Chapter Seventeen: Murky
Rey had stopped trying to comprehend the inner workings of her captor. He had gone a step further after his mask, removing her bonds as well and even leaving them aboard the ship. Seeing his face for the first time since Starkiller Base was like a piece of flotsam from her dream, except that it bore a simpering smugness it hadn't had earlier.
Through her surprise, she fought down an eyeroll, careful to keep her thoughts quiet. Think you're clever, do you? No mask or restraints will make me trust you? I'm still a prisoner against my will!
She couldn't tell whether to be annoyed at how severely he underestimated her, or amused at how unsophisticated his logic was.
Kylo Ren is no master manipulator, she realized. At least not when it comes to me.
Rey turned their handful of exchanges over in her head, finally gleaning his pattern.
Lurk. Bait. Fume. Threaten. Withdraw. Repeat.
Physical harm was occasionally sprinkled in as well, just for fun
So, he wants to be my teacher? Why? To give up Skywalker and forsake the whispers?
Rey bit her lip. That didn't explain much. He could have just brought her to this 'Snoke' figure, and had the information tortured out of her there. Why would he need to hide her away, if not…
… to save her for something more nefarious?
Rey rubbed her freed wrists, betraying none of her dark speculations as she snuck a glance at her abductor. Kylo walked with a confident spring in his step, and she wrinkled her nose in disdain.
Moron.
Her understanding of customs and underpinnings outside of Jakku was limited, but she knew what nefarious looked like on her homeworld. Rey had been accosted enough times at Niima Outpost to have gotten a thorough education on male proclivities. She'd also learned a strategic, jerked-knee maneuver that never failed to make them continue on their way – after they'd picked themselves up from their downed, fetal positions.
Whatever Kylo Ren's true aims were, she doubted his master would appreciate his most powerful pet gallivanting off on his own to far corners of the galaxy without permission. She could only hope reprisal found him soon, conveniently overlooking her.