Chapter 177

**CAY POV**

The first thing i realise when i wake up is that my hands are still bound behind my back, the second is that i am not alone, i can hear someone moving around, and wherever we are, it is freezing.

I shiver as i open my eyes, noticing that the general is sat by a small open fire, drinking something from a cup, and i know its hot because there is steam pouring over the edge.

He left me here, in the corner, freezing, and yet he is sat there nice and warm. He's cruel, that much is clear.

but what does he want from me? my family will give him nothing for my safe return, not after i betrayed them. They won’t want to hear from me, let alone spend time trying to save me.

I told dad I never wanted to see him again, and whilst it felt true when I said it, I regret those words now. Those may be the last words I ever say to him, and I can’t change them. I can’t tell him how much I love him.

I slowly clamber into a seated position, using one of the posts that hold the tent up to lean against. It hurts my back, but it’s better than laying in a wounded arm. For now at least.

The general glances at me over his cup, “you’re finally awake.” He says, “it’s been half a day.”

“What did you give me?” I ask, my eyes burning against the brightness of the fire.

I just want to slip back into the darkness where there is no pain. That is all I will find here, pain and suffering.

He shrugs, “just something to help you sleep, I didn’t want you to see where we were travelling to.”

I scoff, “well it worked didn’t it? I slept, just like you wanted.” I look around the tent, nothing only one bed, my heart racing. “What are you going to do to me?”

Maybe I shouldn’t have asked, but I guess knowing what to expect is better than not.

“I haven’t decided yet.” He says, staring at me, “maybe I’ll rape you and send the bloodstained sheets to your father.” He laughs a little, “that’ll only work if you are a virgin though.”

I say nothing, my eyes wide as I watch him twist the cup in his hands.

He can’t seriously be considering defiling my body, can he?

I don’t want that, my body and my virtue are not his to take and use as he wishes.

“I’m not a virgin.” I say hurriedly, “I’ve had sex before.”

Mother always said I shouldn’t lie, but I think she’d make an exception to the rule in this case.

“You are a terrible liar.” He says, eyes narrowing, “perhaps I should check for myself.”

I curl backwards into the wooden post, “please don’t.” I whisper, “I don’t want to be raped.”

My smart mouth is going to get me hurt, I just know it.

He rubs his chin, his eyes on the fire. “Let’s make a deal princess, if you promise to tell me the truth, always. I’ll consider leaving your virtue alone.”

“Okay.” I whisper, that seems easy enough.

If he doesn’t ask any hard questions.

“Do you know what your father has done to my people?” He asks, looking directly at me, his eyes burning with rage.

I shake my head, my tone dry, “I don’t know much about your people, or what you have been through.”

He stares at me for several long seconds, and then he nods, “it makes sense for him not to tell you, it’s better for his children to live in ignorance.”

“My father takes races in and gives them a home.” I say, trying to defend my family. “What did he do that was so wrong?”

The general scowls, “he attacked a small village, it was years before he met your mother, and he destroyed everything. Even the defenceless.” He leans forward, “why else do you think I leave no one alive?”

I frown, I know my father was cruel before my mother, I’ve heard some stories, like how women were slaves in the kingdom. But I never expected this. Why would he destroy a shifter village?

“Is that why you have gone to war with him all these years later?” I ask, “did you survive?”

He smirks, “how very observant of you, yes, I suppose in a way, I survived. But I spent years searching for others of my kind and when I found them, I bound us all together for one purpose.”

“Revenge.” I murmur, tears in my eyes, “you want revenge.”

He claps, the sudden movement making me jump. “Well done princess, you got it in one.” He laughs.

This man is crazy.

“What do I have to do with your revenge?” I ask, leaning my head back against the wooden pole. “I’m not worth anything anymore.”

“You are worth more than you realise, princess.” He says coldly, “when I send your body back to your father it’ll break him, and then I’ll come for his other children.”

My heart shatters into a thousand pieces, “my brothers have done nothing wrong! Spare them”

I won’t let him kill my brothers, they are innocent, they have done nothing to hurt anyone.

“You ask me to spare the lives of your brothers, but not your own?” He murmurs, smirking.

“I don’t care about my life,” I say, “but my brothers have done nothing, and they deserve to be spared, just as all the children of this kingdom. None of them were alive when the crimes were committed against your people.” I lean forward, “please consider it. Leave the innocent alone.”

He stands, his body looking over my own, “you think you are in a position to bargain with me, princess?” He kneels in front of me, roughly grabbing my chin, “because if you do I haven’t done my job correctly. I have taken you as a prisoner of war, and I can do anything I wish with you. You are powerless here.”

He’s right, I’m powerless. But I won’t stay that way, not forever.

“I may be the one tied up, but I am not the one who is powerless.” I say, spitting in his face.

The general growls, wrapping his hand around my throat and squeezing, “I should lol you right now, but I want you to suffer, I want your last days to be filled with nothing but pain.”

“Then do it.” I gasp, choking on what little breath I manage to take. “Make me suffer.”

“You’re playing a very dangerous game, princess.” He growls, slamming my head back into the wooden post.

My eyes blur, the last of the fight leaving my body as the darkness comes for me again, dragging me into its depths.