Page 13 of Steel & Thunder
“I didn’t.” I shrug. “I saw the kid in trouble and did something. Didn’t really stop to think about it.”
“Seems to be a recurring theme with you.” He crosses his arms, but he’s still smiling. “It was very brave. I am honestly impressed.”
“Thanks?” I didn’t think he brought me in here to pay me compliments, but I’ll take it.
“It is a shame I have to punish you now.” Do what now?
“Punish me?” I back up into the bed. “What? Why?!”
“You have made two escape attempts in less than an hour. Before I have even had the chance to go over any of the rules or guidelines you will be expected to follow.” He takes a heavy step toward me.
“Then how about we just don’t count those attempts and call it even?” I debate climbing onto the bed next, but I have a feeling he won’t be too amused by that.
“Nonsense.” He takes another step, crowding me in. “How can I expect you to learn if I do not teach you?”
“Teach me what, exactly?” I refuse to cower even if it does feel like he’s twice my size. “Not to save children from certain death? Because if I hadn’t run out at that exact moment, there’d be a little girl-shaped pancake on the road right now.”
“What you did was commendable, truly.” He doesn’t move. “Something to be rewarded even. But that does not negate that you broke a rule—a fairly obvious and big one at that—and need to be corrected.”
I glare at him—and then try to bolt around him and out of the room. It’s no use though; he’s got me by the arm as soon as I move. Then his other hand is at the bottom of my tunic, which he pulls up over my head. I struggle in the dark against the sudden restriction, but in the confusion, he sits on the bed and pulls me over his lap. He finishes pulling the tunic off me, grabbing both arms as soon as they are free. I do my best to fight, but the events of the day are finally catching up with me. All the walking, being knocked out, the fight and the...other stuff in the arena. I also still haven’t really eaten since this morning. I’m exhausted, I’m hungry, and I don’t have anything left in me. I cry out in frustration as my arms are pinned to my back.
“Clearly, it was a mistake to take these off of you,” Ironstorm comments as he reattaches the cuffs to my wrist. I hear the click of a lock this time, twice.
“Oh my god, why do you even care so much?!” I struggle against my binds even though I know it’s no use. “Will you just let me go already?”
“Why should I, exactly?” I detect no amusement in his voice. He suddenly squeezes me tightly by the hips as he reaches down to remove my shoes. “The first thing you did when I met you this morning was attack me. Then, the second you woke up, you challenged me to a fight—one in which you apparently intended to kill me or be killed yourself! Then when you lost that fight, rather than uphold your end of the bargain, you tried to run away from it. Twice.”
“What I do not understand,” he continues, “is why you insist on fighting me so much. By your own admission you thought you would be dead right now. Maybe this is a human issue, but to me, your current circumstances certainly seem better than not being alive. Not to mention that you hardly seem to be minding your treatment all that much.”
“What is that supposed to mean?” I try to say with as much dignity as I can manage, naked with my face pressed to the sheets.
“This.” I jump when a hand reaches under me and grabs my not-so-flaccid dick. Not sure when that happened.
“That’s not... I don’t—!” I get flustered and try to shake his hand off. “That’s never happened before today!”
“Oh please.” What the hell does he know?
“No! This...stuff only started happening after I got here.” That is the only explanation. Never in my life would I have done any of this. “Maybe you did something to me when I was knocked out, or, or there’s something in the water. Maybe they put something in that bath I took before we fought, or in the food, or—” A memory from earlier flashes in my mind. “That woman. She did this to me.”
“What are you talking about?” He actually leans back so he can look me in the eye when he asks.
“Those two women from earlier. They were...older, I dunno.” I pause, not knowing how else to describe them. “Before we fought, one of them put her hand on my stomach and cast some sort of spell. I didn’t think it was anything then, but right after that you throw me to the ground and fuck me stupid! There is no other explanation. There’s no way in hell I would ever want something like that. This is all because you people did something to me.”
He looks at me confused while I rant but then something clicks. “I see. So, this woman, right before our match put her hand right here below your stomach, yes?” He reaches a hand underneath me again to demonstrate. “And she cast a spell?”
“Yes.” I nod slowly. This is a trap.
“Sorry to say this, David, but ‘that woman’ was only making sure you were ready for your inevitable loss.” He mocks me with his smile. “Really, you should be thanking her. All she did was empty your bowels with a little magic and added some lubricant.”
“She...what?” I have no way of knowing if that’s true or not. It’s not like I’d know what that feels like.
“She was just helping make sure you were prepared for what would happen on the field.” I don’t believe his explanation, but even if I did, how do I know that’s all she did?
“You’re lying.” He has to be.
“I am not sure I have much of a reason to, but if thinking that makes you feel better...” He pats my flank, still mocking.
“Fuck you,” I spit out, starting to struggle again. “This wasn’t supposed to happen! I thought I was helping my friends! I didn’t fucking ask for this! None of it! This isn’t what I—” I choke back a sob. “I was trying to help. None of this was supp—” The frustration builds and the dam breaks. I sob into the mattress, thrashing weakly against my bonds. The tears cut off my vision as they start to flow.
