As soon as the first question left Atlas’s lips, Cas winced. He tried to pay attention to the beginning of the interrogation going on through his com device, even bringing his hand up to cup his ear in order to make the transmission more prominent. However, he couldn’t bring himself to ignore the situation in front of him. After he and Iris had admitted their feelings for each other the night before, he felt like it was partly his responsibility to make sure that his father didn’t send her to a cell when she hadn’t done anything wrong. Because of that, he had inadvertently put himself in a position where it was hard to follow either of the conversations.

The prince glanced at the amnesiac when she responded to the king’s inquiry. Of course she couldn’t give him a proper answer. She didn’t even know her own last name. He wished his stubborn father would just accept that they wouldn’t learn anything more about her until her memories came back, but it seemed like the monarch was determined to bleed any information out of her that he could, whether his prodding would yield fruit or not. He pitied Iris for being on the receiving end of Atlas’s bullheadedness.

[i]The subjects are still refusing to give names,[/i] a soldier’s voice announced, distracting Cas again. [i]Shall we proceed with the Aproveset injections?[/i]

[i]The use of Aproveset is authorized,[/i] a second voice replied.

Cas felt his stomach twist at the mention of the drug. It had been discreetly developed by the Aspirian military as a tool for interrogation, causing pain and delirium to prisoners who had the misfortune of being exposed to it. Five minutes after an injection to the neck, they wouldn’t be able to keep their secrets any longer, and the soldiers would find out everything they wanted to know. The method was equally effective as it was cruel.

“I would like to believe that,” Atlas sighed, catching the prince’s attention yet again. The king clasped his hands behind his back as he stood before Iris. “However, there’s something that has been bothering me.”

[i]The prisoners have received the injections. Questioning will resume when the Aproveset takes effect.[/i]

“It seems strange that after about a week of my son investing his time into helping you regain your memories, you still can’t recall anything that would tell us [i]who you are[/i].”

[i]Captain, there’s something wrong with the prisoners.[/i]

“I find it… [i]convenient[/i] that you don’t remember your district, your relatives, or even your last name. In fact, you don’t even have an ID in spite of my decree that all high born citizens are to carry identification on their person at all times.”

[i]Damn it! The bastards had capsules in their mouths that they broke with their teeth. It looks like cyanide powder.[/i]

“I must be honest with you, Iris. It’s difficult for me to believe you’re from this city at all,” Atlas sighed. “If you truly were a citizen of the capital, then you should be able to tell me something about it, shouldn’t you?”

[i]The prisoners are being escorted to the emergency facility now to receive an antidote. Their conditions are unstable, and it is unclear if they’ll survive. We will provide an update after the physician treats them.[/i]

There was a victorious glint in the king’s cold eyes as he gazed down at his suspect. “Go ahead, girl. Name just one detail about this city that you [i]didn’t[/i] learn from Caspian. Prove to me that I shouldn’t turn you in to the soldiers right now.”