She must be really hurt if she’s starting to hallucinate. Shit.
“Orbit, can you tell where you’re injured? Are you bleeding?” I ask, trying to keep her talking.
But I can’t even hear her chains moving when she speaks. That’s never a good sign.
“I don’t know,” she drags the words out painfully. “I can’t move. They keep stabbing my throat every time. And my body... it’s burning.”
God. Itishim.
I heard he’s been experimenting with new drugs over the years—ones that paralyze without killing. He’s gone off the rails, completely obsessed with his labs. One of these days, someone needs to swaphimout for the people he tortures.
I wince suddenly as a burn lashes across my neck and fades.
What the hell?
Did they inject me, too?
No... I can still move.
“Don’t sleep, okay? Don’t close your eyes. We’ll figure something out,” I say. I don’t know if I can keep that promise, but I can’t let her slip into unconsciousness. Not like this.
“I’ll try,” she replies.
“Good. So, how old are you? Where are you from?” I ask, stretching my hand toward my neck where I felt that burn. I need to keep her focused. I need to know what the fuck they did to me.
Something’s there.
My skin... it’s burned.Fuck.
Was that Onyx’s doing or my father’s men?
“I’m eighteen. I told you—I’m from Sur-El Royal House. I need to go back to the sea. Can you really help me?” she pleads, her voice trembling.
She’s too drugged. I just hope I can keep her awake long enough.
“You filthy creature, shut your mouth!” a man’s voice barks from her room.
“It’s your turn again.”
She starts screaming, shrill and panicked, and my name cuts through her voice like a prayer. “Roran! Please help me!”
“No!” I scream toward the barred window, yanking violently against the chains. “Leave her alone!”
I try to rise again, but the chains slam me back to the ground. My chest heaves as her screams fade, swallowed by the dark.
Tears blur my vision.
“Bring her back!” I scream, voice raw. It echoes through the space like a death bell—but it’s too late.
Then I hear it.
A door slams open with a brutal kick.Thisside. My side.
Someone’shere.
“You fucking whores need to learn when to keep your mouths shut!” an unfamiliar voice bellows. Footsteps stomp closer until the flickering light bulb catches his face.
He looks familiar. Blond hair pulled into a short ponytail. Half his head is shaved—no.Scarred.
