Chapter one

SURE IT'S ZOE

A skinny girl sat chained to the wall of stone. She heard the creak of the prison door opening.
"hello, m'lady. do thee fare well?" said an unpleasant voice. The girl ground her teeth, and reminded herself of how much trouble she'd be in if she said the words that were fighting to get out, pushing against her lips.
"I take it so. And now-" The man was leaning in very close to her now. She could smell the drink on his breath."-can you tell us your name?"
"m' name's Zoe, sir" she said quietly.
"you sure?"
"I sure, sir."
"would you tell the king your name was Zoe?" there was an unmistakable smirk in his voice now.
"yes sir"
crack. Zoe gasped in pain as the whip slapped against her face, leaving a stinging, bleeding line across her cheek.
"impertance, indeed." he hissed. "I can only hope that a few days in here..."
She was released, led across the hallway, and chained to a wall in another cell.
"I believe you know this charming young man?" the man sneered. The door slammed. Zoe turned to look at the face. She recognized it in an instant. All the fake gutter-child drawl had dropped out of he voice, replaced by burning hatred.
"Jon."