story part ;
secrets and lies

Present Day
one day after
"seven days"

"Kason," a voice echoed through the prince's head. His jaw tightened and he ignored it, his brush gliding along the canvas to make a red streak against the white background. The girl's enchanting voice echoed his name again, causing him to shudder and drop the wet brush onto the floor of the newly decorated art studio.

"What?" He snapped, glancing around the room for the voice, only to see in the dim candle light that he was the only one in the room.

Irritated, he bent down to pick up his brush again, only to be met with the sound of the voice once again. "Kason," she said, "Let me out."

Kason blinked and the next moment, the girl was in front of him. Her long, black hair was a ratted mess, likely from thrashing against the chains the prince had put her in. Her dark blue eyes were cold as they focused on him. "I suppose I'm left to do everything by myself, aren't I, brother?" She said.

Leaving the brush on the floor, the prince straightened his back. "What do you need, Brielle?" He replied. This must have been how people had felt for years with the games that he played, watching them run around in circles trying to look for answers he already had.

Rubbing her wrists, Brielle mimicked his straightened back and held her eyes steady on him. "I only wanted to talk and you put me in chains. Yet, you go around acting as if you're some caring older brother when you won't even allow me out of my room."

Kason didn't reply. Everytime that he and his sister spoke, he explained the same thing over and over to her. She was well aware her power was beyond anyone's control, even her own, but she still loved to hear him say it.

"I have information for you," Brielle sang, a sickening grin coming across her features, the one that seemed so identical to Kason's own, "And I believe you know what I want in exchange for it."

The prince shook his head, turning around as if to say that they were done speaking.

"I told you who you would love," she said, "And that has come to be true, hasn't it? Why not trust me on this, Kason?"

Once again, he didn't speak. He didn't have any particular interest in speaking to his sister, especially after everything that had happened over the past few days. Brielle, picking up on his thoughts said, "Is it because I burnt your studio?" He could picture her turning her head around as she examined the room, but he kept his back to her. "I think it needed this revamping. A lot less cluttered. Better art."

Kason narrowed his eyes at her words, but continued on with his silent trend. Though, he knew no matter how silent he was, he wasn't going to make her go away. She would stay until she got the reaction she wanted, and she would throw one of her fits if he didn't.

"You and our parents kept me locked up from the day I was born, and you believe a few wrong turns justify your silence?" Brielle stepped forward, forcing her foot down hard enough to where it made a sound. As all those cursed did, Brielle walked with silence steps, so she was doing her best to make noise and prove her point right then.

"I don't make promises," Kason replied, "So I can't promise I'll do what you wish of me. But, I will try. Now, give me the information you're so keen to speak on." Ready to be rid of her, he bent back down to the floor to pick his brush off of it. Processing his words, the sister fell silent as he resumed his painting.

Kason knew that whatever she had to say would be something he wanted to hear, or at least needed to. But, it was annoying to give into each of her desires simply because she had her way of doing things. That was what he had taught her, though, and he supposed it was only right that he was the one to live through the consequences.

"Astrid," Brielle said, "Astrid Cane has had a way to break the curse for the past five months. I — "

But everything she said after that was cut off by the easel crashing to the floor, thunder cracking outside of the window, and the red of a crimson storm coming in.

━━━━━━━━━━━━━━

note. please forgive how bad this
and the previous part are. I'm not
feeling well today, but wanted to
upload them and get some things
moving. also, to clear up any
confusion. brielle is the secret sister
that was a part of the awakening. the
backstory is meant to be cryptic for the
time being.