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“Calm down, man. She’s more than capable of taking care of herself. She doesn’t need you.”
Eli knew he only meant in this context, but hearing that Ali didn’t need him sent him spiraling. It was what he was afraid of, after all. He lunged through the air and in the blink of an eye, both he and Nik hit the ground. Nik never saw it coming. Eli had caught him so off guard that he was able to connect his fist with Nik’s jaw at least twice before anyone realized what was happening.
“Eli!” He heard Ali scream, but it sounded distant. Like an echo, a faint whisper in the wind. He was alone with Nik, and he was going to tear him apart. Nothing else existed. He’d make him regret the day he set his sights on Ali.
Blood trickled down his knuckles, and he felt a tug on his shoulder, but he shook it off. Nik seized on this moment of hesitation and grabbed Eli’s wrists, flipping him onto his back, then Nik hit him hard in the face. He thought he heard his nose crack, but he felt nothing.
The only thing he felt was fury.
When Nik struck again, Eli tasted blood. Eli struck him in the stomach when he reared back to hit him again, and he hinged forward. Eli took advantage and shoved him off. He found himself on top of Nik again, but it was only for an instant.
Nik used the momentum and kept rolling, forcing Eli back to the ground. This time he shoved the side of his face into the ground, straining his neck. Eli tasted the dirt beneath him. People had gathered around them, but they quickly stepped out of the way as the two of them tussled on the ground.
“Stop fighting,” Nik growled, keeping Eli’s face pinned.
Eli couldn’t. He didn’t know how. Rage coursed through his veins. He was a wild animal that had been backed into a corner for too long. He swung wildly at Nik but failed to make contact. With his face forced to the ground, he couldn’t see where to strike.
“Eli!” Ali was screaming again. He saw her out of the corner of his eye and could see she was crying, her hands covering her mouth. He didn’t want to look at her. This was her fault.
“Stop!” Nik snarled as he shoved Eli into the ground with his forearm. The pressure was cutting into Eli’s neck, restricting his oxygen. “You don’t want to do this, man.”
Yes, I do.
It was stupid, but his sense of self-preservation was long gone. All he knew was the hatred and wrath bubbling inside him.
Finally, his limbs gave out and he had no choice but to lay still and accept defeat.
Several other guards shuffled their way through the courtyard and pulled him rigorously to his feet, letting Nik tend to his wounds. Eli’s own blood continued to trickle down his face.
“What in the hell is going on?” a menacing voice demanded and the whispers and chatter died down. Eli recognized the man as Colin, the general who had led the attack on Andus. He didn’t have the energy to be frightened. The only reason he remained on his feet was because the guards held him under the armpits. He’d given up.
Colin turned to look at Nik. “What happened?”
Nik’s eyes shifted. He looked like he was debating telling the truth. Eli had no idea why he didn’t immediately blame him for the brawl. “He, uh, we just had a disagreement.”
“A disagreement? Not what I saw.” Colin’s eyes met Eli’s, and he felt his spine go cold. Turns out he did have the energy to be frightened.
This man was a cold-hearted killer.
Ali was still crying and looking at Nik, clearly expecting him to do something. But Nik looked resigned. He knew his place, and Colin outranked him.
Nik could feel Ali’s glare. She expected too much from him. Maybe if Eli had stopped fighting sooner and hadn’t drawn so much attention, but now that Colin was here? There was nothing he could do. They’d both have to stand and watch whatever horrors Colin decided to inflict. He stood tall and straight as Colin came to a stop in front of him.
“Nik, I’m disappointed in you. Letting a prisoner draw blood? We can’t allow that.” Colin’s voice was calm, and it made his words even more unnerving. Nik had a terrifying effect on people, mostly due to his size and brooding expression, but it was nothing compared to the fear that Colin instilled. He enjoyed watching people suffer. It was his favorite pastime.
“Now, what shall we do with you?” Colin paced back and forth in front of Eli, contemplating ways to punish him. He was known for being ruthless and his discipline would likely be unbearable. He barked at the two guards keeping Eli on his feet, “Tie him up against the wall.”
The guards obeyed him, and Eli shuffled nervously as they tied his wrists to two torches embedded in the stone wall. His arms stretched uncomfortably, and he had to stand on his tiptoes.
Nik could hear Ali sobbing and it made his stomach turn to acid. He looked down, afraid to meet her eyes.
Ali, don’t watch, he begged her silently.
But when he looked over, she was staring at Eli in horror. Nik grimaced. She didn’t need to watch this. She’d been through enough. Both of them had. Nik would be the first to admit he didn’t like Eli, but even he didn’t want to watch this.
The rest of the crowd shifted uneasily, not knowing just how ruthless Colin could be.
Colin ripped open Eli’s shirt, exposing his tattooed back to the cold air. He pulled out a whip from inside his jacket. Eli’s torso expanded with each deep breath, waiting for the inevitable.
