“Let go of me, you pervert!” I scream, kicking my legs at the person that is holding me tightly. My voice sounds muffled. Something like a grain bag has been pulled over my head. A rope at the opening pulling the bag closed, making it hard for me to swallow. Shit. I have to think clearly.
Why would they take me in the middle of the night?
Is it because of my powers?
Maybe my birthday? Another fucked up surprise?
The inability to swallow normally and faltered breathing feels like the beginning of a panic attack. I stop kicking my feet.
The trials.
That is why they took me. It has already begun. I try to reach my leg with my tied hands. Despite the rope around my hands, my fingers are free. I wiggle my fingers towards my right upper leg.
Yes!
That is one positive thing about this.
I still got my dagger.
Thanks, Da. For once, I am glad I always leave it on.
Because of my birthday and the huge surprise they gave me, I forgot about the trials for an hour. My heart melts at the memory of Braxton giving me the drawing. I never knew he could draw. And I mean really draw. I have seen some of his tattoos and they look good. But his drawings on paper really hit different. He drew me perfectly, maybe even prettier than I really am. It made my heart ache. All kinds of sensations rushed through me. I haven’t known him that long but something about him makes me want to peel his layers like an onion. Like there is something good behind that tough boy and self-centered prick act. Like under his mask and layers there is a little boy who had his dimples on display all the time. He has all these scars over his body. I don’t want to push him by asking, but those aren’t just some scars you get from training. I want to get to know more about him. I am not sure he will let me, though. He doesn’t seem to care that much about me. He doesn’t react to my touch, while his touch does all kinds of things to me. Maybe it is because I am like completely unexperienced to these things. His touch, both on the dance and in bed made me tingle all over. Oh and when he asked me to dance my stomach took a 360 degrees flip. Well he didn’t actually ask me, more commanded me, but whatever. For once in my life, I was like hell yeah, fuck feminism, let’s dance! I didn’t show that, but inside I felt like an excited little girl waiting to be allowed to open her present at her birthday.
Another scream escapes my throat.
Something hard and pointy pinches my naked upper leg. I am still in my pajamas and it is only now that this thing pinches my leg that I realize that I am pretty much naked. The small satin tank top and shorts don’t leave much to be seen. The pinching stops, like a needle being dragged out of my skin.
Think clearly, Eliane. How do you get out of this situation? Even though I can’t see anything with this bag over my head, I close my eyes. I control my power and let the tingle rushfrom my heart towards my hands. All this pressure being built up in me can finally release. It is hard to aim when you don’t see anything, but I can feel this person under me, dragging me somewhere. A ball of light dances above my hand. I can feel it. The person who has me over his shoulder doesn’t seem to realize. My right side is on the free side so apparently I am on his right shoulder, with my legs on his front and my face pointing at his back. I wave my hands with the ball of light to my left, aiming for his face. The person under me stops. I press the ball of light harder.
I hope it is bright enough to blind him.
“Stop it, you stupid little bitch,” the man under me insults. If this man thinks he can speak to me that way after kidnapping me he’s gotten the wrong girl. Da taught me right. I press harder and a scream erupts from his throat. He yells, clearly in pain. His grip on me loosens and I push further. He lets me go and with a hard thud I fall on the ground. Blood rushing through my veins from adrenaline.
“Fuck you!” he screams. He is probably rubbing his eyes, which I hope has this stabbing, intense feeling because I hopefully blinded him. I have only ever blinded small animals before. Dead Animals. I couldn’t get my heart to do it on alive ones most of the time. Animals are much nicer than humans, but since I live on a mountain in Koteld there weren’t many humans around to test this ability on. I don’t feel much empathy towards this man. He works for that asshole of a king. I am not sure where I want to go with this escape plan. I lift my hands towards my dagger and I move them carefully next to the blade. The rope snaps and my hands are free. I need to get this thing off my head. A yawn escapes my mouth as I pull the string of the grain bag. I have just felt that much of an adrenaline rush, but If I would lie in bed I would be passed out within a few seconds. My hands find the knot that closes the bag and start untying. Luckily, I getit loose in less than fifteen seconds and I pull the bag off. Where the hell am I? I use my hands to stand up. The man next to me has blond hair and a soft stubble over his chin. One of his hands rubs his eyes. I look at him. His irises are white and something like guilt raises my throat. Why did I do that? He wasn’t going to kill me.
“I’m sorry...” I stutter. I stumble a few steps away from this man. My legs start dragging me towards the bridge in front of me. I rush towards the bridge. It is dark everywhere, but I know that bridge. I have been there with Hazel.
I run.
My head feels light, my heart feeling like is beating too slow for someone who is running.
My legs feel weak, and I crash to the ground.
Shit.
A shiver rolls over my spine. Rolling over to my back, I look hazed at the stars. Something hard crashes into my face.
A fist.
It is being followed by a kick in my stomach. I focus on the stars as the kicking continues, not being able to move my limbs or to fight back. It feels like invisible ropes tie me to the ground and my body is limp.
The last thing I see before I close my eyes is the king hovering over me with this evil smirk on his face.
“Good luck, Eliane, may the best win.”
Chapter 13
Eliane
