The Devil's Angel (The Devil's Assistant Series Book 4)

The Devil's Angel - Chapter 14

I had barely slept an hour. The shudders which continued to rock though my body allowed me no respite. Every part of me ached. Even my stomach ached from the lack of sustenance. They had forgotten to feed us or give us any water. It was probably another of their inhumane tests. I refused to break and beg for it – my pride wouldn't let me. Pride didn't stop me from feeling hungry and thirsty.

Instead I set about planning the escape. I didn't have much of a plan. I only knew that I needed to remove the wristband if we were going to have even a tiniest sliver of hope. There was no way I could live with myself if I managed my own escape but failed to save anyone else.

Staring at my wrist, I felt dread at what I had to do. I knew it would hurt - a lot. It was probably why I had hesitated for so long. I had used the excuse that I needed to regain my strength to do it. That I needed to allow myself to recover – it was lie. I was afraid – afraid of the pain even after everything I had already endured within captivity.

Drawing in a deep breath, I dragged myself over to the bars of the cell. It took all of my strength to do it. My body was heavy and my arms were weak, struggling to support me. My breathing was loud but everything was silent. The others were catching up on rest while they could. We had been promised a slight reprieve before tomorrow's main even. I dreaded to think what that could even involve. Our dreaded captors would never cease to surprise me with the new ways they found to torture us.

Turning my head away, I placed my wrist, right at the juncture below my thumb, against the bars of the cell. For the first time, as I felt it stab into my skin, I felt the spiky metal was something here to help us. Pressing my lips together, I steeled myself against the hurt to come. And then I dragged my arm against the bar. I repeated the movement over and over again. At first I was grateful for the slight numbing qualities the bracelet provided; it meant that I did not feel the initial pain.

Eventually even the bracelet was ineffective against the pain I was inflicting upon myself. After a few pulls the flesh on my hand was shredded and my hand was slick and bloody. I hissed at the sharp bite of the metal as I dragged my arm back and forth once more. The sensation was enough to make me queasy but I refused to stop and I refused to.

Digging my fingers around the cuff, my broken finger nails scrambling for purchase, I tried to pull and felt the slightest give. But it wasn't enough. Glancing down at my hand, I tried to feel horror at the sight of my mangled flesh.

"Okay, I can do this." I murmured, drawing in a deep breath and then releasing it slowly between my teeth.

Raising my hand above my head, I closed my eyes. For a moment everything was still – held upon a precipice from which there was no going back. And then I moved, my arms gliding through the air seamlessly as I brought my hand down as hard as I could. Pain shot though my injured hand and the cry escaped my lips before I could stop it.

Again I raised my hand above my head and slammed it down on the ground as hard as I could. It smacked against the floor and I felt something crack and shift within my hand. I moaned loudly as dark spots danced across my closed eye lids.

"Savannah?" Casper whispered into the darkness, his voice hoarse from lack of use. Or maybe it was from the screaming he had done the day before. His injuries had been extensive and I would never have looked down at someone if they had to scream out their pain in order to endure.

"I'm okay." I choked out, my breath stuttering as I peeled my eyes open to stare at my mangled hand.

Wrapping my fingers around the bracelet, nails under the edged, it stuck tight. I wiggled and pulled again and it finally moved. I felt the underside of the bracelet rip through my flesh as I pulled. The broken bones in my hand shifted and with one last pull, the metal cuff was off.