THE HUNT

Eleven

The bruises have faded after Hux offered me the bacta. The pain in my side has returned, but not nearly as bad as it was. It's only been a few hours, but my throat is still raw from crying, and my eyes dry from the same reason.

I'm laying flat on my back, focusing on my breathing. Maybe if I fall asleep, the dull pulsing will be gone when I wake up.

"What are you doing on the floor?" I snap my eyes open with a gasp, seeing Kylo Ren crouched above me. "I gave you a bed."

"Why do you care where I sleep?" I breathe, air whooshing from my chest.

"Because you work for me now, and I can't have you feeling sore while you're working."

"Don't worry." I groan, trying to push myself up. "Your brutes took care of that."

"Ushar is training you." Ren says, as if my response was stupid.

"No, he's abusing me." I hiss, putting a hand to my waist as I stand, trying to keep my rib in place with the movement. "I've been trained. I've also been tortured for months, fed nothing, and had no exercise." I lift myself onto the bed, pushing myself against the wall it's parallel to. "I can't just go back into fighting grown men while I have no weapon, Ren."

"What's wrong with your side?" He reaches towards me, grabbing my wrist and pulling my shirt up only far enough to see the bruise forming. He presses his hand against it, and I cry out, squeezing my eyes shut. "What happened?"

"I fell."

It's not really a lie.

"Who treated it, and why wasn't I made aware?"

"I- It wasn't treated." I say, averting my gaze. He takes my chin in his gloved hand.

"Don't lie to me, Hunter." He sneers. I flinch back, and his jaw tightens. "Who did it?

"I did." The corners of my lips pull downwards into a sob.

"No. You haven't had access to bacta." He pushes me against the wall. "Or pain medication."

"Why does it matter?" I gasp, a tear rolling down my cheek.

"Because I need to know where your loyalties lie."

"Not with you." I manage. "Not until you are- are kinder." I wince as his hand presses harder against my side. "I might-" I fix him with a stare, one I hope holds some sense of authority, though I doubt it. "It's just survival." He hums, drawing back. I gasp, falling onto my hands and knees on the bed. My side aches, and I glare up at him.

"My right hand." He muses. "Yes, that was my promise." He blinks slowly. "I meant it, too."

"I'm still weak." I say quietly. "I can't fight properly."

He studies me, as if my admission is shocking to him. Then he shakes his head, hair falling into his face.

"You're well enough to fight, I'd say." He angles his head, studying me. "Just perhaps not against Ushar?" A smirk pulls at his lips. "I'll have Cardo teach you from now on, after you're healed. Nobody will bother you until then."

"Thank you." I watch carefully as he steps back.

"Who treated your rib, Hunter?" He asks, voice soft.

"General Hux." I say, the words pulling from my lips. "He found me."

"He," Ren's voice drops dangerously low. "Is under orders to not go near you."

"Why?" I sit back, head on the wall. "You don't want anyone at all to show me kindness?" I laugh bitterly, but Ren silences me with a look.

"He always has an ulterior motive."

The enemy of my enemy is my friend.

It's Ren's turn to laugh, and terror streaks through me as I try to clear my mind.

For a moment, I forgot that he has access to my mind. My thoughts.

"Wait-" I start, but he holds out his hand.

"You are not to speak to him again, unless it is under official circumstances and authorized by me." He grits out.

"You're cruel." I look away.

"Yes I am."

"Why are you even here?" I ask, shaking my head. "There's nothing I can help you with."

"You reached out to me earlier. I was curious as to why." He lifts his chin. "Now I know." He turns on his heel. "Do not contact me for trivial matters such as this, Hunter." The door opens, and he looks back at me before stepping through. "It's a waste of my time."

"Nice to know you care." I snap as the doors slide shut. He doesn't look back. I lay on the bed, closing my eyes to resume my efforts to fall asleep.

—

The doors hiss open, and a stormtrooper marches through. I sit up, once more moving to push myself against the wall.

Trapping myself.

Bad idea, bad idea.

"I haven't done anything." I say, trying to keep my voice firm. "Ren said I wasn't to be bothered." His name is bitter on my tongue, and I spit it at the faceless soldier. Instead, they take two steps forward. "S-stay back." I hold up a hand, as if that will protect me.

The stormtrooper reaches up, removing their helmet.

"I thought you'd want me here." He grins a grin that I see in my dreams. "Hey, Hunter."

I never thought I'd see him again.

"Imrie!" I throw myself into him, ignoring the pain as he wraps his arms around me. "You came for me!"

"Of course I did." He holds me tighter and I wince. "What's wrong?" He ducks his head to meet my gaze. "Did they hurt you?"

"I didn't tell them anything." I promise.

"That's not what I asked, Hunter." He grips my shoulders, pulling back. "I don't care if you said anything. Did they hurt you?"

"I'll live." I force a smile.

"Good." He grabs my hand. "Let's go." I let him drag me from the room, letting hope flood my chest for the first time in months. Imrie lets go of my wrist, and then turns, pulling his helmet back on. "I'm going to bring you to the ship, but you have to go along with whatever happens, okay?" His filtered voice is unsettling, but I nod. "Okay." He grabs my arm, pulling me in the direction I assume leads to the hangar. My heart leaps in my chest, and I try to force the smile in my face.

Instead of focusing on the joy of freedom almost in my reach, I focus on the pain in my side so I don't give us away with my expression.

We seem to walk for hours.

"Imrie-" I reach forward to grab his wrist, but my hand goes through his, as if he's a hologram. "What?" I freeze, unable to move my body, despite my attempts.

"A lovely dream." I feel a hand on my lower back, sliding to my shoulder, then slowly down my arm until he laces his fingers with mine. After a moment, he steps back. "You don't dream often, Hunter." Kylo Ren says, angling his head. "This is surprising." He looks up to the ceiling, then to Imrie. "Your friend?" He steps in front of him, studying his face. A smirk pulls at his lips. "He doesn't look like an Emily."

"Imrie." I grit out. "His name is Imrie."

"I bet if he were truly here, he'd be begging on his knees for his life." Ren looks up, meeting my gaze. "He'd never come to save you. He's too cowardly."

"I hate you." I snap.

"Are you trying to convince yourself of that, Hunter?" He steps around Imrie, looking down on me. "Seeing as you've said it to me more times than I have mys-" He stops, clenching his jaw. "I don't need you to like me." He moves his hand to the back of my neck, bending down to meet my gaze. "I just need you to work for me." I glare at him. "Can you do that for me?"

"Survival." I tell him simply.

And he smiles.