Chapter 3
CHAPTER THREE
VERA
The crunch as his nasal bone cracks is oddly satisfying.
It’s my first time breaking someone’s nose, I must admit. I’m usually not the one to throw punches or get physical. At least not in that way.
As one of the most famous Caetras in Jaakii, people call me many things. A fighter is not one of them.
That’s the only reason why I catch this Caligos bastard off guard when he opens the door to my carriage only to be greeted by the heel of my boot.
Blood pours generously down his chest, and he curses me in all three tongues. It’s surprising he knows that many languages as a criminal. But I suppose a Caligos is no ordinary criminal.
I murmur a quiet thanks to Kitajo for teaching me basic self-defense moves despite my lack of interest in the discipline.
And then I start running.
I only make it five steps before a second kidnapper catches up with me. Wrapping a sturdy hand around my waist, he hoists me in the air and whips us around.
“You godsdamn whore, causing trouble already.” He spits the words.
I dig my nails in his forearm. He doesn’t even flinch. I kick my feet, trying to hit his leg, but he’s twice my size so I can’t reach it.
His grip on me is iron-clad.
Even screaming doesn’t help. We’re far enough from Jaakii, in the middle of the farming fields. Nobody can hear me.
Once we approach the carriage, he puts me down. Sensing an opportunity, I whirl on my heel. All of my hopes of fighting back die the moment he whips the back of his hand over my cheek hard enough to rattle my brain.
Copper taste fills my mouth just as I hit the side of the carriage and tumble down on the hard, damp ground rather ungracefully. My head spins. I try to blink the dizziness away.
“You gotta show them who’s the boss,” the Giant says to his bleeding comrade. “She’s not to be treated like a lady, do you hear me? Unless you want her breaking your damn balls the next time, too.”
“Understood,” the younger Caligos says with a nod. He’s much younger than the Big Guy here, clearly inexperienced. “She needs to do her…lady business.”
“Forget about it. If this bitch wants it so bad, she can piss her pants.”
Trying to get at least a little bit of control over my situation, I attempt to get back on my feet. The Giant grabs my arm, pulls me up, and immediately slams me face forward against the side of the carriage.
He fists my braids at the back of my head and pulls hard enough to make my eyes burn with tears.
These men are absolutely despicable.
“You better behave, little whore.” He whispers the words into my ear and thrusts his groin against me. There is no mistaking the hardness that presses into my ass. I swallow. “Or there won’t be much left of you by the time we make it to the destination.”
The unspoken threat makes my insides burn with rage. I’m not surprised violence turns him on. That’s the only language these men understand, after all.
Holding me by my braids, he shoves me back into the carriage. I fall onto all fours, scraping both my knees. The pristine, beautiful ivory suit I picked out for Phoenix’s inauguration ceremony is tarnished.
Not only that, I’m missing the official celebration of our win. One thing I’ve been fighting nail and teeth for.
The carriage door shuts behind me. An overwhelming wave of tiredness takes over me, making each of my limbs too heavy to lift. I curl into a ball on the dirty floor, resigned.
I have no more fight left. Not after all this time.
I only realize I fell asleep when I’m suddenly jerked awake as the carriage comes to a halt. The horse whinnies, and I hear voices outside.
Slowly, I push myself up and blink the last dregs of sleep away from my eyes. Through the tiny window, no sunrays come through. Behind the glass is pitch-black darkness. How long have we been traveling?
With a sigh, I sit down on the cushioned bench and press my face close to the window. I can see nothing.
The carriage doesn’t move, and the voices are gone. I sit alone, with my heart pounding heavily in my chest. My throat is itchy. A fresh glass of water would be delightful right about now.
Carefully, I glance at the door. What are the chances of them leaving it unlocked? Better question—do I dare to check?
The spirits of the gods make the decision for me.
The door swings open, and the younger Caligos appears, a copper bowl in hand. Giving me a sneer, he tosses it onto the floor. The stale piece of rye bread and the hard cheese with molded corners end up on the floor where I just slept.
I look up from the food at him. Not an ounce of kindness can be found in his vast-as-sky eyes. He tosses me a small flask and then slams the door shut. A moment later, the carriage is on the move.
With trembling fingers, I unscrew the metal flask. Water. I hesitate to bring it to my lips, even if I’m desperate to quench my thirst. What if it’s poisoned?
No, it can’t be. If they wanted me dead, I’d be dead already.
I drink the water so quick my stomach hurts afterward. It’s barely enough to satisfy me, but it’s better than nothing.
The bread and cheese on the dirty floor of the carriage don’t look appealing. But the sharp talons of hunger graze my insides not so kindly. It’s been awfully long since I last had a meal. I have no clue how long it will be until I get another serving of food.
Swallowing my pride, I pick up the bread and the cheese from the floor. It’s not much, and it’s definitely not as good as a home-cooked meal. But I force myself to chew and swallow.
It’s been so long since I had to survive. After Sagara took me under her wing at fourteen and made me her apprentice, I didn’t think I would ever have to do it again.
Not after building the reputation, network, and connections over the years, brick by brick. Not after I surrounded myself with my most loyal—or who I believed to be loyal—people.
Not after I found my way into the inner circles of House Dzuni and the Order of Ezkai and became irreplaceable to them. One whose approval and company they craved, and paid generously for.
Not after I caught the eye and attention of the most powerful Ezkai General to date, and eventually captured his heart…
I thought I was safe.
I scoff to myself. What good will all of that do for me now?
The most powerful Ezkai General to date is gone, and my heart’s gone with him.
I try very hard to keep my eyes open, even though the gentle rocking of the carriage lulls me to sleep, my mind eager to surrender to the seduction of dreams.
At the very edge of the fields, the sun awakens. It stretches its rays lazily, painting the sky in the distance the most vibrant shade of pink and orange.
Sunrise always reminds me of him.
Kitajo was an early bird; it was his prime time of the day. Those nights I spent with him I’d rise with the sun just as he did. I loved watching him meditate in front of the window with his eyes closed. Those were the few rare moments where he looked truly at peace, with himself and the world.
I was fascinated by his powerful body, and I’d watch him do his essential drills from his bed only in his underpants. Every muscle under his beige skin shifting with each pull-up, push-up, and squat.
Oh, how I enjoyed early-morning lovemaking in his larger-than-life-itself bed. How little I appreciated those tender moments because I thought they’d last forever.
One day, Vera dearest, one day. I have patience.
Kitajo believed we’d have a forever, too.
I brush a finger over my throat, an old habit. The naked skin, void of the black diamond choker he gifted me, serves as another reminder that nothing lasts forever.
I haven’t traveled much around Ekios. I was born and bred in the sewers of Jaakii and climbed my way into the streets before making it all the way into Ezkai Castle.
I have no clue where I am.
From the location of the sun in the sky, I can tell it’s around midday. We haven’t stopped since the last meal, and from the vast nothingness that stretches all around us, it’s clear we’re not any closer to our destination.
Wherever that might be.
One thing I do know, though. We’re definitely heading south of Jaakii, because there are no mountains in sight that cover the whole north part of Ekios.
Who could be there in the south? Who would want me there in the south?
The unknown makes my stomach uneasy. Its claws hold my insides in an iron-clad grip.
I hope at least Phoenix is safe. I hope Noire made sure she behaved during the inauguration ceremony. Despite her shortcomings, she’ll be a great Ezkai General. I’m certain of it.
The carriage comes to a sudden halt and I fly forward, catching myself just in time. Just as I settle back in my seat, the door opens and the Giant waves for me to step outside.
My heart beats like a drum in my chest. But I lift my chin high and manage to get out with grace this time around. The moment I do, the Giant tosses a muslin bag over my head.
“Wear this, little whore,” he says. He pulls on the string, tightening it around my neck. “We’re almost there.”
I can’t see anything. With this bag over my head, I can barely breathe. The Giant grabs me by the shoulders and pushes me back inside before slamming the door shut so hard the whole carriage rattles.
“So unsophisticated,” I murmur as I try to navigate my surroundings with my hands alone. “Brutal beasts.”
“What was that, whore?”
All the hairs on the back of my neck rise.
I didn’t realize the Giant got inside with me. Before I can find my seat, the carriage moves again. I push myself up and sit down on the bench.
Another few hours pass. But I might not be the most honest judge when it comes to time. Not in this condition. The Giant doesn’t say a word to me the whole way.
He snores. Loud.
The carriage stops again, but nothing happens. The Giant snores one more time, even louder and then mutters something under his breath.
I wait for what’s to come next, every ounce of my being alert. After what feels like forever, the door opens and I swing my head to the side of the sound.
Silence.
Then, a chuckle. “Well, well, well. What do we have here? The most famous whore to walk the streets of Jaakii. Vera D’Argent, welcome.”