After one last look around our training room to make sure there was no evidence of our practice session left behind, I turned and began to walk back down the corner. I didn't get far when something strange made me stop. A door to one of the store rooms was open. These rooms were all abandoned, used by on me, Ari, Janco and Maren to train. Before I could work out was going on I felt a strong arm grab me from behind and pull me into the room. The next thing I knew I was being slammed against the cold stone walls and the door slammed behind me. Then there was the feeling of cold steel against my throat and I stopped breathing.
I stared into the face of my attacker. Nix. My first thought was to run, but he had me pressed too tight against the wall, his own body cutting off my escape. "You really should have listened to me you know. I told you to stop your training, you didn't listen, and now you're going to pay."
"What's it to you if I keep training? Why does it matter?" I desperately tried to keep him talking as I forced myself to suppress the panic building up inside me. I could feel the buzzing that always preceded my survival instinct rising in my throat but I pushed it back down.
"Your little antics having been making my boss angry and he told me to deal with it. Sadly I'm not allowed to kill you but he didn't say I couldn't have a little fun with you before I hand you over to him." He sneered at me as he pressed me in tighter, making it difficult for me to breathe.
"But why would Parffet-"He cut me off.
"Not that fat old ass. No, this is someone you are more familiar with. Brazell really wants to finish you himself." His sneering mouth widened even further as the shock and fear hit me. His rough hand that wasn't holding the knife started to caress my face. "I will hand you over to him but for know you are mine." His hand moved down and pressed between my legs. I forced myself to remain calm. I needed to get him to remove the knife from my throat. Doing the only thing I could think of I rocked my hips closer to him and moaned, while trying to keep the revulsion off my face. "I knew it. You are nothing but a murdering whore." He took the knife away from my throat and moved back and the other hand beginning to undo his trousers. I moved.
I grabbed the blade of the knife, the edges cutting into my palms, but at least this way he couldn't use it to stab me. My sudden reaction had obviously surprised him and he didn't have time to react before I twisted him arm round his back and yanked. There was a horrible sound as his arm was released from its socket. I spun in closer to him and struck my elbow into his solar plexus as hard as I could. I moved again planning to kick at his shins but he countered and grabbed me by the throat. He squeezed harder in his rage, blocking my airway and through me into wall. My head smacked onto the stone, blurring my vision. Before I could recover Nix rounded on me and punched me in the face. I could feel blood welling up in my mouth. He grabbed me by the hair and dragged me to the middle of the room. I put my hand up to try get him to release his hold and felt something sticky on my head. Blood. He threw me with force onto the floor, my head once again connecting with the stone. Lights danced in front of my eyes. There was a grunt from Nix as he pushed his arm back into its socket. Then, Nix grabbed at my top, trying to undo the buttons. Starting to regain my senses I struck out at him, my fist meeting his eye. He stepped back but still hovered over me and, from the floor, I kicked my foot out. There was the sound of bone breaking. I had hit his ribs.
A familiar voice sounded from the corner of the room. "You cannot win against him so what's the point in trying." I caught a brief glimpse of Reyad's ghost smiling at me from the corner of my eye.
I tried to stand up but Nix stopped me, pulling the knife out again. The next thing I knew pain blazed like fire in my side. I screamed out and he smacked me across the mouth, silencing me. He pressed himself on top of me, no longer trying to undo the buttons of my top. He simply ripped it open and went to do the same to my trousers. I flailed my arms out at him scratching and slapping him, all self defence moves forgotten. Desperation drove me know; anything to stop him. He succeeded in getting my trousers down to my knees and then flipped me over so that I could not fight back. As he did so the pain in my side doubled and expanded. It seemed he had left the knife in. As I had turned it had sank deeper and sliced a wider wound. I screamed again and Nixed pushed my face down as if trying to get me to sink into the stone. He kept the pressure behind my head so that I couldn't breathe.
Reyad's ghost laughed and cheered on Nix. "Looks like you made him angry, my sweet Yelena. He might just end up killing you despite what my father said. And then you and I can be together again." He laughed again, the sound ringing in my ears.
Nix grunted and as I started to suffocate I felt him enter into me. I tried to strike him with my elbows but I couldn't reach him. My head felt like it was spinning as I started to black out. In my last few seconds of consciousness I heard a bang and shouting. The last thing I sensed was the release of pressure as Nix's heavy weight was removed from my back, then it all went dark.
My eyes fluttered open and then I squeezed them shut again as I was blinded by the sudden bright white light. I tried to move but stopped and groaned as I was hit with a sudden sharp pain in my side. "Hey she's awake," I heard a voice call out. Janco's voice. I tired opening my eyes again. This time the light wasn't so blinding. I gave my eyes a second to adjust further and then looked around the room. I was in the infirmary. Ari and Janco both sat at the end of my bed. Valek and the medic were walking towards me from the other end of the room, summoned by Janco's call. I tried to sit up but once again the pain in my side stopped me and Ari spoke. "You shouldn't try to move. That wound in your side is pretty nasty."
I certainly wasn't going to protest. I had other priorities. "Where's Nix?"
Ari and Janco exchanged a look. Before they could answer Valek and the medic arrived at my bed. The medic then proceeded to check my bandages. I had bandages round my abdomen on my hands and on my head. I winced as she inspected my side. After the inspection she handed me a vial. "Drink this, it will help with the pain," she ordered me. Not entirely trusting her, I looked to Valek. He nodded to me in encouragement and downed it in one, almost choking on its sour flavour. The pain relief was almost immediate. Not knowing how long it would last, I used the opportunity to pull myself into an upright position. My whole body burned with the effort and my head swayed.
"How are you feeling?" the medic asked me. Stupid question. And by the looks on my friends' faces I wasn't the only one thinking this. "Dizzy," I answered. Straight to the point and truthful while still avoiding the obvious.
"That's to be expected. You have a severe concussion. In fact, I'm surprised your skull isn't fractured."
"Lucky me" I said, my voice dripping with sarcasm. The medic looked taken aback and embarrassed at which point Valek stepped in.
"You are dismissed," he said to the medic. She looked like she wanted to protest but guessed that this was not the right time to disobey Valek's orders. I watched as she walked to her office at the other end of the room. No one spoke until she was inside and her door was closed. "Ari, Janco, you both have work to do, go do it." They both looked surprised to be dismissed by Valek, but like the medic, knew Valek would not stand for any protests.
"We'll be back in to see you later," Ari promised, hugging me gently. Janco bent down and kissed my forehead and then they both walked away. I looked around and realised that my bed was the only one in the infirmary that was occupied. With Ari and Janco Exited, it left me and Valek alone. He sat at the end of my bed and sighed. He looked at me and opened his mouth to speak.
"Don't," I stopped him. "Don't say anything, please." I rested my head back and looked at the ceiling, avoiding his piercing stare. I took a couple of deep breaths and then asked my unanswered question again. "Where's Nix?"
"Dead." I looked at him to be sure he wasn't lying as if that would actually work. I could never read Valek. He was too much of a closed book but I didn't really see why he would lie about it. I let out a breath I didn't know I had been holding. I felt like crying but there was no way I was going to in front of Valek.
"How long do I need to stay in here?" I looked at him pleadingly. The last thing I wanted was to be stuck in this bleak ward waiting for permission to leave. Valek seemed to sense this.
"Just until the wound on your side has healed enough that you can walk around without too much worry. After that you will go back to your room in my suite. It will be easier to keep you out of trouble there. You have been given a week off from your food tasting duties for the moment." I simply nodded in answer. Valek gave me one last look over and rose to leave. He turned his back and started for the exit.
"Thanks. That's twice you've saved me." It had been his voice I had heard shouting at Nix before I passed out, his face that had been the last thing that I had seen.
"You're welcome," he said with sincerity and then walked out. And I was on my own. Well not quite; it seemed I would always have Reyad's ghost for company. He sat at the end of my bed where Valek had been only moments ago.
"Aren't we having a swell time here," he joked. "You should have chosen the noose Yelena, it would have been better for you." I knew he was only saying this to weaken me but, considering things stood at the moment, I had to agree with him.