Nova’s POV
My heart hammered against my chest as I was been dragged out of the room I had been in since I regained my conscious. I didn’t know where I had been dragged to, but I just followed blindly, without resisting follow-up.
I flapped my eyes open, and blinked my lashes a nth times, hoping I would catch a glimpse of light but all my attempts to see the rays proved abortive.
I clutched tight onto the helm of my gown, my heart was racing in my chest, I didn’t know what to think or what to hope for as I heard the door to a room open. I felt a hand grab a handful of my hair and push me inside the room before the door closed behind me.
I landed roughly on the floor, fell on my arms, my wrist made a crack and I let out an agony cry. “Mmph! Ahh!” I cried out, my wrist hurt as hell, I grabbed my wrist with my free hand, trying as much as I could to stop the pain from spreading.
Remembering where I was, and how I shouldn’t give two fucks over a broken wrist when my life itself was in trouble.
The sound of heavy footsteps, like someone pacing back and forth, caught my attention. I pulled myself up from the floor, wincing as I stood on my throbbing legs. I heard the footsteps approaching the door, and I instinctively curled up into a ball, wrapping my arms around my knees. My heart pounded in my chest, my breath coming in short, rapid gasps.
“You,” a deep voice growled, sending a wave a shiver down my spine. I knew that voice, it was the same man who had come to me on the first day I had woken up here. “Didn’t I tell you I’m going to chop your silly little head off if I didn’t hear from the king? Didn’t I?” he barked, his tone menacing.
I couldn’t speak, my mouth was too dry and my throat too tight to form words. I could hear the man’s footsteps approaching, but I couldn’t see him through the darkness, or so I thought. I pressed my body gently against the wall as if trying to disappear into it. My heart was pounding in my chest, and my breathing was shallow and quick. I was terrified, certain that I was about to die.
“Please let me go!” I cried out when I felt his grip on my neck, dragging me off the ground. My legs were completely off the cold floor as he kept choking me.
My feet kicked uselessly in the air, and I grasped at the hand around my neck, trying to pry it away from my throat. “Please, let go!” I gasped, my voice barely above a whisper. I was starting to feel dizzy, my vision fading at the edges. I was struggling to stay conscious, but I couldn’t seem to catch my breath.
“Please!” I choked out, tears rolling down my cheeks as I struggled against his iron grip. “I’m going to die,” I sobbed, my voice breaking as I fought for breath.
I thought I was about to die, but suddenly I felt his grip loosen on my neck. I fell to the floor, gasping for breath, my lungs burning as I tried to fill them with air. I was drenched in sweat, trembling and weak.
I struggled to speak, my throat still sore from being choked. “Why are you doing this?” I rasped, my body trembling as I pulled myself up. “I don’t know why you’re hurting me,” I continued, my voice shaking. “But this is going too far. Please, just stop, please.”
I added the last part on impulse, hoping that he would listen. I was desperate to stop the pain, and I would say anything to make it end.
“Ehh?” I heard him scoff, the sound sending a chill to my body. “You didn’t think I was hurting you for fun, did you?” he yelled, I gulped down nervously, silently praying I hadn’t called for another pain.
“I’m doing this for revenge,” he said, his voice shaking with emotion. “For a wrong that cannot be righted.” I couldn’t see his face, but I could hear the pain and bitterness in his words. I should have felt pity for him, but all I could think about was how much he had hurt me.
I exhaled slowly, trying to calm myself as I reached down and touched my leg. My hand traced the outline of my foot, the last toe gone. I could still remember the pain as he cut it off, the agony of it seared into my memory. A tear slid down my cheek, my mind replaying the horror of it over and over again.
“Revenge?” I scoffed, taking my hand off my leg. “Is that an excuse you’re going to give me for hurting me?” I cried out, my lips trembled as I clenched my fists at my sides.
“Excuse? No! That’s not an excuse, it’s the truth!” he shouted, his voice thick with emotion. “Your family destroyed my life, my family, and now you have to pay for their crimes.” I heard a crash like he’d punched the wall above my head, and I flinched. I curled in on myself as if trying to protect myself from his anger.
“But I didn’t do anything to deserve this!” I screamed, my voice cracking with tears. Tears poured down my face as I cried out in anguish. “Why are you doing this to me? It wasn’t me that hurt your family, am I?” I sobbed, my heart breaking as I thought about all the pain he had inflicted on me all in the name of revenge.
“That?” he scoffed, dropping to the floor beside me, he sneaked a finger under my jaw and raised my head to meet his. Even though I could not see him, I imagined the terror in his face as he made me stare at him, and I let out a nervous gasp.
“I owe you no explanation as to why I am doing this, and if you’ll lend me an ear, I would love to send another message to your dear husband.” I imagined the deadly grin on his face as he chuckled wildly.
My ear? He wanted to cut off my ear the same way he cut off my toe? A wave of panic rushed over me as I cringed at the thought of losing one of my ears to the rogue beast.
“Please,” my voice trembled as I free my jaw from his grip, “please, not my ear. Please don’t take out my ear.” I trembled in fear, crawling away from him in fear he might truly take out my ear if I remained seated in front of him.
Just as I was trying to crawl away, I crashed into something hard. My head hit something solid, and I landed in a heap on the floor. Dazed, I tried to crawl in another direction until I felt his hand on my leg, hauling me back to where he was standing. My heart jumped into my throat as I realized I was cornered.
“You sneaking bitch! What do you think you’re doing, running away from me?” he barked, stabbing a dagger into my thigh.
“Aargh!” I cried out in pain, my hands going to my thigh to soothe the pain, but I felt his hands on mine, yanking my hands from my thigh.
“You stay still and let me take out what I want if you don’t want me to double your pain,” he warned, his hot breath fanned my face as he forcefully grabbed my ear.
“Please.” I whimpered, my heart was beating loudly as I felt his grip on my ear loosen and his hand went to my chest instead.
“Oh, I’ve got something even better. Let’s go with this.” His voice was a low growl as he pushed me to the ground. I heard him laugh, the sound sending a chill down my spine. He seemed to be enjoying this, and I felt sick with fear.
What is it that was better than my ear? What is that thing he wants to take out of my body? I had no idea what it was, and the thought that it might be something more important in my body made my stomach churn in fear.