The Whipping

Chapter 30

"What?" I mumbled as I stared at Rosalina's small frame in front of me, her brows furrowed and her bottom lip slightly poking out.

"I left with my mother just like Joanna told me to, but I had to come back Eliza. I won't let you die; I would never forgive myself," whispered Rosalina, stepping closer to the cell, allowing me to see just how watery and glassed over her eyes were.

"Did you know Theo and I were going to be thrown into that river?" I asked, shaking my head.

Rosalina nodded, looking guilty. "Joanna wanted to test Logan. She wanted to get his reaction to your near death, to try and confirm if you two were mates, but, after, she still wasn't completely sure because you seemed to be spending most of your time at Theo's side.

I was always going to save you, she asked me to, because she didn't want you to die that way, but I also wanted to save you, because I couldn't let you die."

"Why was Theo thrown in as well? Rosalina, he's on the brink of death because of this."

"Theo was just in the wrong place at the wrong time," whispered Rosalina, looking down.

"When is Logan coming?" I asked, feeling the heavy brick-like feeling in my heart lift slightly, finally feeling some hope.

Rosalina shook her head. "He's not, Eliza."

I furrowed my dark brows, confused, shaking my head. "What do you mean?"

"I'm not telling Logan where you are. He'll act impulsively and charge down here, Joanna will have the upper hand. It'll end up getting everyone killed."

"Rosalina, are you actually being serious? Tell my mate where I am right now!" I growled, slightly raising my voice, causing Rosalina to panic and hush me, shaking her head.

"Be quiet! If anyone finds out I'm trying to save you, I'll be killed, and then you will never get out of here. Eliza, I know it's hard, but you need to trust me on this."

I shook my head, running my hands through my tangled hair. "How am I supposed to trust you?"

Rosalina shrugged, furrowing her brows. "Because right now, what other option do you have?"

I covered my face with my dirty hands, sliding down the cold stoned wall, allowing tears to dribble down my cheeks. I wanted everything to be back to the way they were before.

I loved Logan. I knew that, but everything was so much easier before he came into my life. That was a given, but I wouldn't trade him for anything. I just wanted a normal life.

I wanted to work, and have children, and a loving husband. I didn't want this to be the norm for my life. My life had been completely flipped upside down, and my head was struggling to cope.

I had been thrown in at the deep end, and I felt like I was drowning.

My life really hung in the balance, but Rosalina was right. What other options did I have? Rosalina was my only hope, and I didn't exactly have anything to lose. Right now, it looked like I was going to die either way.

Suddenly, the sound of footsteps echoed throughout the small room, and I knew by the clinking of heels hitting the tunnel floor, it was Joanna.

She sauntered in, squinting her eyes at Rosalina as she made her way into the room, dragging the chair she was previously sitting on into the middle of the room, adjusting the tiny light on the ceiling so it was pointing down at the chair.

I gulped, unsure of what she was planning.

"Right, you," said Joanna as she pointed to me, unlocked the cell door and pulled it open, glaring at me.

"What are you doing?" asked Rosalina, her form shaking as she stepped forward, attempting to reason with Joanna.

Joanna ignored her, grabbing me by the hair and pulling me over to the chair, shoving me down into it.

She smirked at me before turning to Rosalina, pulling a small flip knife out of her pocket and plopping it into Rosalina's hand, squeezing it together to force Rosalina to grip it.

I turned my gaze towards Emily, who was watching the scene unfold with sorrow filled eyes, before dropping her head and shaking it, as if she knew what was about to happen.

"You want Logan dead so badly, that I assume you'll do what I say in order to make sure that happens," sneered Joanna, stepping back and crossing her arms over her chest, leaving Rosalina facing me, gripping a knife.

"What?" mumbled Rosalina, dropping her head, allowing it to hang loosely.

"Prove to me you really want this Rosalina," said Joanna, forcing Rosalina to squeeze her eyes shut.

"What do you want me to do?" Rosalina whispered, lifting her head to peer at Joanna's tall frame through thick dark lashes.

"Stab her," ordered Joanna, her voice emotionless, showing no signs of hesitancy.

Rosalina's eyes widened, and she gazed at me, her bottom lip quivering. "I can't kill her."

Joanna rolled her eyes, moaning. "I didn't say kill her, I said stab her. I want her alive so I can do that when Logan arrives."

Rosalina shook her head, her eyes welling up with tears.

"Come on Rosalina, how much do you really want to be free? How much of all of what you said earlier was true? You didn't really think you could barge in here without being tested first, now did you? You know how I work, so do what I say, or I'll kill you and your mother myself."

I gazed up at Rosalina as she stared into my eyes, and I could practically see the cogs turning in her mind. If she didn't pass Joanna's test, she'd die, and so would Emily and I.

I watched Joanna until she seemed distracted, her stare settled on Rosalina's frozen body, and when I was sure Joanna wouldn't notice, I sent Rosalina a quick nod, telling her I knew she had to do it, and I was okay with it.

I tilted my head back slightly, sending my mind off to a far away place, trying to to think about the pain I knew I was about to endure.

I would heal, I knew that, although the wolfsbane in my system would make the healing process much more difficult, but I didn't have any other choice.

I watched as Rosalina moved towards me slowly, her heavy breathing echoing throughout the dark dingy room.

I gulped as I watched Rosalina squeeze her eyes shut as she lifted the small flip knife into the air, hovering it above my left thigh.

The seconds seemed to pass so slowly, and I could practically feel my heart beating in my throat as I began to sweat, my hands quivering in front of me. Rosalina gritted her teeth, shaking her head as her clammy hand gripped the knife even harder, causing her hand to turn white.

Then, she plunged the knife into my leg...

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