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With great effort, I manage to push myself up off the beach and stand uneasily on the wet sand. I stand there for a moment, looking around as the tide continues to crash against the beach, creeping up to lick the tops of my feet before it slides back into the ocean. The wind is blowing fiercely, whipping at my soaking wet hair and tugging at my clothing.
A moment of indecision comes over me as I stand there looking around.Which way do I go? Surely, I can’t go up to the manses or he’ll find me, but where else could I go?
Then a figure appears on the edge of the beach striding toward me purposefully, and the decision is taken from me. Instinctually, I begin to run.I can’t let him catch me again. My exhausted legs scream in protest as I begin to sprint down the beach.How did he find me so fast?
Some part of me knows it’s hopeless, but I do my best to stay on my feet and keep running. Sadly, after just a few yards, my legs give out, and I collapse on the sand once more. The squelch of footsteps in the wet sand grows louder behind me, but I don’t have the energy to fight back anymore.
Instead, I turn myself over and watch as the approaching figure resolves into the shape of my long-time tormentor, Malachi.
“You ought never to have tried this,” Malachi says in a disappointed tone as he reaches my position on the beach. “Foolish girl. I’ve no choice but to punish you for this insolence. You know I enjoy our little punishments, but I expected better of you. I’ve more important things to be doing just now, so we’ll have to make this lesson extra sharp to pay for wasting my time as well.”
Just then, I notice the object in Malachi’s right hand, and my heart begins to pound relentlessly. The whip he carries is made of hard brown leather, split into tightly wound chords. Each chord has a small bit of metal tied to the end to sharpen the pain of its victims.
“Malachi,” I say pleadingly. “Please, you don’t have to do this. I didn’t mean to run away, it just happened. That creature captured me. There was nothing I could do. Malachi, please. Show mercy.” It’s difficult to keep the tears from my eyes as I plead. I’m not sure how much more pain I can take.
“It’s too late to beg for mercy,” Malachi replies coldly. “If you had been loyal to me, you would have killed the creature and returned to tell me of my crew’s death. Instead, you went swimming with this sea monster. Now you bear the responsibility for their deaths as well.”
“There was nothing I could have done!” I respond in a hysterical scream. I am truly desperate now. “I could not possibly have –”
“Enough!” Malachi bellows, cutting me off. “You defied me, and you will pay the price. No feeble protestations will stop my whip from falling. Now turn over and lift your shirt. I don’t want to harm that pretty face. Lay down flat so the water washes over your wounds. It will hurt more, but that is a good thing. Plus, it will clean your wounds, so my healers needn’t waste their time.”
I try to resist, but he reaches down and turns my body over roughly, tearing my shirt to bare my back for his whip. Malachi gropes me maliciously in the process, sending chills down my spine.
Finally, I give in. Lying there feebly with hardly an ounce of strength left in my limbs, tears begin to stream down my face. A warm salty taste fills my mouth as tears and seawater invade. I open my mouth to scream when I hear the whip rise behind me, my back arched in anticipation of the pain, but the whip never falls.
“What in the Thirteen is …” Malachi says behind me, trailing off before he finishes his sentence. I wipe my eyes and turn slightly to see what stopped him. My heart soars, relief coursing through me like a raging river.
Laiken emerges from the water behind Malachi, his tentacled legs dripping water as they carry him through the shallows and onto the sand. He looks like the god of the sea as he emerges, the brilliant colors of the setting sun framing him against the clear blue expanse that is his realm.
His eyes carry death as he looks upon the frightened face of Malachi. I spare a moment to glance at my captor and am pleased to see genuine fear there for the first time ever.Let him have a taste of his own medicine.
“Don’t move, monster,” Malachi says in a tone that is clearly supposed to be intimidating. “I am a dark elf, you stand no chance against me,” he continues, the fear in his voice belying his words.
“I’ve killed many dark elves,” Laiken says casually. “You should be no great challenge. Penny belongs to me now. None shall keep us apart, certainly not a little elf like you.”
“Little,” Malachi cries incredulously. “You will pay for this insolence, as will Penny. Ten times over!” Energy sparkles in his hands as he begins to silently form a spell.
“Look out!” I exclaim to Laiken. “He’s going to throw fire at you!” But it turns out my warning is superfluous. Laiken recognizes it immediately. In a blur of motion, he springs forward, reaching out with his tentacles to grab onto Malachi and squeeze the life from him.
Malachi is too fast, however, and he manages to roll out of the way, losing hold of the spell he was forming. He comes out of his roll at a full sprint, headed straight for the manses. Laiken stands there for a moment, seemingly contemplating going after him, but instead, he turns toward me.
“Quickly now,” he says, reaching a hand out to lift me up. “He will return shortly with more elves. We’d best be gone from here before then.”
“Where will we go?” I ask, my voice laced with concern.
“Home,” Laiken responds, sounding perplexed. “We must return to my cavern. It is the only safe place for us now.”
I hesitate for a moment, remembering what I went through to escape that place.
“You should never have run off, Penny,” Laiken says, looking at me intently. His voice carries a note of anger, and I can tell he was hurt by my flight.
“You are mine now,” he continues. “It is not safe for you to be without me. This time, you must not run. I was angry with you before, but now I only want to rip the head from this elf who harms you. Come back willingly, and I will forgive you, I promise.”
His words should scare me more – he’s so possessive and violent – but he saved my life. I feel safe now that he’s here, but it’s more than just that. I feel a deeper connection forming between us somehow. Like I am more complete now that he’s here.
Yet fear remains. This creature is far from human, and I’ve seen him murder a dozen elves with very little effort.What if he turns on me? But no, somehow, I know he never would. He wants to protect me, and he seems to be obsessed.
I’ve never had someone to protect me, and the realization that he wants to do just that gives me a deeper sense of security than I’ve ever had.
