Page 162 of Plug and Drain

All hope, as it turned out, had been futile.

She forced herself to meet Arken’s gaze. There was nothing left to say. A stronger person would have recognised the futility of speaking, would have risen above that final humiliation of expressing pain and said nothing at all.

But his eyes were rimmed with red, the caramel lights a dim glow, and just for that reason…for the memory of how they’d once meant something to her…she licked her dry lips and spoke.

“You didn’t help me.”

Pain etched Arken’s features, but he didn’t speak.

Nathaniel tried to say something to her, but Arken waved him off.

Susie held Arken’s gaze. It felt like a lifeline. But it was just the mooring line tethering a ship before it set sail on a final voyage.

Whatever had been between them…Whatever this place of warmth and safety had been…it wasn’t safe after all. It wasn’t even warm. She wouldn’t be back.

This was goodbye.

She would rather face dark, icy storms alone than to have the person she thought she loved abandon her in one.

If she lived through this, it was over for them. He must know that.

If she died…what did it matter?

She shifted her position, and immediately wished she hadn’t as agonising pain streaked through her. Her vision ebbed and flowed.

It ebbed some more. Flowing fast.

“You abandoned me,” she said, a simple statement that held no barbs or stings or nettles. “You abaaandoned…” her words slurred. Or maybe her ears slurred. She was losing consciousness. She tried to focus on Arken’s face. Square jaw, thick eyebrows that flowed, sad eyes with tears like hers, smile lines that didn’t smile. His hair was a mess, just like her. She didn’t feel compelled to smooth it, or to touch him in any way. “You leffft me to him,” she said, her voice garbled. “Why?”

Weak. Her voice was weak and meek.

The ground was cold on her back and was hard as stone, the ceiling too thick, the light too dark and soft.

Tears sprung to her eyes too, but that couldn’t be. The ocean was already cold and drowning around her, and she looked away. Rocks fell. It wasn’t like she expected Arken to reply.

But maybe his ears were slurring too.

Was the ocean always red?

She tried again, whispering to no one. “Why?”

Mercifully, everything went black.

Chapter Summary:

Please note: this summary is intended only for those who have elected to skip this chapter, 'Broken'. If you've read the chapter in its entirety, I recommend continuing on to the next chapter for the ideal reading experience.

In this chapter, Susie finds herself in a tense situation as King Henrikk confronts her and Arken about their relationship.

Henrikk's probing questions and ominous demeanor create a sense of dread. At one stage, he knocks Susie's tower of books over.

Arken remains silent whilst Susie desperately tries to diffuse the tension by offering herself as a distraction to Henrikk (for him to feed upon her). As the confrontation escalates, Susie fears that Arken will take drastic action against the King, which could lead to negative consequences for them. Strangely, Arken never speaks a word in this chapter.

When Arken lunges at Henrikk to attack, Susie shouts for him to stop, and surprisingly, he does, coming short of hitting the king.

What follows is a traumatic scene where Henrikk sexually assaults Susie whilst Arken looks on. She initially tries to escape, but Henrikk throws her on the ground and rapes her. During the assault, her tail is crushed, and she experiences radiating pain, suspecting a spinal injury.

Adding to her distress is the fact that Arken does not intervene at any stage. She cannot see him, but she senses his presence, and Henrikk taunts them both throughout the assault. Arken's silence and inaction makes the experience even more harrowing for Susie.