11. Chapter 11 #2
He grabs a fist full of my hair, tearing me from his companion's arms, and drags me to the adjoining bathroom where a porcelain clawfoot tub filled with water awaits.
Rafael might not want to dirty his hands with my blood, but he has no qualms or hesitation in shoving my head beneath the ice-cold bathwater.
All attempts at remaining calm end after thirty seconds of holding my breath.
My lungs sting, as if they're on fire, and my need for air aches in my chest. Despite my flailing, Rafael shows no sign of letting me up anytime soon.
I claw at his fist entangled in my locks, but I am fighting a losing battle. Just as the lightheadedness begins to set in, he yanks me to the surface. I cough out water and gasp for air, but the time to catch my breath is far too short.
"Who do you work for? Give me a name and I'll make it all stop."
"I don't kno -"
The torture continues for several rounds.
Each dunk seems longer and steadily becomes increasingly more painful.
This time, when Rafael pulls me out of the water, he thrusts me backward and I fall to the slippery tile floor.
My hair and the top of my dress are completely soaked and my face stings when air touches my skin; the frigid water akin to thousands of needles piercing my flesh.
Rafael, knife in hand, climbs on top of me and puts the tip of his blade between my breasts. "I admire your tenacity, but you are suffering for no reason," he coaxes. "I know you are tired and cold and most likely hungry. Give me the name of who sent you and all of this nastiness will end."
"Your words sound sweet, but I know a serpent when I see one."
With great speed, he presses the blade against my neck, his top lip curls in a snarl. This is the end. I feel it.
"Tell me who you are working for!" he screams.
Staring death in the face fills me with a boldness I've never known before. If I am to die, I will die with honor. "Go to hell."
I feel his knife pinching into my flesh and wince at the pain. "Last chance, Senorita."
"Do it," I whisper, maintaining unwavering eye contact with the last person I'll ever see alive.
Surprise floods his gaze. "What?"
"Slit my throat," I dare. "I have nothing to say to you."
"You do not fear death?"
"Everyone dies, Senor. If it is my time, then it is my time. But I will not die a traitor nor a sniveling coward. So slit my throat and be done with it!"
He leans closer, so I shut my eyes, expecting him to slice his weapon across my throat. Instead, when his lips touch my ear, he whispers, "You passed."
My heartbeat quickens and my lungs ache as my chest rises and falls rapidly. "W-w-what?"
Rafael lifts himself off me and offers me a hand. "You passed the test, Vibora."
My eyes widen. "Vibora?"
I stare at Rafael, truly drinking him in, and notice the curvature of his jawline and the mischievous golden-brown eyes match Salvador's. How did I not recognize him before?
"Salvador?"
He holds up a hand as fury ignites deep within my soul. "Now, before you do anything rash – "
I don't allow him to utter one more word. I sweep kick his legs out from under him and he crashes to the wet floor with a loud thud. The noise alerts his partner, but I don't give a shit. I'm going to tear this man's face apart, ensuring he'll need that damn mask to hide what deformities I inflict.
I jump on top of him, but before I can claw his face to shreds, he snatches both of my wrists and holds me hostage. His companion once again grabs ahold of me and peels me from Salvador or Rafael or whoever the hell he is.
"You tortured me!" I scream, fighting against the brute holding me.
Salvador is slow to stand, but there's not an inkling of remorse in his face. "We had to make sure you wouldn't betray us."
"I'm going to kill you!" I stomp on the man's foot but despite the crunch of his bones, he doesn't relinquish his ironclad grip on me.
"I apologize for our methods, Senorita, but I assure you, it was a necessary evil." Salvador's mute companion finally speaks. "This rebellion is comprised of all the people we love and the only people we have left. I would never forgive myself if we didn't vet a new member, especially – "
"A thief from the Brogratto."
Suddenly the muscular arms holding me in place release and spin me to face him. "I was going to say, especially a stranger."
Shame pools in the pit of my stomach for jumping to conclusions, but never in a thousand years would I have thought that's what he was thinking. And fuck that. I shouldn't be the one feeling bad.
"Here." The man grabs a fluffy white towel off the shelf and extends it to me. I snatch it from him and wrap it around my shivering body. "I'm sorry for Remus' actions, but you must understand – "
"Who the hell is Remus?" I interrupt.
Realization brightens in his eyes. "I forgot you know him as Salvador."
I spin around and follow Salvador into the adjoining room where he's retreated, wiping the blood from his swelling lip. "How many damn names do you have?" I grab his bicep, twisting him to face me. "I want the truth, and I want it now. Who are you? Both of you!"
For a second, I'm not sure Salvador is going to speak, as if he's mulling over his next course of action.
But finally, he surrenders. "My name is Remus Salvador Kane.
I am the son of Generals Vitalis and Boudica Kane who served King Armando Montero until they were killed fifteen years ago.
" He motions to the man behind me. "And this is my cousin, Prince Cassius Montero, the rightful King of Orlencia. "
I'm not sure what surprises me more, that Salvador – or should I say Remus – is a Venturan, or the lost prince Otero is fighting to put back on the throne is his cousin.
There's a lot of information to unpack and I don't know where to start.
Instead, I focus on the woman who orchestrated me being brought into this rebellion.
"Does Otero know about this?"
Cassius nods his head. "She wasn't excited about it, but we insisted."
"No, I insisted," Remus inserts himself into the conversation earning a wicked glare from me. "Cas isn't a fan of cruel interrogation techniques but that's why he has me."
"To do his dirty work?" I snip.
"To protect him at all cost," he snips right back.
"The point is" – Cassius positions himself between Remus and I – "you passed the test and can be fully welcomed into Ordo Vu – "
"I don't give a shit what your little club is called. I want no part of it."
"Oh, stop it." Remus huffs with a slight irritation in his tone. "We both know you want that row house in the Silver District too much to walk away now. Even your pride isn't worth the luxury promised."
"At the end of the day, my pride is all I have, and my pride is upping my price from a row house in the Silver District to a house in the Golden District."
"You little brat," Remus narrows his eyes, taking a step toward me. "If you think you're going to extort a house in the Golden District out of Dona Otero, you are sadly mistaken."
"Is that so?" I furrow my brow and slide my menacing gaze to the prince. "What say you?"
He seems caught off guard I'm dragging him into the matter. "What?"
"For my trouble, I believe I am now entitled to a house in the Golden District. If my terms are not met, I will tell Dona Otero to put me on the first ship out of this wretched city and you will lose your Elena Lozano impersonator and the best thief in Orlencia."
"The best thief in Orlencia that I had to bail out of prison," Remus grumbles, pressing a handkerchief to his bleeding lip.
"And the best thief in Orlencia who kept her damn mouth shut under torture, shielding all of you by being willing to forfeit my life." I square my shoulders to the prince's and slam my hands on my hips. "So, what say you, Prince Cassius? Do you think I deserve a house in the Golden District?"
Cassius mulls over my words and despite Remus' sour glare, the prince nods his head. "She makes a compelling argument, Remus."
"Cas, you can't be serious!" He throws his hands up in the air. "What is she supposed to do with an entire house in the Golden District? It's extortion at its finest. Honestly, I thought Otero was a fool for bending the knee in granting you a row house in the Silver District."
"Why? Because I do not belong in such districts?
" I growl, balling my hands into fists, fighting the urge to punch him square across his jaw.
"I might not have grown up in the finest homes or worn the most luxurious clothing or even had the opportunity to receive an esteemed education, but I'm not your lesser.
I'm far more observant and cunning and honorable than you give me near enough credit. "
Cassius holds a hand up and just that small gesture radiates power. Enough so that I snap my mouth closed and oddly, Remus does the same.
"Now, I know tensions are high right now. What happened here was – "
A door out of sight – which I can only assume is the front door – suddenly flies open and bangs against a wall before a woman shouts, "Where is she?"