“Interesting.”
He lunges again, but this time I draw the blade he left in my care. I drive forward, arcing it back and forth, just like I did with Crimson.
Crimson.
I think of her, and her power, and channel it into every fibre of my muscles as I dance the blade towards Fenix. And it works. In my mind, I picture Crimson’s speed, and I pull that drop of power from the well, and it bolsters my own. My attack grows swift, harder for Fenix to defend.
Until… nothing.
My breath is cut off, my arm halts mid strike, and I just stop.
Paralysing.
Terrifying.
The panic inside doesn’t freeze with everything else, and the fear that he won’t let me breathe, that he’ll cut off my air and let me suffocate, forms its own noose around my neck.
His focus levels right at me, narrowing to keeping me exactly where he wants me. I’m at his mercy, and he’s relishing reminding me of just that.
Even with the life draining from my lungs, I want to fight. Ineedto fight. But I can’t do it in an outward assault. This is proof.
The pull to look for Ten is almost as unbearable as the fear that I’m going to pass out, but just at the moment that my head starts to pound at the temples and the light-headed sensation closes in, I’m released.
Heaving in a lungful of air, I gulp down several breaths through coughs and splutters. But he doesn’t release me from his trap, and I’m still unable to move freely.
“How about now?” Fenix questions. He knows he’s got me, and the look on his face tells me everything I already know. There is no choice here. I am out-matched and have no bargain to strike.
“Fine. I’ll train. I’ll train. Just don’t hurt them.”
“Done.” He turns to them, and I watch as they both regain their own movement and control over their body. Every instinct makes me want to fly towards Ten and shield him from any other threat my brother has, but he’s just demonstrated how feeble we are against his power.
So, I root my feet to the ground and wait for whatever he has to say next.
Keeping a check on where Kalan is, I see he’s positioned himself at Crimson’s flank.
“What now?” Ten asks Fenix as he closes the distance between us.
“Now, I speak with my sister. Take them away.”
“We’re not going anywhere.” This time, it’s Crimson, who’s sped right in front of him, a spiteful punch connecting with his jaw before any of us can catch up. “That’s for my brother.”
His head tilts to the side with the force, but he just turns his focus back to her and smiles. “Shame.” He rotates his right hand, and I watch as Crimson’s right wrist twists, and she cries out in pain as she drops to her knees, cradling her wrist.
“I said, don’t hurt them!” I yell.
“And she attacked me. Unprovoked,” he snaps back.
“Crims—”
“No. Take them away. And understand this, Sister.” He stalks the final feet between us and narrows his gaze at me. “You are under my control here. You do as you’re told. You train. Youlearn to be the weaponIneed, and they might make it out of here alive. But I offer no guarantees.”
My lips are sealed, unable to answer, and I’m getting really fucking tired of that little trick.
Ten is at Crimson’s side, kneeling with her as she keeps her arm braced.
“Go. Do as he says. I can’t stop him. And I can’t have you both end up like Calix.”
The realisation that there is no way out of this looms like a giant abyss, ready to swallow me whole.
