Alchemised

by SenLinYu

Helena wondered sometimes if she still had eyes.

Remembered that she’d been placed there as a prisoner, kept preserved, but someday, someone would come for her.

She would not let herself fade away.

By its nature, lumithium bound the four elements of air, water, earth, and fire together, and in that binding, resonance was created.

All she knew was that as long as those manacles remained locked in place, she wasn’t an alchemist at all.

She looked up at him. “You’re a monster.” He raised an eyebrow. “Noticed that, have you?”

“I promised I’d do anything for you.” She curled her fingers into a fist. “Maybe you didn’t realise how far I was willing to go.”

All alone now, she missed him so intensely, her bones and skin ached for the familiarity and comfort of a hug.

“I’ll tell you if you swallow it like a good girl.”

I hate you. Traitor. Coward. I hate you.

Please”—he placed overt emphasis on the word—“do not mistake it for a sign of affection.”

She was not so foolish as to mistake calculation for kindness.

“The Undying. You’re his source of power, and the Resistance—we figured that out, didn’t we? How to kill him. How to kill all of you.”

“What did he do to you?” he asked in a low voice, kneeling next to her.