An Unexpected Ally

An Unexpected Ally
\[Pandora’s POV\]
Everything hurts, and no matter which way I move, I can’t stop the pain that is coming. How long has it been already that I’ve been in this hell while Lux occasionally checked on me to see if I was close to cracking? Even though it was certainly just minutes and hours, it already felt like days and weeks.
It felt like my body was in a pit of fire that just kept burning it, but instead of my getting the relief of death, I just continued to remain alive and suffering.
If only Luna were here with me. I think. If she were here I could at least heal quickly, but as it was, my body was covered in sores and burns from the silver that was attacking me.
Should I just agree? I think, suddenly feeling like nothing I did would save me. Then at least my pack and family will be okay.
No. I hiss inwardly, realizing that this was exactly what Lux and his father wanted of me. I can’t let them break me. Even if it means I would continue to suffer from this all-consuming hell, I wouldn’t give them what they wanted.
Biting my bottom lip, I fix my gaze on the single slit in front of me as Lux’s eyes appear. They give me a look that screams he is expecting me to agree to be freed this time, but I wouldn’t give him what he wanted.
“Did you come to watch?” I ask instead, smiling definitely. “If only everyone knew that you had such a hobby.”
“I only enjoy watching your suffering.” He counters, causing a wave of disgust to rush through me. “Have you decided to cooperate yet?”
“Not a chance.” I tell him. “This is nothing.”
It was a lie, and I was certain he could tell it was a lie by the strain in my voice alone, but I wouldn’t give him what he wanted. If he really wanted me to cooperate, he should just go ahead and mark me like he was planning, but I knew that he wouldn’t do it, not yet, but I was certain that it would be coming soon.
“Maybe we should amp up our methods.” Lux muses, causing my heart to squeeze painfully. “Since this doesn’t seem to be working for you.”
Amp things up? What the hell could they possibly do to make matters worse?
It doesn’t take long for me to get my answer as Lux opens the casket I’m in, allowing blinding light to attack me, and as I’m momentarily caught off guard, I feel a sting in my neck.
Instantly, the pain I’m feeling increases by tenfold as I realize that he is injecting me with silver.
“ARGH!”
The scream escapes me as my body arches and my eyes roll into the back of my head. Fuck. It hurt. This was so much worse than anything I had ever experienced before, but even then I wouldn’t let it break me.
“Is… that… all… you’ve… got…” I pant while my ears ring. “This… is…”
I don’t get to finish my words before the pain becomes too much. I feel myself being pulled into an endless wave of fire that burns me from the inside out.
“I’ll let this settle for at least another hour, and then I’m certain you’ll be willing to go along with me.” Lux announces, closing the casket and sending me into darkness again. “I look forward to your defeat.”
“Sure.” I puff, blinking away the tears that are blurring my vision. “But I won’t cave.”
“We’ll see.” He shrugs before turning and heading away from me.
Once I’m alone, I begin to breathe slowly, trying desperately to ignore the pain that is threatening to break me. Unlike before, when time seemed to go slowly, this time it seemed to stop altogether, or maybe it just didn’t exist in my world of pain.
However, it does move, and when the casket opens again, I expect to see Lux standing there staring at me, but instead I’m met by the last person I’m expecting.
She stares at me in disbelief while pity flashes in her dark eyes, and it takes everything in me not to ask what she is looking at, but deep down I know that she isn’t here to hurt me.
“Poor thing.” She murmurs, beginning to work the cuffs on my wrists and ankles. “I knew Lux was awful, but to go this far.”
“Why?” I rasp as I slump over onto her. “Why are you helping me?”
“Because Lucian asked me.”
It’s such a simple answer and definitely the one I would expect from the Chihara of my time, but then it bugs me.
“But I don’t know if you’re gonna be able to make it.” She continues, easily hoisting me into her arms. “You’re already so tiny, and then you were trapped in that thing.”
As she speaks, I feel her starting to move, and I can’t help but wonder how she got to me without Lux noticing. I soon get my answer as we head out into the hall and find that it is alive with pandemonium.
“If you die, Lucian better not take it out on me.” Chihara huffs, heading away from the commotion. “Don’t you dare die on me.”
“No chance.” I murmur, looking around at the hall that I’m being carried down. “Where are we going?”
“The tunnels.” She explains.
Instantly, I’m reminded of the tunnels that she took me through to free me the last time I was trapped in this place. I had to admit that they were pretty convenient, but when we reached a few guards, my hope of actually being freed disappeared.
“How annoying.” Chihara huffs, sitting me on the ground. “Be good and stay here for me.”
I don’t speak as she turns her attention on the guards, and when a howl escapes her and she moves forward, I realize that she plans on fighting them alone.
Was she crazy, or did she really think that she was invincible?
Dammit. I couldn’t let her do such a thing, but to my surprise my worry for her is for nothing as a wolf shoots past me and slams into the guards before Chihara can even begin fighting.
It doesn’t take it long to take down the guards, and when it turns toward me and starts shifting, I quickly see that the wolf is Pei and that his gaze is filled with relief over seeing me, but it immediately changes as he realizes the condition I’m in.
“Shit,” he hisses, coming and dropping down beside me. “What happened to you?”
“The silver maiden.” Chihara responds. “Lux must really hate her.”
“It’s the opposite actually.” Pei sighs, scooping me into his arms. “And that’s why we need to get her out of here quickly.”