Page 22 of Cage of Darkness
“Come with me,” he said,his voice gruff.
“Do you know who I am?”Allyssa asked, purposefully keeping her voice soft and kind, hopingto gain this man as an ally.
He scanned her from head to toe,seemingly unimpressed with what he saw. “Out in the hallway, orI’ll drag you out,” he said, not bothering to answerher.
She did as instructed. “I am PrincessAllyssa, heir to the Emperion throne. I am being held here againstmy will. If you help me escape, my mother, Empress Rema, willreward you greatly.” The hallway had a couple of torches, whichprovided enough light to see in both directions. She gasped. Therehad to be over a hundred doors. Did each contain aprisoner?
“This way,” the man said,indicating to the left.
“Do you know where PrinceOdar has been taken?”
The soldier grunted, taking hold ofher arm and walking at a brisk pace.
“Where are we going?” sheasked. He didn’t respond. “Are you taking me to see thequeen?”
His fingers dug into her arm, and theyturned down a dark corridor. Dread coursed through her. This manwasn’t escorting her somewhere—he was either going to torture orinterrogate her. She refused to walk, and he dragged her along asif she were a child’s doll.
They came to an open door, and heshoved her inside the room. Her blood went cold. The wall directlyahead was covered with several sets of metal handcuffs at variousheights. The man lifted her wrists, locking them into one of thesets. Every ounce of her being screamed at her to fight, but hertraining told her otherwise.
Taking a deep breath, she forcedherself to say, “I’m sorry you’re in this position; that you workfor a ruler who asks you to do her dirty work.” Keeping her voicesteady, she continued, “I know you’re only following her orders andnot acting of your own free will. I want you to know that I forgiveyou for what you’re about to do.”
The man cocked his head tothe side, appraising her. Goose bumps covered her flesh, and herbody shook.Please don’t vomit.With her arms stretched high above her head, hershoulders began throbbing. She’d never felt so vulnerable in herlife. The man looked away.
Allyssa closed her eyes, thinkingabout everything her father, Neco, and Marek had taught her overthe years. Being tortured was more mental than physical, so it wasimperative that she remain calm and not lose her temper. Instead offocusing on the pain about to come, she needed to concentrate onmaintaining the fragile control she had over her emotions. Takingseveral deep breaths, she opened her eyes and faced hertorturer.
The soldier stood there, a thin,wooden stick the length of his arm in his hand. Did he intend tohit her with that vile weapon? Her eyes widened, and all colordrained from her face. She was a princess. This sort of thingwasn’t supposed to happen to her. This had to be a sick, twistednightmare.
“Where are Empress Rema andEmperor Darmik?”
He wanted to know about her parents,which meant they were still in hiding. A surge of relief soaredthrough her, making her bold. “I will not answer any of yourquestions.”
He slammed the cane against the wallnext to her head, making her jerk. Her parents were safe. She wouldendure whatever he chose to inflict upon her in order to keep themthat way.
“Does Emperion have analliance with Fren?” He flicked the cane against his palm, makingan eerie sound that caused her body to involuntarily shudder. “Ifyou don’t answer me, I’ll be forced to use this on you.” His gentlevoice made the threat more menacing.
“So be it.” Her wordssounded strong even though she was cowering inside. For herparents, she would do this. Her brilliant, kind, determined, andloving parents. They made the necessary sacrifices for theirkingdom. She drew strength from that knowledge. Her mother hadsurvived her own execution. Allyssa held onto her mother’ssteadfast hope.
“I’ve been ordered to giveyou ten lashings if you don’t cooperate.” His eyesnarrowed.
Did he expect her to cry and beg formercy? Because she wouldn’t. It was his fault for assuming she wasweak.
“Have you ever seen aperson hit before?” he asked, flicking the cane against his palmagain.
“No. Whipping and caningare not tolerated in Emperion. My father outlawed both practices,claiming them to be barbaric.” He had told her he’d been whipped,and that was why he refused to allow another man to undergo suchcruelty. She tried not to think of being hit—of the wood strikingher back. Tears filled her eyes, which only infuriated her. Allyssadidn’t want to show this soldier he was getting to her, but shecouldn’t stomach the idea of being tortured. When Neco spoke ofsuch things in training, she never expected it to come tofruition.
“Be thankful it’s the caneand not a whip,” he said, stepping closer to her. “This cane won’ttear your skin the way a whip will.” For the first time, he lookedinto her eyes, but then quickly glanced away.
“You don’t seem like thetypical Russek soldier.”
“And what do you know aboutus Russeks? Did you read something in a book? Reports from yourspies?” He cocked his head to the side, studying her.
“You’re an interrogator,”she blurted out. “Not a torturer.” The realization shocked her.While her situation was far from ideal, having her life in thisman’s hands, instead of a sadist’s, was more than she could hopefor. Queen Jana must want insurance that Allyssa wouldn’taccidentally die. At least, not yet.
“It doesn’t matter what Iam or am not. My queen has sent me here to do a job, and I plan todo it.” His fingers curled around the cane as he took another steptoward her. “I don’t have to strike you at all if you just tell mewhere your parents are.”
Allyssa almost laughed. Almost. IfRussek didn’t know the location of her parents, they couldn’t becertain their letters made it to the Emperion royal family. If Remaand Darmik didn’t know Allyssa’s fate, then Russek couldn’t use heras a bargaining chip. Her value lay in the ability to get to herparents. But if she was of no value to Russek, would they kill herfor spite? Surely they would never let her go.
She kept her mouth shut, staring atthe soldier for several minutes until his shoulders sagged. “Youwon’t cooperate, will you?”
