Chapter ten: Guardhouse Laughter
Chapter 10 – Guardhouse Laughter
Levi hadn’t slept. Even without the ropes, his wrists ached, phantom pressure tightening every time he flexed his fingers. He lay on the bed, staring at the ceiling, waiting for the sound of locks turning, the shift of power that signaled a moment of uncertainty in this twisted game he was forced to play.
The shadows in the room seemed to grow thicker with each passing hour, closing in as if they were alive, ready to smother him.By midday, his door opened—not for Lucien, but for two guards, their expressions hard and unyielding. “The boss wants you,” one said, logic in his tone as though this was merely a task to perform, a job very much like any other.Levi’s heart sunk. “Wants me for what?” he managed to get out, his throat dry and voice cracking.
The guard didn’t reply. He merely gestured with a curt nod, directing him to follow. The air thick with unspoken expectation, Levi forced himself to push off the bed and trudge behind the guards. Each step echoed in the corridor, the sound amplifying his anxiety until it filled his ears. He glanced sideways at the walls that never seemed to end, each door closed tight, never revealing the secrets behind them.They walked in silence, the oppressive ambiance crushed any small talk that might have come naturally. Sunlight spilled into the corridor through tall windows, bright beams falling onto the floor, vivid and momentarily attractive.
Raw warmth kissed his skin, a stark contrast to the cold that had permeated his room during the long hours of confinement. Levi squinted at the brightness, momentarily lost in a chaotic blend of the blissful clouds above and the urgent dread of what awaited him.As he approached a wide set of oak doors, a fresh wave of anxiety washed over him. They pushed the doors open, and he found himself thrust into a low stone building crouched near the wall of the compound—a guardhouse. The moment he stepped inside, the overwhelming weight of the air hit him: heavy with smoke, sweat, and the tension of men coiled tightly around the card table.
Four men lounged casually around the table, their eyes shifting towards him, and slow, mocking smiles spread across their faces like spiders’ webs in the autumn chill. “Well, if it isn’t the boss’s pet,” one drawled, his voice dripping with disdain.Levi stiffened, feeling the mocking nature of their gazes pressing against him, a thousand needles pinpricking his skin.Another man leaned back in his chair, brimming with arrogance. “Thought he’d keep you locked in velvet forever,” he said, deliberately slow and purposeful. “Guess he wants us to see what he’s feeding.”The words struck harder than fists, igniting something hot in Levi's chest. Heat rose to his face, and the urge to retaliate clawed at him.
But deeper down, he understood that arguing against their ridicule wouldn’t bring him the power he needed—only silence could safeguard his fraying resolve.The guards began to laugh, their voices sharp and careless. “Look at him,” one barked, “Doesn’t even fight. No wonder the boss keeps him. Easier than a dog.”Levi’s hands curled into fists at his sides, knuckles white against the pressure. He forced his breathing steady, consciously schooling himself against the oncoming tide of emotion.
They craved a reaction from him. That alone made him refuse to give it.Yet, his refusal only stoked their amusement. One guard stood, circling around him slowly, eyes raking over him like he was an object on display; he could sense the predatory thrill in their gaze. “No wonder Adrian ran,” the guard snickered. “He knew you’d be the one caught instead.”The name hit harder than their earlier taunts, reverberating painfully in his mind. Adrian. His twin. The one who should have been here, not him.Rage boiled within Levi, and he felt his vision blur, the urge to retaliate overwhelming the restraint he had kept so tightly wound. “Say his name again,” he whispered, his voice shaking, barely above a growl.The guard leaned closer, a grin stretching over his lips. “Adrian.”Without thinking, Levi snapped. His fist shot out, connecting with the man’s jaw before he even had a chance to process his own action.
The impact jarred his knuckles, shrouding pain through his hand, but he couldn’t take the action back. With adrenaline flooding through him, he felt electrified by the sudden volatility of the room.The others rose instantly, chairs scraping against the floor, cards scattering as disbelief morphed into aggressiveness. Levi’s heart pounded painfully in his chest—he knew he was outnumbered, cornered, but he couldn’t take the words back. He couldn’t undo the strike.The guard he had struck recovered, his lip curling in surprise, then turning into something darker. Ignited by the fury swelling within him, he lunged forward—only to stop dead when a voice cut through the tension.“Enough.”The single word sliced through the charged air like a sudden and merciless winter chill.Lucien stood in the doorway, still, his posture unreadable.
His gaze swept over the scene methodically, absorbing the overturned chairs, the scattered cards, the raw tension clinging to the air like a thick fog. Then, those piercing eyes landed on Levi, and for a heartbeat, the man’s expression was inscrutable.The guard who Levi had struck lowered his head immediately. “Boss, he—”“Silence.” Lucien’s voice resonated with authority, drowning out everything else.He stepped inside, the room seeming to shrink around him, his presence filling the guardhouse like smoke choking the air. Each step he took carried an unspoken power—pure dominance.
Lucien looked at the cards on the table first, taking in the foolishness of the scene. There was a distinct shift in the atmosphere, thumping wild tension replaced by a calculated restraint.“You will not speak of him again,” Lucien said softly, but it was a deadly softness that vibrated with suppressed rage, an eerie calm like the quiet before a storm. “Not his name. Not his shadow. Not in my house.”The guard, that had mocked and jeered, swallowed hard, nodding quickly; fear replaced his earlier bravado within the blink of an eye.Lucien’s gaze lingered for another moment before shifting back to Levi. This time, there was no anger—only something darker, sharper, almost protective.“Go back to your room,” Lucien instructed him.Levi hesitated, confusion swirling within him, expecting punishment but receiving a command instead. “Now,” Lucien added, and Levi found himself obeying.
The guards didn’t follow this time; instead, he walked through the corridors alone, each step feeling like a death knell of reminder about where he was and to whom he belonged. The lock clicked behind him, sealing him in again, and he pressed his back to the door, his chest heaving as he tried to catch his breath.He should have felt a surge of triumph for landing a punch, for reclaiming a sliver of his identity amidst the oppressive force surrounding him. Instead, he felt the weight of Lucien’s eyes pressing upon him, heavier than chains.Not anger.
Not disappointment.Possession.In that single moment, Levi understood the depth of his situation the control Lucien wielded over every facet of his existence. The notion of freedom slipped further away, tangled in the fabric of those dark, watchful eyes.