A Hero In The Dark

Chapter 31: Thou Shall Not Despair

I'm left in silence, staring at Henri's broken body. How did he even get here? Did he come looking for me? Or did the mogs find him? What happened to Six? Where's Pixie? If anything happened to them; I take a breath. My mind is spiraling. I don't know what to think.

"Henri," I start slowly, unsure of what to say or think. I feel my eyes become heavy with tears. My heart breaks at the thought that Henri is now thrust into the same situation as me. "What happened?"

Due to the gag, he is unable to reply; and I instantly feel bad for asking a question that Henri cannot possibly answer.

Henri bows his head as if in sadness and shame. Setrákus Ra answers for him.

"He made the stupid decision to run in here searching for you," Setrákus Ra explains. "It was not long before we caught up to him. Though he is just as persistent as you; he has refused to give me any information. I assure you both; today is the day that I finally get answers."

I look to Henri nervously. He looks to me.

There is fear in his eyes as an eerie silence spreads. I don't know what to say. This can't be happening.

I doubt Henri would ever make such a careless decision to run in here alone to find me. If he did willingly run in here on his own, he must've had a reason. Although, if Six hasn't noticed that Henri is missing or hasn't returned yet, she will soon; and by then, she'll likely figure he's here. If Six runs in too, seeking us, who knows what will happen. Legacies or no legacies. Setrákus Ra is likely awaiting the arrival of more Garde so he can kill them in front of us. Of course, he doesn't know how many Garde Henri and I came with, but I'm sure that wouldn't stop him from preparing for an ambush of sorts.

"Well, shall we get started?" Setrákus Ra asks; it's clear he isn't expecting an answer.

He picks up a curved dagger from the table of torture instruments and makes a delicate show of displaying it to me.

I gulp.

Then he walks toward Henri, who doesn't move. Only when Henri feels the tip of the blade against his forearm does he flinch and grimace in agony.

"Start talking human," he says strictly, eyeing me with glee.

"No!" I shout, attempting to stop him from dealing any pain to Henri. Though it does nothing.

Setrákus Ra begins by making small incisions on Henri's forearms, enough to make Henri scream beneath the gag. I cry when I see his pain and force myself to look away. I close my eyes, but it does nothing; for I can still hear his pain.

"I can do this all day; but judging on this Loric here, I do not believe he will last much longer. Seems to me you are both running out of time," Setrákus Ra states, turning to me while keeping the dagger at Henri's forearm. "It is completely up to you to decide what the end result will be. I am giving you the opportunity to save him Emily. All you have to do is answer one question."

I don't want to do it. I know what will happen if I give up the information. It'll be the same as what happened to Six and Katarina. Whether I talk or not, Henri could die.

"Please. Don't do this," I beg with tears in my eyes. "Don't hurt him."

Stone-cold and emotionless, Setrákus Ra doesn't miss a beat, "Just answer one question: where are the Garde hiding?"

I watch Henri through bleary eyes as Setrákus Ra keeps the dagger dangerously close to his chest. He shakes his head as he tries to speak through the gag, only incomprehensible mumbles sounding out.

Curious, Setrákus Ra lowers his gag and lets it rest against his chest. With a harsh breath in, Henri speaks, "Torturing me- to get- to her? You must be some kind of fool."

It almost makes me smile to see Henri speak so confidently despite his pain. Almost. But I don't. Instead, I stare at him with nothing but fear.

Setrákus Ra only chuckles dryly and says, "Please. Do not judge my methods too harshly until you have seen my objective completed, Lorien scum." Then he looks back to me attentively. "Come on human. I am running out of patience," he urges.

I stare at Henri, absolutely terrified for his life. He returns a similar stare and shakes his head, resembling the annotation to keep silent. So I do.

I remain silent, for Henri.

Setrákus Ra swipes the blade across Henri's cheek and I have to force myself to turn away, my eyes closed and teeth gritted.

Still, as difficult as it is, I force myself to stay quiet.

Setrákus Ra, beginning to get frustrated, withdraws the blade from Henri's cheek and walks back to the table. I breathe a silent sigh of relief. Though it quickly diminishes when I see him grab a larger blade with a diamond edge.

"You have done excellently thus far Emily. I bet you have made this Loric proud," he starts again. I glare at Henri to find a glimmer of hope in his eyes. "However, your chance at redemption has run thin," he adds.

I'm hardly able to put his words into meaning before he throws the large diamond blade across the room, directed at Henri's chest. All I can do is scream one word: "NO!"