Chapter 3: Aurora

Aurora

I only hear silence. A familiar sound in which I’ve developed to despise. The last time I heard a voice that was not my own was a week ago. 

During one of my many surgeries, they thought I was unconscious. They are extremely careful keeping their identities a secret, never muttering a single word when in my presence. During my surgeries, any form of sedation or pain reliever was never granted, at least not since I was a child, so all of my procedures have been performed with me fully conscious�"until, that is, I black out. 

This one time, somehow, I managed to keep myself awake.

Muffled voices blurred in and out, my mind awake but foggy and swimming in oblivion. I kept my eyes tightly shut so I would not alert the doctors that I was cognizant. 

Answers. I needed answers. It took all my strength to stay awake as my leg was throbbing, fighting back the blinding pain after they had removed another bone. 

One of the doctors mumbled, “There was an issue with one of the deliveries. A Solaryian soldier was spotted near the market’s outpost.” 

“Did they find the entrance?” The other asked. 

They both sounded male.

“No, they unknowingly walked right past it. But they are getting close�"too close. We need a strategy to steer them further away. The magic to conceal the gate is dwindling, and it won’t be much longer until The Blood Markets’ location is revealed. If the King and Queen discover where it is hidden, all hell will break loose. The magic will be exterminated along with anyone who was affiliated in the taking. There goes the business, and there goes our lives.” Fear tickled his throat as he sensed looming doom. 

The second doctor ordered his subordinate, “Tell the others to go on immediate lockdown. Nothing comes in or out of The Sanctuary. All shipments will be postponed until further notice,” his voice tensed in rising frustration. 

This place was anything but a sanctuary; I can't imagine how they came up with that name.

“Yes, Sir.” The first doctor walked out of the room and shut the door.

I can feel the second doctor hover above me. He was close enough to the point where I could smell his putrid breath.“Well, well, little lamb. What are we going to do with you? You've been quite a nuisance as of late. It seems The Royal Solaryian Guards have been sniffing around. Best to keep a closer eye on you, just in case.” 

A cloud of relief lifted the heavy weight of dread that filled the sickly bright room as soon as his suffocating presence disappeared. I heard the door open and then close again, gears clicking and turning to keep me locked inside.

I could barely comprehend what he meant in his last remark before I let the pain consume me, and I was taken by sleep.

The recent memory shook me to my core. It was an epiphany�"a sudden realization that I had finally found out what they were doing with me, and with all the parts they had removed. They knew my body regenerated and replaced vital pieces of my anatomy that went ‘missing.’ They took advantage of that knowledge by harvesting me and selling my limbs and organs to The Blood Market. 

The only thing is, I don’t know why. What is so special about me that they go to such great lengths to hold me here?