Caught

19.

Only when I was alone did I allow myself the luxury of breaking down. I vomited everything, mostly just water and stomach juices, into the sink and collapsed on the floor. My hands, still tightly bound behind my back, hurt like hell. I was shaking all over and although I tried to get my body under control, I just couldn't.

A few minutes ago, I had narrowly escaped a bullet to the head and watched as the Emperor disemboweled my friend. To make matters worse, six of our soldiers had been executed and their cold bodies now lay by the wall.

I closed my eyes. Don't think about it, Taira, I ordered myself.

My only consolation was the thought of Maya. At least she survived.

I had no idea how long it took me to stop shaking and finally get to my feet.

I managed to walk the few steps to the sink. Tilting my head, I used my teeth to pull the lever and turned on the water. I rinsed out my mouth several times and took a big gulp of water.

That helped a bit and I wondered what to do next

I flinched and banged my head against the tap as I heard the click of a lock.

Two Imperial soldiers entered.

One of them was carrying a tray of food and the other, much bigger than me, was standing in the open doorway. He had a nasty-looking knife in his hand, which he fiddled with as he stared at me.

Without a word, the soldier put the food on the floor, turned off the still running water and reached over to remove my restraints.

"Wait," the big man stopped his friend, pushed himself away from the wall and walked towards us. He brought his face close to mine, black eyes darting back and forth, a huge hand squeezing my neck.

"Why didn't they shoot scum like you with all the others?"

As he spoke, I noticed that he was missing two front teeth. It caused him to lisp slightly, but it certainly wasn't a handicap that many people would dare mock him for.

A knife glittered in his other hand. He pressed the blade close to my right cheek and ran it down to my throat. It would only take a little pressure for the blade to cut the skin.

"Are you scared?" He grinned.

I watched him with a lethargic gaze. After what I'd just been through, nothing could frighten me anymore.

An angry look crossed the man's face and in the next second he punched me in the stomach. The pain paralysed me for a moment and snapped me out of my numbness. He was about to deliver another blow, this time to the face, but the other soldier stopped his hand.

"Are you crazy?" he snapped at him. "This guy is Shira's new pet. If he finds out you hurt his plaything, he'll..."

"Do what?" the brute shouted at his companion. "You're all scared shitless of him. But I'm not afraid of that psycho."

" I won't be a part of this," the smaller soldier shook his head and hurried out of the room.

The huge man smiled in satisfaction and turned his attention back to torturing the bound prisoners.

"So where were we?"

The knife reappeared in front of me. The blade cut lightly into the skin under my cheekbone and I felt drops of blood trickle down my cheek from the tiny wound.

A black shadow flickered at the periphery of my vision. A leather-gloved hand grabbed the big man by the throat and threw him like a rag doll against the nearest wall. He tried to fight, but he didn't stand a chance.