Chapter 26 - Ayden
Vacation, huh? I should’ve let Vlad take this one and stayed the hell out of it.
He might’ve even found this fun. Because me?
I’m not exactly having the time of my life.
I’m chained up like a dog, my muscles are on fire, my skin’s burnt to a crisp, and I’m soaked in sweat.
Those bastards didn’t even offer us a lousy cocktail.
Next time Vlad volunteers, I’m keeping my mouth shut and letting him go.
Unless... maybe Sam would’ve given him her body? No, scratch that—sunburns and cramps are manageable.
Still, it’d be nice if the cavalry showed up about now.
I have no clue where they’re at or if the rescue plan is even happening, but I’m seriously starting to doubt my odds of making it till morning.
Danuk seems the type to wear us down before throwing us into a fight.
Facing off against two traitors in front of a crowd? That’d be the ultimate power move.
I glance over at the Srebat sharing my fate. He looks worse than I do. His fur’s matted with sweat.
“So, Noviosk... on a scale of one to ‘we’re definitely dying horribly tonight,’ where are you right now?”
He blinks slowly and turns his head toward me.
“You still have energy to joke?”
“Aw, you’re finally noticing my charm? I’m flattered. That’s what’s keeping me alive, you know.”
He shoots me a withering look. Srebats must be born without humor glands.
“Seriously though, how are you feeling?”
“What kind of stupid question is that? We’ve been roasting for hours. How do you think I feel?”
“Let me remind you—I’m a poor Human. No fur to block the sun. Look at me: scorched skin, twitching muscles, delightful body odor, dignity gone the moment they tied me to this post shirtless... Honestly, I’m about two complaints away from demanding a refund from my travel agent.”
He stares at me, clearly unimpressed.
“Why don’t you tell me about this plan of yours instead?”
“My plan? Honestly, I’m just hoping Sam gets out of this okay.”
He growls.
“As you’ve probably noticed, you and I are tied up in the middle of an arena. When she comes back from the lab tonight, she’ll be alone... surrounded by guys who haven’t seen a woman in ages. If we can’t be there to protect her, she won’t survive the night.”
Like I haven’t been obsessing over that all damn day. And I still haven’t found a way to fix it.
The day drags on endlessly. My tongue feels like sandpaper. I can’t even banter anymore.
Finally, a UV filter slides into place above the arena, and blessed darkness falls. The ventilation kicks in, stirring the stifling air. I try to open my eyes, but my eyelids feel swollen.
The sudden drop in temperature is brutal. My overheated body shivers at the cool breeze. I get goosebumps—absurd after all that heat. My brain’s too fried to handle the shift.
Footsteps echo across the arena floor. I don’t need to look to know who it is.
Danuk steps into view, arms crossed, smug as hell.
“Well? Had time to think?”
Noviosk flinches beside me. I roll my eyes. I’d love to hit him with a good comeback, but I’m too dehydrated to spit.
“I had an idea to spice things up tonight,” Danuk says, grinning like a wolf. “We’re bringing out the Human girl you’re so fond of. And I’ve invited some friends to watch. A little appetizer before tomorrow’s big event!”
Oh great. What fresh hell is this?
Little by little, the stands around the arena start to fill.
Who are all these people? Where the hell are they coming from?
I didn’t think this base was that populated.
I glance at Noviosk, questioning him with my eyes. He looks worried.
“You’ve only seen the warehouse where the fighters are kept for tomorrow," he mutters. "But there are also the greenhouses—many of them. So, growers. And the processors. Not to mention the maintenance crews, the cooks… Danuk’s resellers, his partners… The Coalition is vast,” he finishes darkly.
“I can see that… What a heartwarming family reunion,” I mutter under my breath.
A heavy silence settles in as the stands continue to fill. The laughter fades, replaced by a twitchy anticipation.
Danuk raises a hand, and instantly, two guards appear, dragging someone between them.
Sam.
She flinches when she sees us—Noviosk and me, tied to our posts. We must look like hell. Her horrified expression says it all. I try to reassure her with a glance. It’s going to be okay. Sure it will. Totally.
Moments later, Danuk steps into the center of the arena, holding a strange-looking rod. He activates it, and a long ribbon of eerie blue light uncoils. It looks like a whip made of pure energy. Oh, great. This should be fun.
“Behold my little gem,” he announces proudly.
“An impulse whip. It doesn’t break the skin and leaves no marks.
Handy, right? No need to worry about healing—you’ll be in fighting shape tomorrow.
But my little gem does deliver intense muscular shocks.
Think of it like a very, very bad cramp.
I won’t spoil the rest for you. You’ll see for yourselves. ”
He turns to the crowd like some kind of ringmaster.
“Tonight, my friends, we’re going to play a little game. Here’s how it works: for every scream one of these two lets out”—he points to us—“she gets shocked.”
He grins wider. “Place your bets, friends! Fifty credits per round!”
Two guards flank Sam and force her to kneel.
She tries to resist, but they hold her down. Her worried eyes find mine, then Noviosk’s.
Let’s see how much that so-called friend of hers actually cares. He made it clear that his own interests always come first. That he only watched over her out of gratitude.
And now? Now I’m afraid he won’t lift a finger to spare her what’s coming.
At a signal from one of his men, Danuk steps toward Noviosk.
The first hit comes without warning.
A sharp crack, a flash of blue, and a sizzling sound.
Noviosk jerks, his jaws clenched tight—so tight they might snap.
But he doesn’t make a sound.
Sam, though, lets out a strangled cry, recoiling violently.
Danuk turns to me, beaming.
“One point for the Srebat. Your turn, Human.”
The whip hisses through the air, its bluish ribbon almost hypnotic.
The impact knocks the wind out of me.
A searing pain shoots through my chest, like my muscles are being twisted under my skin. The scream rises in my throat—but I swallow it down. I’m shaking, but I don’t cry out.
“Yikes. That stings,” I say a few seconds later, trying to sound casual.
Danuk raises an eyebrow. He clearly wasn’t expecting a comeback. After the brutal day we’ve had under the blazing sun, he probably thought I’d fold.
Guess he doesn’t know Galactic Sentinel training… or how stubborn I can be.
“Oh ho!” he laughs. “Tougher than I thought. But how long can you last? Ten lashes? Twenty? Thirty?
Take all the time you need—works in my favor.”
“You’re confusing power with cruelty,” Noviosk growls. “A Srebat is proud and strong. Ruthless when needed. But this? This is just pointless brutality.”
“Oh, but it’s not pointless,” Danuk replies with a grin. “Every round resets the bets. Your pain is making me richer!”
He raises the whip again.
His twisted little game is just beginning.
The third blow lands on Noviosk.
He stumbles, muscles twitching, eyes shut, jaw locked. Not a peep.I feel a strange relief. He cares about Sam more than he lets on. In theory, her fate shouldn’t affect him… but his actions tell a different story.
I glance at Sam. Still kneeling, she’s sobbing silently.
She’s taking each hit with us—not on her body, but deep in her heart.
Danuk, meanwhile, is having the time of his life—like a cruel child who’s discovered a new toy.
“Three hits and still no screams? I’m almost disappointed.”
He turns to me. I brace myself. The whip cracks again.
This time, it lands on my right shoulder. A wave of pain shoots down my arm and into my spine. My fingers clench involuntarily. My vision blurs—but I hang on.
Danuk steps closer, curious now.
“You’re tough for a Human. Got anything to say?”
I take a shaky breath and mutter:
“Yeah. Thanks for the right shoulder. It’s been itching for hours, but, you know, being tied up… hard to scratch.
Think you could even it out on the left?”
A tense silence falls over the arena. Even the crowd goes still for a beat. Then a few muffled chuckles ripple through the stands.
Danuk freezes. His smile tightens.
I can practically see the urge to wipe the smirk off my face with that fancy whip. But he can’t. He made the rules himself—and breaking them now would make him look weak.
He straightens slowly, eyes narrowing.
“We’ll see what jokes you have left in a few more rounds,” he hisses.
The blows keep coming. Ten. Fifteen. Twenty lashes.
Twenty electric shocks tearing through our bodies.
Noviosk is still silent. His fur is soaked with sweat, his muscles convulse involuntarily—but not one cry. Not even a grunt.
Me? I wanted to last. I thought I could. But the twentieth hit is too much.
Danuk aims right at the base of my neck. The burn spreads through my nervous system like wildfire. And I scream. Just a flash of sound—half a growl, half a gasp, torn from deep inside.
Short. But enough.
Danuk freezes, then grins with triumph.
He got what he wanted. And it’s my fault.
He turns to Sam—and whips her.
The shock hits her full force.
She screams, collapses, curls up on the ground with her arms over her head.
God, I’m so sorry for doing this to her.
Danuk struts forward, triumphant, then spins toward the wild crowd.
“There you have it! All it took was a little patience. The Human broke. And the girl paid the price. Bets are now closed. Winners, claim your profits—the show is over for tonight. But tomorrow… oh, tomorrow will be even better! We’ll treat you to full arena fights.
And of course, you’ll see our two guests from tonight once more!
Tomorrow promises to be spectacular! See you then, my friends! ”
The stands empty quickly, conversations fading into an eerie murmur.