Tally’s trying to act brave– acting like this isn’t affecting her down to the marrow– but as she stands in front of the wrought iron door that leads into the brig, she falters.
Her bare feet scrunch into the splintered wood at her feet, neither desperate to enter or wanting to leave.
When August and Jude join us– the latter carrying parchment, ink and a quill– I use it as an excuse to block Tally off with my body, allowing her a moment to breathe without prying eyes.
August is here for when we’re finished getting information, she enjoy’s torture more than anyone I’ve ever met, more than willing to clear out our remainders once we’re done. This is her domain. Jude, as the one with the best writing skills aboard and parchment storage amongst her maps, takes notes of any information gathered. That way, once it's over nothing gets forgotten and it's easier to pick out what is a lie and half truths.
They talk with Amara for a moment, completely ignoring me and Tally after a welcoming nod and I use it as a briefreprieve. Twisting to look over my shoulder, I gaze at the side of Tally’s profile.
“You don’t have to be here for this part, love. We can handle this.” I whisper, wanting no one else to overhear.
She shakes her head, tendrils of her hair whipping the sides of her face as she does. “No. No, I need to do this. Killing, that’s something I’ve done plenty of, but torture’s a different ball game. But Ineedto be here.”
“Okay, I understand. You don’t have to be the one doing the torture though,wecan do that. August would actually love being able to inflict the pain for you. You can ask questions, or even just watch.”
Her lips ripple as she harshly exhales. “Would you do it for me?”
I don’t even consider what she's asking before I’m nodding. There isn’t anything she could ask me that I would say no too. Not now, not ever.
“We’ll do this together, love.”
Voice low, she whispers, “I love you, dove.”
I grin, a complete contrast to the moment. “I love you more.”
We finish the conversation in time for the others to face us and usher us inside. The temperature noticeably drops, chills working through every bone. Mabel visibly trembles, yet she persists and enters anyway. Multiple cells line both walls, thick iron bars bolted into the floor and ceiling. The floor is covered in mud, bits of hay and remnants of bodily fluid.
It’s revolting and the most perfect conditions for our three captives.
Spread out among the space, Hago and his two minions sit in their respective cells, chains wrapped around their necks and wrists, weighing them down and keeping them attached to the bars.
Hago is ahead and to the right, quivering in the corner with his head between his knees. All the glitz and glam he had for show on the dock yesterday whittled down to nothing. The other two men reside on the left, both looking bored– almost as if they expect the outcome of this to be death and are just waiting to get on with it.
They’ll also likely want to die with their information, instead of willingly giving it up. Unlike Hago. With barely any pressure, that bastard will crack open like a walnut.
I drag a chair over from next to the door, up to Hago’s cage. August opens it for us and I drag the chair inside the cell with him. Leaving a few feet of space between me and him, I sit. Tally leans against the bars of the cell, not quite inside but still present. It makes me unbelievably proud she isn’t pushing herself too far.
Chains rattle, Hago’s crumbled form suddenly strikes forward. Throwing himself at me with fingers outstretched, as if he even had a chance of gouging out anything.
I allow him to get close, the gleam in his eye growing with each new millimetre he charges. Then my boot comes up, the toe smacking beneath his jaw with a bone rattling smack. Blood sprays from his mouth, flying into the air before coming down to land on him. With any luck he bit his tongue.
He writhes on the floor, still conscious but in a hell of a lot of pain. There will be a lot more of that before the day is over.
Resting my elbows on my knees, I lean forward. “Now, shall we try this again? I’ve got a lot of questions for you, and you’ve got a lot of skin I can make bleed. So–” I shrug, acting like I couldn’t really give a shit. “I suggest you answer them.”
Hago’s answering growl is pathetic– Jude’s cats are more terrifying than him.
Taking out a blade from my belt, I spin the tip on my finger. Doing everything to remember how to return to a statue; not allowing him to see I am affected by this, because Tally’s affected.
Keeping my eyes trained on the spinning blade, I ask, “Let’s start with why? Why did you think it was a good idea to start a vendetta against Tally?”
He says nothing, just glares with pure venom in his eyes.
With a sigh, I snap my arm out, tracking the blade over his cheek bone, leaving behind an overflowing waterfall of red. His wails are piercing and I suppress a wince at the expanse of my ear drums.
“Come on, Hago. You chose this, now live with the consequences of your actions.”
His nostrils flare as one side of his face becomes a valley of red. “Our island is beautiful, and that whore opened it up to the likes of you fuckers. She’s killing us off for the sake of money, inviting murders and molesters into her ranks just for money and fucks.”
