The Messiah [1]

14: Athena

The smell of cologne was overwhelming; Athena woke with a start, her body slow to respond as she tried to roll from the bed, seeking the safety of the space beneath its metal frame. Instead she fell to the floor with a thud, her eyes bleary from sleep. For a moment, silence reined as her brain caught up to her surroundings; then it was slowly replaced by her heavy breathing, and the squeak of boots on concrete as someone walked toward her.

"Oh dear," A familiar voice chided, drawing a shiver from Athena. "I hope you didn't hurt yourself."

Unwilling to leave her back exposed to the king for another second, Athena rolled swiftly, launching herself to her feet with the lethal grace of a cat. For a second, her momentarily confusion dissipated, and everything was in vivid clarity. The king stood in the center, polished suit replaced by a dirty tee-shirt and jeans. Guards stood stiffly on the threshold of the room, their guns lowered as they waited for a command.

"Why are you - " Athena hissed the words but before she could finish, the king punched her so hard in the face she felt the skin of her lip burst; warm blood oozed down her chin, and she crashed onto the concrete with a bone jarring smack that sucked her right back into the darkness.

Φ

Fingers danced through her hair, and Athena sighed in bliss for a moment as she regained consciousness. Then reality hit her in the face like a bucket of ice water. Choking on a scream, she threw herself back, bare feet scrabbling against the cold floor. A cruel laugh echoed in the empty cell, followed by a heavy pressure against the back of her skull as the king tightened his grip on her hair.

"So you've finally awoken?" He asked, brown eyes glittering in pleasure when she gasped in pain. "I was beginning to believe you never would... and that would be no fun at all."

Raw fear burned its way through her body as Athena took in their surroundings; four stone walls surrounded them, and the door stationed behind the king was the only way out. There wasn't even furniture in the cell - save for the chair she sat on and a table that was pressed up against one of the walls.

Releasing her hair, the king took a step back, hands behind his back as he examined her; his expression once more indifferent. "You have no witty banter? No clever words to throw at me?"

Athena gritted her teeth, "Go straight to hell."

The blow came too fast for Athena to see, the back of his hand catching her across the face and throwing her from the chair. She tasted blood again, stars dancing in front of her eyes - but she'd wanted this. With startling speed, she leapt from the ground and dashed towards the door; but just as her hand brushed the knob, fingers tangled in her short hair once more and yanked her back. She crashed to the ground, her elbows stinging and her vision blurring.

"That was clever." The king laughed, squatting down until he could grab her by the face; his thick hands gripping her cheeks and pulling her partially upright. "I'm actually impressed with you - so how about this? If you can make it past me and out of the door, I won't come after you. I won't even send guards after you."

Athena's mind took a moment to catch up to his proposition, sluggish and focused on all the pieces of her that throbbed; she felt broken and battered. There was no more whole - just pieces of what used to be her.

Hands fell from her cheeks as the king stood, rocking on his heels as he looked down on her, anticipation shinning bright in his eyes. "If you can't get past me though, I'm going to make you tell me where the rebellion is hiding."

Growling, Athena pushed herself to her feet even though her legs shook under her weight. She wouldn't submit to him - not this man who called himself king and unjustly killed her people under the guise of law. Athena's stomach churned when she saw the unbridled pleasure the king derived from her pain; like a dog catching the stench of prey.