SP chapter 13

The screaming had finally stopped the next morning. A full 24 hours of constant screaming and pain. Mithria got up from the grass and walked back to the house. She went down to the basement to find only a single body chained to the wall, no Star, no September. Chione's skin was torn, some pieces hanging off, blood everywhere. She didn't move. She probably couldn't. Mithria ran down the stairs to her. She pushed the hair from her blood covered face and raised it. She gasped and fell back and fell back. Her sister was hardly recognisable. Her pale skin was red and covered in ripped pieces of flesh, her pale blue eyes were blood shot and baggy from no sleep, tears were dried in as well as the blood.
"Oh sister..." Mithria cried
Chione looked at her, without moving her head, she tried to say something but her torn lips only let out a wailing sound.
Star and September came down the stairs laughing with wine glasses in their hands. Their eyes fell on Mithria crying and stopped dead.
"What have you done..." She said.
"She deserved it Mithria, think what we went through." September spat.
"Never anything like this! she helped us, cared for us, she never had a life of her own because she was trying to make up those 6 years to us. She did come down with food and was scared if father caught her, she would be beside us and we would all starve. She finally had a life of her own and you took her away from it to do this!" Mithria shouted.
For a slight second, doubt crept into the back of Star's mind, seeing her little sister this upset. Mithria always had a way with people...The spark grew into a flame.
"We can't take her back...they will kill us." Star said.
Chione had regained some of her strength and looked up at her to see if she was joking. Satisfied, she gave a twitch of a smile, which was as much as she could manage. Star unchained her and they went upstairs, helping Chione and being careful not to cause her more pain. Star and September went outside to let off a little steam whilst Mithria tried to sooth her wounds.
"Thank you Mithria, I fear they may have killed me down there." Chione said, looking into her eyes.
"Sister, I would never let them do that...even if it costs me my own life, I like you the most, don't tell them that." Mithria giggled and Chione tried not to laugh as her wounds healed.
"They didn't want to kill you anyway, they wanted to kill your...boyfriend? in front of you." Mithria said.
"He's not my boyfriend," Chione blushed, "and they certainly knew how to make me suffer."
"So you love him?" Mithria pushed
"Yes, I do. I think he feels he same way...I hope he does...I can't stop thinking about him Mithria. Even when I was down there, all I could picture was him and he soft of...took some of the pain away." She said happily.
"What's his name?"
"Dexter Vex."
"Ooo, mysterious."
"He is, and gorgeous."
"Can't wait till I meet him, he'll hopefully drop you and pick me instead." Mithria teased.

None of them knew anything about Chione or the family so they had to start from scratch.
"Are you sure she never told you anything about where her sisters and her hid out or something?" Valkyrie asked.
"I'm sure," replied Dexter sternly, "What about you? you seemed pretty friendly with her."
"Why would I ask you if I knew something?" Valkyrie spat.
"No time to be getting angry at each other." Skulduggery said. The car journey was long and they were all still annoyed Chione had been taken in the first place. They just met the girl two days ago and Tanith, Valkyrie and Dexter were trying so hard. Anton and Saracen stayed at the Sanctuary and researched from there with occasional help from Ghastly. They stopped outside China's house. Valkyrie got out but Skulduggery, Tanith and Dexter stayed inside. She gave a sad look to him then went to the door. China must have heard them pull up because she opened the door before she knocked.
"Skulduggery drove you?" Chine asked, She was wearing a silk bath rope and a pair of white slippers."

"Yeah, he won't come in though." She said.
"No wonder, he should have killed me for what I did...I don't expect forgiveness." China sighed, "Come in."
Valkyrie walked through to the living room and sat down on the couch.
"What can I do for you?" She asked
"Have you heard of the Element 4?"
China pursed her lips. "I have, the last time I heard of them they were in Greece, before that Japan. They travel all over the world for these assassinations, whatever they get paid, it must be a lot."
"They don't get paid, they do what their father asks them."
"So you know one of them? you know more about them than me I'm afraid."
Valkyrie sighed. "Alright, we just wanted to know where they lived. Chione, the oldest, has been taken by her other sisters and we want her back."
"Sorry, I don't know where they are, but I may know someone who does." China smiled.