Page 20 of Monsters In Her Head

Chapter 12

“Again,” Beautine signedfor the hundredth time in the last hour.

My arm burned and was seconds away from falling off. Beautine said my arm strength was lacking and if I wanted to slice Cal’s head off, I’d have to get a lot stronger. Hence the relentless swinging.

“Switch.” Beautine gestured with her hands.

With an exhausted sigh, I moved the sword to my other hand. I wouldn’t complain. I needed to do this. I had to do this.

Just imagine Cal’s smug face as my sword sliced through his neck. Of course, I wouldn’t make it that easy for him. First, I’d tie him down so he couldn’t get away. If I cared about anyone hearing him I’d shove a dirty rag in his mouth like Luis used to hold his hand over mine, the stinking sweat of his palm burning into my face.

Then I’d carve into him bit by bit. Each slice was deeper than the last until I covered his body in cuts. We’d be twins in that aspect. Maybe I would cut my name into his flesh, right across his dick that he pressed against me every time he cut into me. He might not have raped me but he had violated me in a whole other way.

My eyes burned, and my chest grew tight. I couldn’t even see the training room or Beautine anymore. All I saw was Cal and Luis’s grinning faces. Enjoying every minute of my pain. Every tear that streaked down my face, just like the blood that had stained so many of my clothes. It had taken Aryn forever to clean them in secret.

A hand grabbed my shoulder, and I screamed, swinging around my sword lifted in the air. Beautine caught it before it cut her head off, blood dripping off her hand and onto the dirt floor. I dropped the sword with a horrified gasp, rushing to Beautine’s side.

“I’m sorry. I’m sorry,” I signed as well as spoke out loud. I grabbed her wrist, trying to see the extent of her injury.

Beautine shrugged and pulled her hand away to sign to me. “I’m fine. You aren’t the first to injure me.”

My lips pressed together in a tight frown. “But I shouldn’t have gotten so distracted.”

Placing her good hand on my shoulder, Beautine smiled, her lips moving slowly. “I am proud of you. Your strength of body now matches the strength in your heart.”

My eyes burned for a whole different reason now. I threw myself at the female drake, wrapping my arms around her middle and burying my face in her neck. Beautine’s chest rumbled with laughter beneath my face, while she patted me on the back.

Rubbing my eyes, I withdrew from her with a sad smile, signing, “You have been a good friend. Thank you.”

Beautine tried to sign back but winced, the pain in her hand giving her away.

“Come on,” I spoke aloud. “Let’s go to the infirmary.”

We walked in companionable silence on the way to the infirmary. A few drakes greeted us with a nod or a word. To my surprise, a couple of them even used the sign for hello.

The drakes had enough forethought to keep the infirmary close to the training area. If we’d been at the palace, we’d have had to come inside, go up four flights of stairs before winding up and around the tallest tower to get to the physician's study. Even then he’d have lectured you the whole time about taking care of yourself. If he was even available. The majority of the time we’d find old coots passed out on a patient’s cot stinking of alcohol.

There weren’t many drakes in the infirmary. I’d noticed they heal a lot faster than humans and most of them didn’t even bother to get treated. I knew that Beautine was just humoring me by letting me bring her here. Either way, it made me feel better about my transgression to take care of her.

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