Page 10 of A Broken Promise

Was the Moon Goddess ever aware of the sheer hell this world has become? Were any of the gods aware? Or did they just not care anymore?

The guards and I would have the keys,Brita mentioned before she left.

Dimitriihad the key.

My thoughts clattered against each other, a panicking, uncontrollable crowd. I pushed through them all. I wouldn’t give in. I wouldn’t let my mind snare me into overwhelming panic.

First, survive the night,I commanded myself.Deal with Dimitrii.

Then, we will deal with tomorrow.

One problem at a time.

It dawned on me that I was on borrowed time. The last candle barely flickered in the dark. The room was small, and the windows even smaller. I knew escape was not an option, yet naively, I still jerked the handle. It didn’t give. Locked tight in place.

Fight, it is then.

I analyzed each part of the bedroom for something I could use as a weapon. The room was simple; bunk beds by the door, vanity across from it with the bucket to the right. So far, my best option was to hit him with a wooden toy horse. “Better than anything else,” I whispered to myself, grabbing the toy.

I climbed to the upper bunk; that way, he’d have to drag me down and I’d have the upper hand. He was strong enough to do it, but it would be more difficult for him.

I sat on top of the bunk bed with the thoughts still racing through my head.Breathe, I willed myself.Breathe. I could risk breaking a window to use a piece of glass. But then if he didn’t show up, they’d assume I was trying to escape and shackle me again. And I really enjoyed even this ounce of freedom.

I thought about ripping my nightgown and creating a strip long enough to choke him, but I saw a man being choked to death once. It required significantly more strength than I had, especially against a large, well-fed Royal guard. A mirror shard was the most lethal availableoption to me at the moment but shattering a mirror would be loud and obvious.

I threw scenarios at myself, one after another after another. Again and again, what if that, what if this. All of them landed at the same conclusion.

I was a sheep about to be slaughtered.

I sat still in my upper bunk, holding tight to the smooth, carved toy. The bed was so soft and nice compared to the barren caves I was used to sleeping in. And yet, I would gladly trade it for the stone walls if it meant that I could listen to Viyak’s heartbeat against his chest as he cradled me.

Please live, I’ll find my way back to you. Ipromise.

I.

Promise.

I cringed as those words swung across my thoughts.

How selfish!

How utterly selfish of me to ask him to live, to wait for me, while I would never make it back to him. For him to spend his days enduring each for me. Foolish. So, so foolish.

“Screw it,” I said out loud as I climbed down my bed and shattered the mirror with the wooden horse. It was loud and took more tries than I had hoped.

But victoriously, I picked the sharpest piece and ripped a strip off my long night gown to wrap around it. I hadn’t even finished wrapping it all up as a loud click sounded straight behind my back and a second later, my door soundlessly opened.

As if operating on some ancient instinct, I silently moved behind the door. My candle was already out, and the room was filled with a pure moonlight glimmer. A tall figure appeared in the frame.

“Wakey-wakey, little bitch, your Lord is here,” Dimitrii whispered. I didn’t see his face but felt the bile in his words. He was still dressed in the same leathers from earlier. I clenched my jaw as my heart pounded. Shit. This was going to be much harder to break through with my makeshift knife.Eyes it is, then.

I watched him check the bottom bed first and then the top. Justwhen he realized I wasn’t there, he rapidly turned back to the door. I lunged at him as fast as I could, a long shard of glass aimed at his eyes.

“You bitch!” he shrieked as I stabbed and sliced his cheek wide. Not. Fast. Enough.

So close to the eye, yet I missed. Too quickly, he punched my eye so hard I trembled down to the ground. Still holding on to my only weapon, I stabbed his foot.

He squealed. Pissed off, he kicked me hard with his other foot.

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