Page 31 of Claimed By Shadow and Blood
I glanced over my shoulder at Elias's crack in the wall. He'd gone silent.
My heartbeat quickened a little. The guards expected me to be too injured to do any harm. Maybe this could be my opportunity to escape? If my wolf helped me, maybe I could break free and hide until Many-Greats-Grandfather located me again.
I stepped forward, and agony ripped through my feet and legs. I didn’t hold back my wince as I slowly moved toward the rope.
"Good girl," Scar Eye sneered. "Be careful, but hurry. I don’t want to miss mealtime."
Just mealtime. No other term.
They must be doing that on purpose so we’d have no concept of time. Assholes.
Hoping I could make him late, I didn’t pick up my pace. Instead, I let out all my grunts of pain, which echoed and mixed with the drips of water.
Both guards crossed their arms, and Scar Eye smirked. Crag Face huffed.
My blood boiled, and my wolf snarled low and threatening. I gritted my teeth, trying to keep myself under control.
I’d make them both pay.
But notyet. The timing had to be perfect.
As soon as I reached the wet rope, the first guard whipped it into the water again. It splashed me all over, but my body was already freezing and covered in water, so it didn’t make a difference.
Still, the rudeness alone had me itching to fight them now.
No. I had to be smart. If I acted too soon, I wouldn’t have a chance in hell.
“Grab the fecking rope,” Crag Face snarled, seeming unamused by the first guard’s antics. He shot the other fae an annoyed look, his wrinkles deepening with his scowl.
This time, I eagerly grabbed the rope and swallowed my whimper as my raw flesh burned. Blood slicked my hands on the already wet rope, and I couldn’t get a firm grip. I was about to wrap it around my wrists instead, but Scar Eye jerked the rope upward.
The rope sliced through my already raw skin, and I whimpered. Everything in me screamed for me to release it, but then I’d have to start the entire process over.
I wrapped my legs around the rope to prevent myself from slipping further. My eyes burned from unshed tears, but I blinked them back, needing my vision to be clear.
As soon as I cleared the top, rough hands seized my arms so hard I’d have bruises. The two guards dragged me across the stone floor, my already raw feet feeling as if the rest of my skin was being raked off like cheese against a grater.
“I can walk,” I said sternly.
"Shut up," Crag Face growled and yanked harder.
But Scar Eye threw his free hand in front of the second guard, causing him to halt.
“If she wants to walk, we should let her. If she can’t keep up, we can use the rope as a whip until she goes fast enough.”
Crag Face grunted. “You’re wasting time. We have our orders.”
“She’s going to the doctor. She’ll be fine. They won’t ever know.” Scar Eye smiled widely.
Though it was the last thing I wanted to do, I let out a yelp as I climbed to my feet, hoping they wouldn’t see me as threatening at all.
“Fine. But we can’t take forever.”
“I agree.” Scar Eye spun and rolled up the rope, leaving the end piece out so he could smack me.
I whimpered, and the first guard jerked the rope so it would hit me on the side.
This might be my only chance.My heart raced as my wolf pushed ahead, lending me her strength. I caught the rope and, despite feeling as if my hand were about to be ripped in two, yanked back.
