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It didn’t look familiar, and I feared whatever he was doing hadn’t been sanctioned by Gladius. Because the normal process would be to get me in front of Curiata again before punishing or killing me.
“And now I’ve changed my mind.”
He knew he held all the power. And I knew this was it.
“Call your boyfriend,” he sneered. “Tell him to back off.”
He pulled out a knife, and I flinched when he approached. Cutting the ties on my wrists, he held out a phone that I took with numb hands.
Ignoring his obnoxious aftershave, I pressed Call on the number he already had on the screen. The phone rang four times before Jude finally picked up. I put it on speaker.
“Who is this?”
“Jude. It’s Ariel.” I cleared my throat. “I’m fine, but I don’t need your help anymore. I’m working things out.”
“Bullshit. The bastard is threatening you, isn’t he?”
I chanced a glance at Carnifax, who scowled at the phone.
“Jude.” I pushed down the words I really wanted to say to him and swallowed the lump in my throat. “Please. You need to let me go.”
“Impossible.” The word sounded like it had been ripped from him, his voice guttural. “Now tell the asshole that his days are numbered.”
My mouth dropped open when he hung up.
Carnifax’s face was red, and I cringed. “Your boyfriend just signed your death warrant.”
He leaned in, taking the phone back, then pulled out fresh zip ties. “I’ll take great pleasure in watching the life drain out of you. But first I’ll find out what secrets you spilled.”
He was a skilled interrogator, his methods as brutal as they were effective. I’d never heard of anyone who held out for long or survived.
This would be my one chance to at least get Lenny out. My hands wouldn’t be untied a second time. Knowing I had nothing to lose, I snapped my head forward, his nose making a satisfying crunch upon impact. He’d made one mistake. He’d underestimated me and came alone instead of with his usual guards.
He yelled, stumbling back, blood gushing down his face. I needed to untie my legs or I’d never make it anywhere. The knife he’d used to cut my wrist ties was on the floor, and I tipped the chair over to get closer.
I ignored the shooting pain in my shoulder as I crashed to the floor and wiggled my hands to reach the knife. My fingertips brushed the handle, and I shuffled closer. The edge of the chair painfully pushed into the back of my leg. My fingers closed around the blade, and I leaned forward, cutting my legs free.
It all took no more than twenty seconds, but Carnifax had recovered, throwing himself on top of me. I twisted, sliding sideways, and closed my legs around his neck, pinning him down underneath me. My leg screamed in pain, the side where the stitches were burning like someone was slicing a knife along my skin. But I shut it out, my hold tight.
I’d lost the knife, but my legs would be enough to take him out. He struggled, but soon the lack of oxygen slowed his movements. Once he passed out, I jumped up. He wouldn’t wake up for a while, giving me enough time to find Lenny.
Searching his pockets, I found keys and a key card.
Nudging the door open, I listened for footsteps, but the cells must have been soundproof because nobody approached. Looking out, I didn’t see any guards. Doors lined the hallway, each one closed. I crept out of the room and began opening them one by one.
They were all empty, and I let out an anguished cry.Where is he?
Dragging myself up the stairs, ignoring the burning pain in my leg, I burst through the door at the top and tripped over a body on the ground. I landed hard on my side, groaning at the impact.
“I guess she didn’t need our help after all.”
I lifted my head, meeting three sets of familiar eyes.
Jude rushed forward, picking me up off the floor. “Ariel, fuck, I was so worried. Are you okay?”
I looked around the room, noticing the chaos. Countless soldiers were down, furniture upturned and holes in the walls.
“Have you seen Lenny?” I sounded hysterical, but I didn’t care. “I can’t find him anywhere.”
