cooed, and stood up, stretching. "My employer will be here in just a few minutes, 'kay?" I just tunr my head away from him, and after a pause, he leaves, slamming a door behind him, abruptly cutting off his laughter. 

I was alone. The light from a lap dangling from the ceiling was just enough to see from, just enough to see the bare dimentions of a half of the room. It was dusty, the air clogged with dust and dirt, and dark, no windows in sight. As I cranned my neck, trying to find anything that would help me to place where I was, I caught sight of a circle on the bare walls. It was a board, a dartboard, I realized, as I looked closer. Even closer, and I saw something that made a chill crawl up my neck. Blood, dried, old blood was splattered across the dartboard, covering most of the surface, made all the more ominous with the faint light. 

I turn away, swallowing the lump in my throat. It was very possible I would die here. 

And then the door creaked open, a figure appeared in the doorway, and crossed the small room to stand in front of me, making my heart plumment. The light was just enough to see the auburn hair, the lightened eyes, and I knew who it was before the figure even opened his mouth. 

"Been a long time, Jonghyun." 

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Hi!! So Im so happy for all the commenting and especially the awesome upvotes! *wipes tear* You guys are all so amazing and... awesome.... <3