Epiphany

Chapter 18 Part 2~No, it will not

I didn't dare remove my flaming gaze from Ryder's face as the three figures in front of me all went rigid and still upon hearing his deep, slightly muffled voice.

I wanted to speak. Wished I could. But what would he do? Absolutely nothing.

He wouldn't hit the boy who worked with him just for a girl that was nothing more than a captive.

She probably deserved the abuse she got. She was a prisoner after all, eh?

"Who hit her?" Gunther asked with an annoyed tone.

"Not me!" Chase said quickly.

"Not me," Jesse said more calmly.

"Not me either," Ryder lied.

Gunther snorted. "So, it's me then, isn't it?"

"I swear, no one touched her," Ryder continued, raising his hands in surrender.

"Liar," I muttered under my breath, body turning stiff as soon as I felt his eyes on me.

"Ryder," Gunther said in a warning tone. "Don't force me to lay a hand on you."

"I didn't touch her, I swear! She's the one who fell on her face."

Hit him already, I said in my head. Kill him.

"And why the hell did she fall on her face?" I watched Ryder suppress a huff that almost escaped when Gunther continued with a faint growl, "Ryder. Don't try to act smart when I'm around."

I frowned to myself.

Him partly standing up to me was one thing, but how did he figure out that someone hit me or was the cause that I got hit?

I then felt a hot substance right above my lips and touched it with my knuckles.

So that was why...

"Don't repeat it." I hoped his tone was enough for him to not consider it again, because this jerk felt like the guy who liked to cross other people's lines of patience. "Understood?"

I hoped I was wrong though.

"Yeah, sure." Ryder turned his head to the other side and released a quiet huff. Like a kid.

I finally decided to steal a glance at Gunther to find him standing in his fully glory from head to toe in black; and not a single other color, except for the two red scribbles painted where his eyes should be. The red scribbles that seemed to be painted with blood.

His black mask and black hair poking out added less color to his appearance, making me confirm that he was up to no good.

I didn't know what I was expecting. Maybe his face without the mask, just like Jesse.

I didn't get the chance to take in any more details about him because when I took another glance, he had already taken the corner to the stairs.

"Feed her until I come back." Gunther's voice was far away now as he descended the stairs.

"I'm coming with you." Jesse went after him, walking past Ryder and Chase.

I sighed, not attempting to move from my place.

Did Gunther just threaten him to not touch me again? Why? I did know that they, surely, couldn't kill me, but hitting me though... Did their Boss warn them or something? Warn them to not lay a single finger on me?

I then cursed under my breath when a headache started to form. My head was still groggy from waking up. I needed food right now, or else I might not function properly for the rest of the day.