A day late again. Had such high hopes this week, only for it all to be wrecked by some little bumps on my left hand. Turns out, I have shingles! Man, I really need to stop with the random ailments this year. So my left hand is bandaged up and kinda sensitive, plus my arm hurts constantly, but I still wanted to get this chapter done, as it's been a long time in the making. More on that later (you know, because you haven't read the chapter yet). Once again, I'll hope that next week is calmer and let's me get things done on time, but we'll see.
Also, big thank you to TerraCut017 for the quick encouragement. A little angry at FFN for not notifying me of the new review, but it was a great pick-me-up after a rough week.
Punishment, it turned out, only worked if the person being punished had anything to lose. Pika had squirmed and protested as the two older teens recounted what they saw, not pulling any punches on either of them. After all, they hadn't done anything wrong, so why should they take sides? All they had to do was share what they saw and be set free. Madam de Thom even thanked them for their help afterwards.
When they brought up Pika grabbing Nila's ear and hurting her, Pika nearly sank into his seat under Madam de Thom's blistering glare. He tried to push back, to claim they were wrong or even lying, but Madam de Thom only grew angrier at his outbursts. Adam's refusal to object, even when they got to his part, didn't help much. Where Pika lashed out like the petulant child that he was, Adam accepted each detail without much care. He knew he'd get in trouble, but why should he care.
Pika's punishments didn't sound too bad to Adam, even if Pika complained as if it were the end of the world. Some extra chores and an apology to Nila. The first would eat up a bit of free time, while the latter was common courtesy - not that Adam expected that much out of Pika. Still, Nila would enjoy having him grovel to her, especially since Madam de Thom would be there to make sure he did it properly. A little embarrassment, some extra work, and he'd move on with life. His lackeys got off even easier. Since they hadn't technically done anything wrong - they only fought after Adam attacked Pika - a single morning of helping Pika with extra chores was more a warning than anything.
Adam waited for his turn at the executioner's block without much concern. He'd already lost his family, Eve, Nila…pretty much everything that mattered to him. What more could they really take from him? His free time? He barely had any of that. Extra chores might even be nice right now, if only to fill those lonely hours avoiding Nila until things died down a bit. Would she demand an apology to Pika? Yeah right. He wouldn't waste his breath on that scumbag. There was nothing Madam de Thom could do to him at this point.
To her credit, the older woman realized her conundrum too as she sat for a minute to think about how to deal with him. Adam smiled smugly at the woman, daring her to come up with anything that would phase him even the slightest.
His grin dropped as she accidentally struck gold.
"I'll leave your punishment to Alyssa," Madam de Thom decided. "I'll be busy with these three. She's dealt with you in the past, so I'll trust her to find a suitable punishment here."
Madam de Thom sat back, content to have found a solution that robbed Adam of his confidence. She likely didn't realize exactly why he paled at the announcement. At least, he hoped not. It was easier to believe her oblivious than to think she would actually condone Alyssa's behavior. Being ignorant didn't make her innocent, but better an incompetent's fool than a vile monster.
Speaking of monsters. "Well, what are you waiting for, Adam? Upstairs with you." Adam rose from his seat, ignoring the snarl from Pika as he passed the battered bully. As if he or his buddies meant anything to Adam. Going to see Alyssa again wasn't exactly part of the plan. Avoiding her would just get him in even more trouble, but nothing said he had to hurry. "Ricky. Make sure he goes straight there," Madam de Thom suddenly instructed one of the teens. "Wouldn't want him to get lost along the way."
Dang it. Well, there went that plan. Ricky didn't look thrilled to have another task as his counterpart was released for the evening. Adam had a distinct feeling his escort wouldn't want him dawdling as the boy walked right behind Adam every step of the way, shepherding him upstairs to the hated room. He even made sure to knock for Adam when they arrived.
"Who is it?"
"Ricky, ma'am," Adam's guard responded.
"Ricky?" The door slowly eased open. "What are you-" Alyssa's eyes widened when she noticed the second guest. "Adam?"
Eager to wrap things up, Ricky rushed to explain, "Adam got in trouble for a fight in the cafeteria. Madam de Thom told me to bring him to you. She said you'd take care of it."
Alyssa's pleasant smile couldn't quite hide the glint in Alyssa's eye. "Oh, don't worry Ricky. I'll make sure he receives a proper punishment." Ricky lingered for a moment, unsure as to what else he needed to do. "Thank you, Ricky. I'll make sure to tell Mother what a good job you did. Have a nice night."
Alyssa's words practically dripped with honey, but Adam knew how poisonous they could be. Still, it seemed to work on Ricky as he hurried off with a blush. Adam could only vaguely remember a time when he would've fallen for such a deceitful display. Unfortunately, he'd found out the truth the hard way.
"So eager to see me again, Adam? Come in." Adam trudged past her, jaw clenching as the door closed behind him. "Your second visit today, and with another friend?" Adam shivered as she passed by, both at her words and the fingers that traced down his arm. "I didn't know you swung that way."
Adam refused to rise to the bait, resigned to whatever she had planned. The sooner he got it over with, the sooner he could get away. Or, at least, he hoped.
Alyssa chuckled at his defiant silence. "Nothing to say? And after how generous I was earlier…"
Generous? He wouldn't exactly call what she'd made him do generous. Heinous, maybe. Vile. Evil. His mind unhelpfully pointed out how similar those two words were. Letter arrangement aside, he'd made the mistake of getting used to her, assuming things couldn't get any worse - that she couldn't stoop any lower.
He wouldn't make that mistake again.
"Going for the strong, silent type, eh? So what sort of trouble did you get up to today?"
A safer topic, though Adam made sure to leave certain parts - and certain people - out of it. "I got into a fight with Pika during dinner."
"Another fight? Never realized you were such a masochist." Adam had no idea what that meant, but he doubted it was anything good. "Should I expect another patient shortly?"
Probably not. He'd gotten some good hits on Pika, but much like his own injuries, there hadn't been anything too serious. Cuts. Scrapes. Bruises. All things that would smart in the morning but heal on their own. But she didn't need to know that. "Three of them."
"Three? My, my, Adam. You certainly don't do things in half measure, do you?" Alyssa leaned against her desk, letting Adam relax a little as she dragged on the conversation rather than whatever punishment she had in mind. "Then again, I already knew that. That's part of what caught my interest in the first place."
"Huh?" The question slipped out before he could stop himself.
"You were so…passionate about everything." The way she caressed the word made him squirm. "You refused to be satisfied with ordinary. You wanted the best, both for yourself and those around you. It was…invigorating. That's when I realized…you're just like me."
"I'm nothing like you," Adam growled. Or, at least, he refused to become like her.
Alyssa thought otherwise. "Aren't you? We both want more in life, Adam. We want to escape this prison and chase our dreams."
"Then why don't you leave?" Alyssa had complained before about being trapped, but what was stopping her from going? She was more than old enough to be on her own. If she decided to set out for somewhere new, Madam de Thom couldn't really stop her, could she? She'd let Idalia leave, so why not Alyssa. "I'm sure you could catch a ride with one of the caravans. Why stay here?"
"The same reason you took Nila with you, Adam. Well, not the same reason." Alyssa sighed as she looked out the window, watching some invisible memory dance in the evening light. "We all have our priorities. Even misguided ones. The point is, I can't leave now, no matter how much I want to."
Had it been anyone else, Adam might've asked for more, but he already knew far more about Alyssa than he ever wanted to. Whatever terrible life story or traumatic events she'd endured didn't justify who she'd become. He refused to feel any sadness on her behalf.
Alyssa didn't seem in any rush to share, either. "Oh well. My point is, we're different from everyone else here, Adam. They may be happy to putter around and survive, but people like us want to truly live. We have desires, and we do whatever it takes to pursue them. More than that, we have the strength for the pursuit. We take what we want and don't let anyone get in our way."
Their desires weren't the same, though. Alyssa was a monster, preying on those weaker than her for her horrid lusts. Adam just wanted to protect people - to protect his friends. But she was right that he wouldn't let anyone get in his way. Never again. If Pika thought he could get away with picking on his friends, then Adam would just have to stop him. If anyone dared to come after Alyssa or Erik, he'd put them in their place in a heartbeat, no matter the consequence.
Adam steadied himself, knowing their polite conversation had already begun to wind down. Whatever punishment awaited him, he'd endure it for them. For her. As horrible as the morning had been, Alyssa hadn't actually done anything to him yet. Not physically, at least. Adam dreaded to imagine what twisted things Alyssa had planned for them.
Which left him completely unprepared for her dismissal. "I'll let Mother know I'll handle your chores from now on. Maybe add a few for the next week or two, just to keep her off my back."
"That's it?"
What? You thought I'd work you to death for a little fighting?" Alyssa found his shock amusing as she explained. "Why would I punish you for being strong?"
"But I started a fight-"
"And Pika probably deserved it," Alyssa countered. "That boy's a little tool at the best of times. Almost wish I'd been there to see you pound him." Her muttered words were more than loud enough for him to hear before she went back to her explanation. "For whatever reason, you decided he needed to be hurt, and you acted on that. It would be pretty hypocritical of me to punish you for that right after I told you I was the same."
So he wasn't being punished for the fight? That didn't make sense…but it also presented a wonderful opportunity. After all, if he wasn't going to get in trouble for fighting, then there really wasn't any reason he shouldn't. As long as Pika deserved it, of course. He needed to test this theory. Immediately. "Pika isn't the type to let something like this go," Adam offered up, trying to ease into the new line of thinking. "He'll probably come after me once things quiet down again."
"Then go after him first." Adam had hoped for a free pass to defend himself, not encouragement to launch a preemptive strike. Still, he had a feeling his more reserved approach would be just fine with her. "Mother might get angry, but she's basically given up on punishing you. That's my job now, apparently."
One she didn't seem to take seriously. Not that Adam minded. He knew another fight with Pika was inevitable, and no amount of threats from Madam de Thom would prevent it. Not having to worry about the aftermath would be a welcome relief.
"Anyways, come to me for your chores tomorrow. I'll see if I can find a few extra things for you to do."
Adam edged toward the door, but just to be safe, he asked, "So I'm free to go?"
"Of course." Alyssa grinned, though she looked far too amused for Adam's liking. "Unless you wanted to stick around for a while. I guess I could entertain you for the evening."
"I-I'm good," Adam gulped, hesitating for only a moment at the door. When Alyssa didn't make a move, he darted out and away before she could change her mind.
/- - - - - - - - - -/
As it turned out, extra chores weren't that bad. If anything, it gave him a chance to learn more from the kitchen staff, since they had nothing better to do with the extra set of hands half the time. It wasn't fine dining, but they still knew all the important stuff. Cross-contamination. Proper internal temperatures. Basic seasoning. It also gave him something to focus on during the weeks after his fight with Pika.
As he'd expected, Pika hadn't forgotten their little brawl, though he came sooner than anticipated. The why was obvious. With his full crew, including an uninjured Clancy who had missed the last fight thanks to a stomach bug, waiting meant Adam could recover as well. They'd waited a whole two days before cornering him and trying to goad him into a fight. Pika always liked to rile someone up first and make them throw the first punch, if only to claim self-defense later.
He needn't have bothered.
With a green light from Alyssa to do as he pleased and knowing what the end result would be either way, Adam struck the moment Pika made the mistake of looking away, likely to make sure the coast was clear. He managed a few good hits before Pika's gang turned an almost fair fight into a beating. Even luckier, his initial yell as he charged the fool meant rescue wasn't far behind. Even if that rescue came in the form of a furious Madam de Thom.
Being without his friends was still awkward, though. Meals were swallowed in silence, though always with an eye on his former table in case Pika tried a repeat. The younger children at his new table just ignored him. One boy had tried to talk to him once, but Adam's stonewalling had quickly dissuaded him. He didn't want new friends. He wanted to be left alone.
Unfortunately, Erik seemed intent on solving the issue between him and Nila. Hardly a night went by without him trying to pry. Why couldn't he just accept that they'd had a messy breakup and move on? With Adam out of the way, Erik finally had the chance to go after Nila, but instead he kept trying to pick up the pieces for them. It would've been endearing if it wasn't so annoying to Adam right now.
There were no pieces to pick up. He hadn't just broken their relationship - he'd shattered it into a million tiny pieces, mixed it with the ashes of the bridge he'd burned, and then defecated on the remains. There would be no going back to how things were before. Instead, Adam did his best to discourage Erik and get him to give up, even if it never worked.
If Adam hoped Erik would get the message in time, he was sorely mistaken. Weeks passed without any sign of Erik backing down. He even ate with Adam from time to time, and while Adam appreciated the company, he would've preferred Erik keep Nila company. She was the one who needed a friend. She was the one who deserved a friend. Plus, the last thing Adam wanted was to force Erik to choose between them, even if he knew Nila would win that one easily.
As the weeks wore on, Adam did his best to keep himself occupied. With how empty the library was, he decided to rediscover his love of reading. Working out helped take the edge off a little. And every now and then, Pika even provided a decent distraction.
He'd gone after Nila again about a week after the dinner incident. When Erik found out and mentioned it to Adam, it had only taken a few minutes to hunt the bully down and knock some sense into him. Pika's next retaliation hadn't gone according to plan, either. And after that, Adam had a sudden realization.
Pika would never stop. No matter what happened, he'd keep coming after Adam. He saw Adam as a challenger - someone strong enough to stand up to him - and he couldn't stand it. No one ever fought back. Faced with someone who would, Pika probably thought he and his friends could beat Adam into submission.
But if Pika would never stop, then why should Adam wait for him each time? Fighting on Pika's terms meant four on one most of the time with no one watching. Pika made sure to tilt the odds in his favor as much as possible, leaving Adam with little hope of escape. As loath as he was to admit it, maybe Alyssa had a point. Maybe he shouldn't wait.
It felt a little wrong the first time. He'd fought Pika before, even attacked him without warning, but always for a reason. Usually, it was for picking on his friends. But hunting him down just for the heck of it, when he hadn't done anything to deserve it? Then he realized…didn't Pika always deserve it? Pika was a bully. He'd picked on people long before Adam met him, and not just his friends, either. He'd gone out of his way for years to belittle and harass anyone he could. Getting a little back now hardly measured up to his lengthy list of transgressions. Besides, if Pika spent all his time worrying about Adam, he wouldn't have the chance to mess with anyone else, right? And not only was he one of the only ones capable of challenging Pika, but he also didn't have to worry about repercussions. Aside from Pika trying to fight back, of course.
Alyssa proved her words true each time, adding a few pointless chores to his list for a short time, but otherwise ignoring or even encouraging his behavior. The extra chores, as she explained, were to keep Madam de Thom satisfied. She demanded punishment, but she didn't seem to know what to do with him herself and offloaded the responsibility on Alyssa each time.
It did, however, have one drawback. Alyssa enjoyed his newfound aggression a little too much. With how often he got sent to her office, it was only natural she'd take advantage of the situation. He couldn't fight back the way he did with Pika, though. He wasn't the only one with power, and hers was absolute. Pika could only threaten him with pain - something Adam was far too familiar with. Alyssa held so much more over him.
"Anything exciting happen today?" Alyssa asked as he settled down for their weekly tutoring session.
He knew what she meant. She wanted to know if he'd gotten into any fights. They both knew the answer, of course. He'd have been sent to see her if he did. Pika had kept an attack or two hidden early on, unwilling to risk losing face, but as the fights continued, Pika began to think ratting him out would actually do some damage. Sure, he had to sit through Madam de Thom's lectures, but Pika probably assumed he actually cared about the punishment that followed.
"I got to help cook the chicken for dinner." Alyssa might not have found it interesting, but it had been a big deal for him. It wasn't just mixing ingredients or stirring a pot. They'd let him do the entire process for the main entree tonight. The cook obviously checked each pan afterwards, just to be safe, but no one would be getting food poisoning tonight. Not from him, at least. "Other than that, not much."
Alyssa almost looked disappointed. It seemed she lusted for blood almost as much as flesh. But not in a zombie kind of way. Adam shook the random thought off. His mind had a habit of wandering of late.
"Your last test was a big improvement," Alyssa announced, laying the paper down in front of him. It wasn't perfect - the large "B+" on top making that obvious - but there hadn't been any major errors. More than that, he'd actually felt decently confident when he turned it in. It seemed like his extra studying, even if it was just to avoid his friends, had paid off.
Great. I'm a nerd. Ditching any sort of social life for more time hitting the books didn't exactly sound impressive.
"You keep getting tripped up by little things," Alyssa pointed to one such mistake, where he'd accidentally added something instead of subtracting, "but with a little work and better focus, I think we might see your first A's soon."
His first ones in math, that was. His other subjects were doing well, especially history. Fiction books were nice and all, but Adam much preferred reading about past battles and warfare. Historical fiction filled a nice gap, but real life stories held a much bigger fascination for him. Reading about real people accomplishing great achievements always felt cooler.
"Do you want me to rework the test problems?" Adam asked, pulling out some paper to get to work.
"Not much point," Alyssa shrugged. "You know the concepts. You just need to take your time and pay attention to the little things."
Adam set the test aside, sighing as he realized his usual stalling tactics wouldn't work. Without rework or even a worksheet to focus on, he had no way of avoiding her plans for the evening. She'd already moved over to the bed, making it clear the academic portion of the night was over.
Adam's resignation must've been obvious, even from behind. "Is it really so upsetting to spend some time with me, Adam?" Yes. He didn't dare answer. Better to just get it over with than anger her. "I guess we don't have to."
It's a trap! It had to be. Alyssa wouldn't let him off so easily. They didn't do…that…every time he came to her room, but she practically never missed a Friday. If anything, those nights were usually the worst. Letting him go wasn't just weird. It was unimaginable.
"So…what would you like to do, then?" A loaded question, if Adam had ever heard one. Asking to leave would upset her. Suggesting anything physical repulsed him. No answer would probably mean she got to choose, and he knew he wouldn't like that.
He needed something. Anything. His mind raced for some sort of activity. More homework? That would be a flimsy attempt at best. A headstart on tomorrow's chores? Preferable to her plans, but she'd see right through that. A walk? He preferred to keep those untainted by her. They'd gone for a walk before, back when everything was still innocent, though. It hadn't led to anything. It had even been kind of pleasant. They'd talked a bit and then went their separate ways.
Wait. That was it! Alyssa loved to talk. Whether she saw it as a chance to vent or just loved the sound of her own voice, it was probably one of the only answers she'd be okay with. Well, other than the ones he categorically refused to give.
"What was it like," he began, turning his chair to face her, "back before the orphanage?"
"Before?" Alyssa hummed the word, as if recalling memories from long ago. "It's…that was a long time ago. Back when Mother was…different."
"Different?" He had no idea what that meant and normally wouldn't care, but if it kept her hands off him, he was all ears. "How?"
"Less stressed," Alyssa explained. "Back before Dad died. He worked at the town hall. Used to coordinate all the trade with the merchant caravans back then. He'd tell me all the stories he heard from them at night. I used to love hearing about it all. That's why I wanted to travel so much - to see the world he always told me about."
That sounded…oddly nice. It was hard to imagine such a lovely scene with her at the center. "What happened?"
"He died." The answer was obvious enough. "Mother needed work, and the orphanage needed a matron, so here we are. Idalia left as soon as she was old enough, leaving me stuck here by myself. And now Mother's married to him. As if that fat slob could ever be half the man dad was." Alyssa hissed the words. "And that idiot son of his. Did you know he actually tried to ask me out once?"
"Your brother?" Was this whole family full of creeps?
"Step-brother," Alyssa quickly corrected. "And we weren't related back then. Would've been pretty awkward later on, I guess."
Adam wasn't sure what to think on that one. It wasn't like they were actually related just because their parents got married, but it still sounded gross. Not that it mattered, since nothing came of it here.
"Dad dies, Mother takes over the orphanage, and Idalia leaves, so who's left to pick up the pieces? Me." Alyssa pointed to herself for emphasis. "I've spent over half my life trapped inside these walls. I basically run the place most of the time while she just sits in her office. Is that fair?"
Adam shrugged in response. It didn't sound fair, but if she thought he'd care about a little unfairness in her life, she was sorely mistaken.
"So here I am, a woman in her prime, stuck babysitting a bunch of brats all day until they're old enough to leave. They get to move on, while I'm stuck here forever." Alyssa's hand slapped against the desk. "I keep this place running while she hides away. I take care of everyone, but no one cares about me. No one but you, Adam."
Oh, heck no! He didn't care about her. If she was on fire and he had a glass of water, he'd enjoy a few sips while watching her burn.
"That's why I've looked after you all these years," Alyssa cooed as she pushed away from the desk. "I've taught you. Took care of you when you were hurt. Loved you. All because you're different, Adam. Because you actually care." Adam nearly fell over as she sashayed forward, reaching out to gently cup her hand against his face. "And that's why I'm gonna do something special for you tonight."
Special? That didn't sound good. Unless her plan was to let him go and maybe go jump off a cliff, he had a feeling whatever she had planned would be more to her liking than his. Unbidden, his mind tried to guess what he'd be forced to endure. None of the options filled him with confidence.
But none were as bad as what she actually had planned. "Go fetch Nila."
"No!" Not again. He couldn't let her drag Nila in again. He'd promised to protect her. "Take me instead."
"Hm?" Alyssa paused, curious at his sudden offer.
"Take me," Adam repeated, trying to sound calm. "Y-you're right. I do care," he lied, fighting back vomit at her pleased smile. "Have some fun with me tonight, instead."
His muscles tensed as he fought to get the words out. He hated the idea, but if it meant Nila escaped harm, he'd do it. He'd thrown himself to the Beowolf to protect her. Now he would do the same to a much more heinous creature.
"Oh, Adam," Alyssa hummed, leaning forward to place a kiss on his cheek. "You're so sweet. But tonight's not about me. I want to give you something you want."
"I…want you." The words felt like a punch to his gut, leaving him short of breath as he continued. "I want it to just be the two of us."
"You're sweet," Alyssa said, a warm smile on her face, "but we both know that's not true. You want that Nila girl. Always have."
"No I don't."
"You do," Alyssa threw back at him. "I've seen the way you look at her. The way you watch her. You want her, Adam. So, take her. She's all yours tonight."
All yours. He dreamed of being able to claim her as his one day, but not in the way Alyssa thought. He'd fallen in love with her. He'd wanted the world for her. And when he'd found out he was her world, he wanted nothing more than to be hers forever. That's why he'd taken her with him. That's why he'd planned to start a new life together, far away from the horrors of Katai.
And that's why he couldn't obey.
"No." The words were barely more than a whisper.
"What?"
"I said…no." He repeated the word firmly, looking her in the eye with stubborn confidence. "You can do what you want to me, but not Nila. Not again."
He'd expected anger. Fury. Pain. Instead, Alyssa's smile widened. "There's that passion. So much emotion. So much conviction. If only you had that for me."
"I'll never feel anything for you," Adam hissed. "You're a monster. I won't let you hurt my friends."
Alyssa laughed. She actually laughed at his defiance. "A monster? If I'm a monster, then so are you, my little apprentice."
The look of terror in Nila's eyes came back to haunt him, but he pushed it away. "Maybe I am, but I won't let you hurt the ones I care about any more. You can have me, but not them."
"Oh, Adam." Alyssa shook her head softly. "I wasn't asking."
Adam gasped as her hand slid down to his throat and gripped tight, nails painfully pressing against his skin as she stepped forward, driving him back against the wall. Her pleasant smile vanished, washed away by a far more sinister look. Her eyes burned into his own as she squeezed just a little more.
"You're mine, Adam. I chose you. I gave myself to you. And in return, all I ask is that you do as you're told." Alyssa glanced over to her desk. "Or have you forgotten who's in charge here?"
Adam gasped for breath, holding his throat as she stalked away. A quick flourish of a small, silvery key had the locked drawer sliding open. She turned back to face him, wielding a blade that had memories slamming back into his mind.
Father Bernard's knife. His knife. The one she'd stolen so long ago. After so long, he'd nearly forgotten about it. That knife was the reason he'd given in so long ago. It represented power over him, both as blackmail and threat. It was the reason he couldn't resist her.
And at that moment, it meant nothing to him.
"Forget it, Alyssa," Adam spat, standing tall as he finally resolved to fight back. "I'm done with this. I'm done with you. So go ahead. Tell your mother about my knife, and I'll tell her everything. How you haven't been punishing me. How you encouraged me to fight. How you've been raping me all this time." Things he should've fought back against long ago, but none so much as her biggest transgression. "And I'll get Nila to tell, too. We'll tell everyone what you've done…unless you leave us alone."
Alyssa was right. He'd become more like her than she imagined. Broken. Twisted. But most of all, cunning. She wasn't the only one who could make deals.
"You leave me and my friends alone, and I'll keep my mouth shut." Alyssa didn't look thrilled at the turn of events, but he pressed on before she could recover. "A few years, and you'll never have to see me again. I'll take my friends and go, and you can do whatever you want. As long as it doesn't involve any of us."
I'll just find another. Can you really condemn someone else in your place? The answer was simple. Yes, he could. It sounded awful, but if it meant the ones he cared about were safe, he'd sacrifice an unknown in a heartbeat. They got to enjoy peace at his expense, so maybe it was time someone else suffered for him.
"I'm leaving now," Adam announced, moving to the door. His hand rested on the knob, but he waited long enough to deliver his final message. "If you ever even think about messing with me or my friends again, I'll make sure it's the last thing you ever do."
Alyssa glared at him, but made no move to stop him as he slowly opened the door. He'd done it! He was finally free! He'd suffered for so long, but all it took was a little resistance to drive her back. He could kick himself for not trying sooner, but right now, his feet would be too busy skipping away to freedom.
"If that's how you want it." Alyssa's words gave him pause, but he refused to turn back as he stepped out into the hall.
Only to be rooted in place by the shriek behind him.
"Adam, no! Ah!" Instinctively, Adam whipped around to see what was happening, only to watch as she threw herself against the wall. "Wha- Adam, why? Stop!"
The knife - his knife - sliced against her shoulder, tearing through the fabric of her shirt and drawing blood. She gripped her top, wrenching it open as a few buttons shot off under the sudden pressure.
"Somebody help! Help!" Another cut, this time across her thigh, before she plunged the blade into her arm with a sickening cry. "Stop it, Adam!"
With a final cry, she snatched the lamp off her nightstand and hurled it at her window, glass shattering in a final punctuation of her performance. Already, he could hear people outside yelling and the distant stamping of feet as everyone ran to see what was happening.
The sudden veneer of calm that came over Alyssa made her a thousand times more frightening as she turned to him, blood dripping onto the floor from the knife still lodged in her arm. Just for good measure, she smeared some on her face, then calmly began to take off her pants, tossing them aside without a care. Stood there, half undressed, bloody, and with his knife still stuck in her, Adam realized what she'd done.
He'd assaulted her. At least, that's what everyone would think. Why wouldn't they? He'd come up for his usual tutoring session and been left alone with her. He'd heard the whispered words among the older boys about how lucky he must be - how they'd love to be in his shoes. Obviously, he'd finally given in to those same desires and tried to force himself on her. The truth didn't matter. No one would believe him. No one would believe she'd done this to herself.
Which left only one option.
Adam ran. He bolted down the stairs, shouldering past a few teens that were headed in the opposite direction. At the last second, one of them tried to stop him, but he shoved their hand away and kept going. Down the hall. Out the door. Into the cold night air.
Adam didn't know where to go, but he knew he couldn't stay. Nothing good awaited him here. The orphanage was a commotion of sound and lights as everyone scrambled to find out what happened. He could imagine Alyssa already spinning a tale for everyone and turning them against him. So he kept running, trusting that wherever he went would be better than where he'd been.
His feet carried him to a familiar stable. He sprinted through until he reached Eve's familiar stall, thanking the gods that she was still there. Without hesitating, he grabbed the nearest saddle and hopped over the small door to her stall. Precious seconds ticked by as he fumbled around, trying to calm his shaking hands before he finally finished getting her ready.
He had to leave Katai. Just him this time. He'd ride as hard as he could and hope it was enough. He'd gone east last time, but they might expect him to do so again. Plus, he needed to reach somewhere he could get some supplies. With no lien to his name, that meant stealing, but he couldn't be bothered with such details right now. He was running away from a woman he was accused of assaulting on a technically stolen horse. Stealing some food barely even registered at that point.
"Let's go, girl," Adam instructed, leading Eve out of the stall and preparing to mount up.
Until a hand caught his wrist.
"Bit late for a ride, ain't it?" Sheriff Taylor asked.
Crap! He'd taken too long. And now he'd been caught. Fighting him wouldn't end well. The sheriff had his aura and knew how to use it. Adam only knew a little about aura, but it didn't take a genius to figure out it would give a major advantage.
"Heard there's a bit of a commotion back at the orphanage. You wouldn't happen to know anything about that, would you?"
Wait a second…Sheriff Taylor knew! He'd been snooping around and openly accusing Alyssa all this time. He had to be on Adam's side. He just had to!
"It wasn't me!" Adam hurried to explain. Maybe the sheriff would let him escape, or even protect him. It was his only chance at this point. "It was Alyssa. She's been taking advantage of me for months! I tried to say no tonight, and she attacked herself to frame me!"
"That's quite the story," Sheriff Taylor summarized. "Quite interesting, too. You wouldn't mind coming back to the station and telling me more, would you?"
So escape was out, but the station? That could mean anything. Arrest. Protection. Interrogation. Could he trust the sheriff? Adam wasn't sure, but he couldn't get away, either. With a deep breath, Adam let go of Eve's reins and surrendered.
"Good choice, kid. Now why don't we-"
"There he is!" Adam tried to jerk away, but Sheriff Taylor held firm as Madam de Thom stormed up to them. "That's the little pervert who assaulted my daughter! Arrest him!"
"What does it look like I'm doing, Gael?" Sheriff Taylor held Adam's arm up, proving he had things under control.
Which left Adam defenseless as Madam de Thom slapped him. "How dare you!" She tried to hit him again, but Sheriff Taylor stepped between them. That didn't stop her hurling accusations at him, though. "We took you in, you little runt. Fed you. Clothed you. Put a roof over your head. And this is how you repay us?"
"Quit your bellyaching, Gael," Sheriff Taylor instructed, summoning some of her ire back to himself. "I'll be happy to listen to both sides of the story, but not until morning."
"Both sides? He tried to rape my daughter. I want him strung up for this!"
"He'll spend the night in a cell, and in the morning, you can come down to the station and tell me all about it." His words did little to calm the inferno in front of them. "Shouldn't you be back home taking care of your daughter right now?"
With a huff and a stomp of her foot, Madam de Thom relented. "Fine! Make sure you keep an eye on this little deviant. My husband and I will be at your station first thing in the morning."
"Wasn't aware the mayor was a witness."
"He isn't," Madam de Thom said, "but he'll be there all the same. Good night, sheriff." Her tone made it clear she didn't mean those parting words, but before she left she leaned over to lock eyes with Adam. "I'll see you rot for what you did, you little bas-"
"Good night, Gael," Sheriff Taylor quickly interjected. "Go look after your daughter. He'll still be here in the morning."
He would, wouldn't he? Adam would be stuck in this hellhole forever. He'd be lucky to ever see the light of day again. Madam de Thom would demand the strictest punishment possible, and with the mayor on her side, she might just get it. Adam didn't know the laws of Katai, but he had to assume rape was pretty high on the list of no-no's. Would they lock him up forever? Or maybe they'd just hang him. Would they ship him off to some bigger prison for violent criminals? Would he even survive a place like that?
Only time would tell as Sheriff Taylor pulled him along. The clanging of the heavy, barred door behind him sealed both his cell and his fate.
He was doomed.
Adam finally stands up to Alyssa! Too bad he forgot the other part of her threat so long ago. And she's just psychotic enough to go all in to get back at him, too.
Lots going on, but not much to talk about here, since it's all pretty straightforward. I actually had an in-depth conversation with my wife about the relationship thing between step-siblings. Technically not wrong on paper, but still really weird. We also got into how in-law labels work. For instance, her sister's husband is her brother-in-law, but actually has no relation to me. People would correct me when I'd introduce him as my sister-in-law's husband, but we finally looked it up, and there's no term for our connection. Random factoid of the day for everyone.
So now Adam's captured and has to rely on one man to protect him. Will Sheriff Taylor see through all the lies and prove Adam's innocence? Find out next week on...Scarred Steps!
Next chapter: Adam either proves his innocence or faces punishment for a crime he didn't commit.