59. CHAPTER 59
Miya
The Territories
Archai, Caspador
Whack.
Miya jostled even though no one hit her.
She sat on her knees, still silenced by the soldier's hand. Her spirit wilted with Lance’s body. Blood dripped from the corner of his mouth.
Miya hadn’t looked away, not even when he couldn't keep his head raised to see her.
The captain wiped his forehead with his sleeve. Lance’s blood covered his knuckles and dappled his white shirt and forearms. He kicked Lance in the side with a sharp crack that was followed by a scream.
Miya yelled into the hand over her mouth. This had to end.
A low moan broke up Lance’s gasping breaths. His head hung.
He wouldn’t kill Lance. Not yet. She had to repeat that to herself to keep the terror at bay.
Finally, the captain turned his back on him and moved to Miya.
“Go. See what you’ve done to him.” The captain threw her forward. “Go.”
Miya crawled to Lance, arms shaky and tingling at the sight of his swollen face. She reached for him and then hesitated, afraid to touch him. A sob broke free. “Lance…”
“He’s fine,” the captain said. “Save your tears for when it gets bad.”
How was this not bad? The captain broke his ribs loud enough for her to hear. He couldn't suck in a single breath without gasping or moaning.
Miya carefully took his face in her hand and sidled close, so it felt like only the two of them. Blood wet her fingers. “I’m so sorry.”
He rested his forehead against hers. “I chose to stay... Remember?”
The captain rolled his eyes. “Enough of this.” He ripped Lance’s head back, glare on Miya. “I’ll give you a chance to talk. Pass this up, and I won’t offer it again while everything is still attached to him.”
Her stomach rolled. She rose up face-to-face with the captain. “I’ll cooperate entirely when Lance is safe.”
No one spoke for several seconds. Then the captain narrowed his eyes. “Do you understand what’s about to happen?”
She had to talk and not stop. “When you ran the facial recognition, you searched the wrong database. You didn’t find me because I’m restricted. Call your superior officer and have him search the restricted database.”
“I show up in the database,” he said. “Do you have any idea how few people are restricted? You’re insane, aren’t you?” The captain drew his knife. “Perhaps, we need to remove his fingers.”
Tears blurred her vision. “You won’t believe me until you do the search.”
“Crazy bitch.” The captain pushed her back. “Fine. Have it your way.”
“It'll take a few minutes. It doesn’t hurt to run it. You have to—”
“Would someone deal with her? Tell me when she starts to spill the truth.”
Arms locked around her waist. Panic blinded her. Miya pushed and kicked without thought, ripping against the soldier dragging her away.
“You searched the wrong database, you incompetent asshole!” Miya screamed and thrashed. “The restricted database!” She spat, trying her best to make it reach him, but it fell short. “Listen to me. You're about to pass up a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.”
Barely controlled fury strained the captain's expression when he wheeled around for her. “You just lost the offer for mercy. I won’t kill him quickly if you talk. I’m going to enjoy it. You get to decide for how long.”
“Run a search in the restricted database. Someone!”
“Don’t waste your time on her lies.”
“What will the Phaedra say when he finds out you killed the king’s daughter? All because you’re too stupid to do a simple search?”
Everyone fell quiet.
And then laughter erupted.
The captain's shoulders heaved. “We’ve got a royal whore.” He cackled.
“Look it up.” Miya lunged forward, caught against the soldier's arms.
The one holding her shoved her against the wall and gripped her cheeks. “Shut up.”
The captain placed the tip of his knife against Lance’s thigh.
“One of my dad's advisors took me under his wing when my mom died.” Miya jerked her face from the soldier's grip. “He said he'd help me run away, but he just used me to make himself rich and powerful.”
The soldier pushed her again. Miya shrieked as loud as she could until the man grimaced, dropping her.
“I’m talking. Listen up!” Miya shoved past the soldier and marched for the captain. No one even tried to stop her. Her behavior must have seemed so irrational to them that they were stunned. “The United is searching for me because I told them already. You'll look like a fool if you ignore me.”
The captain was watching her with his blade still on Lance, eyes wide.
“Stabbing Lance won’t change the truth. Run the search. If I’m wrong, I’ll stab him myself. What does it hurt to check? I won’t shut up about it until you do.”
“I can call,” a man at the corner of the room said. “Just say the word, Captain.”
“I don’t know what game you’re playing,” the captain said.
“This could mean something big for your career.” Miya touched her heart. “Verify my story and release Lance. If you do, I'm yours. Whatever you want.”
“You’ll only make this more painful for yourself.” The captain nodded at the man in the corner. “Do it. Let’s put this to rest.”
“Release Lance, and I'll do whatever you want. I’ll cooperate and tell my father anything you want me to.”
“Just shut up.” The captain sighed. “I don’t want to hear another word from you.”
Miya glanced at the soldier who was making the call. He reclined on the couch, picking at the fabric.
The captain turned back to Lance, crouching at his level. “I’m impatient. Why don’t we get started since she doesn’t take your life seriously?”
He drew his blade again. She only needed to buy a few more seconds.
Miya jumped on the captain’s back, clawing for his eyes. He dropped his knife and gripped her arms so hard she cried out.
Lance strained to escape his binds. Miya held tight.
The captain flipped around and drove them both back for the wall.
“Captain!”
He stopped, her back grazing the wall.
The soldier, phone at his side. “A… A moment, sir.”
“I told you,” Miya said.
The captain's grip went slack, and she clambered off his back.
Kneeling beside Lance, she whispered in his ear. “It'll be okay. I promise.”
“Is it true?” Lance stared into her eyes.
“Get her away from him.” The captain pointed at her as he spoke on the phone.
Miya backed up willingly, hands in the air.
His face paled. She’d never seen him taken off guard. It looked good on him. How would it look when she managed to do worse?
He hung up the phone. Everyone watched, waiting. “Cut the kid loose. It'll shut her up.”
“Captain?” his lieutenant asked.
“I'll return for him if you break your word,” the captain said.
“I know.” She pinched her lips together.
“We head out.” The captain pointed at the door. “Now.”
“Wait.” Miya moved forward. “The Phaedra will expect a story from you. It would benefit you to write that story however you want. Lance is hurt. Drop him off at a hospital. You can sedate him. We’ll be gone before he has a chance to talk.”
The captain clenched his teeth.
“Captain Garrison, I’m going to make you famous. It’s a small price to pay. To spare one man’s life. That’s all I ask.”
“Fine, but you’ll watch from a distance.” He ordered two of his men to join them. “And you will behave to thank me for this.”
They escorted Miya to the door while Lance strained to see her, yelling. She looked into his eyes one last time and smiled. It would be okay now. For him, at least.
Relief soothed the pain in her heart.
Miya didn’t fight the captain on the way to his vehicle, and he didn’t use force. They had an understanding now.
Only one man joined them in the van as they climbed in. The others set both back doors and the front passenger side to stay locked. The captain sat beside her in the back, holding her hand. A clear message that she had no intention of testing, even though it made her skin crawl to touch him.
When they reached the hospital, they parked too far away to see, so the captain handed her a pair of binoculars and held his phone to her ear.
A van pulled up to the hospital. Men carried Lance and left him in front of the entrance. One man held the phone to Lance's mouth, so Miya heard his wheezing from the broken ribs. He was alive. The soldiers beat on the door, jumped in the vehicle, and sped away.
A nurse looked out and ran back in when she saw Lance. Not even a minute later, a whole team lifted him onto a stretcher.
“Satisfied?” the captain asked.
Miya couldn’t see Lance anymore, but she couldn’t look away. “Thank you.”
The window rolled up. She turned around with the binoculars and watched out the back window until the hospital disappeared from view.
Lance was safe.