Purest Corruption - The Darkling [General Kirigan]

• Chapter 21 •

A sinister grin broke out onto his face as he twisted the knife further into my gut. I let out a scream that was soon muffled by Elijah's large hand covering my mouth. I'd never felt pain like this before; it was hot and searing, while I also felt cold at the same time.

Then there was the pain of betrayal I felt. Elijah, the boy who had made me laugh at my first dinner here, the boy who had walked me back to my room and called me beautiful, the boy who had reminded me of Mal.

Tears filled my eyes due to the pain in my stomach and the pain in my heart. What had I done to deserve this?

"I wonder what's going on in that little head of yours. Oh wait, I bet I can guess," he paused and then continued on in a high-pitched voice that was supposed to mock mine. "Why is he doing this to me?"

My eyes were growing heavy due to the blood loss I was experiencing, and he noticed, "Oh no, princess, are you feeling alright? Let me see if I can help with that." Then, he pulled the dagger out of me and tossed it aside. My eyes shut, but I knew more pain was coming.

I felt my heart rate slow, and it began getting hard to breathe. I clawed at my chest while I fell to my knees. My eyes shot open, and I tried to scream again but found that nothing would come out.

He's stopping my heart.

Then, all of a sudden, it stopped. I heard Elijah laughing and looked at him with rage in my eyes, "You'll pay for this." I said through ragged breaths.

"Oh sweetheart, no, I won't. You see, I have plans for you...well, me and others in Fjerda."

My eyes widened, "What are you...talking about." It was getting harder to breathe with each passing moment, and I feared that I would succumb to the looming darkness I felt washing over me.

"Oh, I'll tell you all about it, Ana, as soon as we get you on the boat and are sailing far away from here. Until then, I want you to sleep." He smirked, and then I felt my heartbeat slow, but it wasn't like last time. Now I felt calm, so calm that my eyes drifted shut, and I fell into a peaceful sleep.

Hoofbeats.

Raindrops hitting windows.

My body jostling with every bump.

My eyes began to flutter open, and I saw that I was in a dark carriage. I started to sit up, but then I noticed Elijah sitting on the seat opposite me.

"Go back to sleep, princess; you don't get to stay awake yet." He said, and then I was plunged back into darkness.

Water lapping against wood.

Men yelling.

Shoes scuffling.

"Not yet," I heard, and then it was dark again.

Chains clinking.

Wood creaking.

Men laughing.

This time no one spoke before I was pushed into sleep again.

I felt a hand tapping my cheek, and my eyes snapped open to see Elijah standing in front of me. My whole body hurt, and I soon saw why as I looked around. My hands were locked above my head, each wrist cuffed with a wooden rod separating them, and my feet were chained to the floor.

Elijah let out a chuckle as he watched me examine my restraints, "Do you like them? You'll be in them until we reach Fjerda, and it won't be anytime soon."

My heartbeat quickened, but it wasn't due to any influence from him; it was from sheer panic. I felt the ship moving, so I knew that we had already set sail. That meant I wouldn't be rescued anytime soon. More alarm set in as I realized that no one knew where I was or where I was headed.