20. Serena

Stay focused.

I don't know what's more exhilarating – tricking Aldris into believing I am nothing more than an unfortunate victim, or slowly but surely freeing myself under his slimy nose.

He drones on about his so-called perfect plans, sprinkling in his dashes of xenophobia against humans. As he talks, my fingertips prod at the expertly tied knot behind my back.

It doesn't take eyes to know it's a tough one, but being able to see it would certainly help in determining where to start. Then again, I'm not exactly at liberty to look, and if I begin craning my neck, it'd only serve to anger the piece of trash pacing back and forth in front of me.

Slow and steady, I repeat in my mind.

"By the gods," Aldris chuckles, beaming right at me. "Do you know what it's like to be within an arm's reach of your goal?"

Yes, yes I do, I think, eyeing his damned neck as I imagine snapping it with my freed hands.

"No," I answer, feigning a deep sadness as I drop my gaze. "I only want freedom for my people. And as long as you lot exist, that's never going to happen, is it?"

My face contorts as I squeeze a tear out of my eyes, putting on an act to distract him. Ket trained me in the act of fake-crying.

But now Ket is gone, his soul probably too corrupted to even join an afterlife.

The sight of my tears brings great delight to Aldris. He reaches out and wipes it from my eyes, marveling at the liquid on his thumb.

"Human blood, sweat, and tears are what we will build the Prazh colonization on."

I watch his lips curl into a smile. How I can't wait to carve it off his face.

He spins around and continues babbling on about his plans, trying to brainwash me into aligning with his goals. But I don't care about his misguided religious beliefs, or his ambitions, or his views on power structures.

I manage to unravel one of many knots on my binding, one step closer to my liberation. Immediately, I fumble around for the next knot, but the snapping of Aldris's thumbs catches my attention.

A red-hot sense of panic comes over me when I meet his glare. I must have been caught!

"Well, don't you agree?" he spits impatiently. "Do you see how much better it would be for you to stand united with our kind rather than fighting us? Your children could know magic. And not the magic of those foul unnatural witches… real magic. Real power."

I don't know what to say, stuttering over the beginnings of a mumble. He shakes his head, sighing in disappointment.

"Forget it, I don't know why I'm wasting my precious time on you. You're never going to see what's right in front of you. You're too prideful and stupid."

He marches for the exit but stops just a footstep shy, a hand resting on the wooden doors.

"Though perhaps I will return once I conquer Prazh. Maybe then you and I can get to know each other more… thoroughly."

My stomach turns at the way he undresses me with his eyes. He flashes a hideous smile once more and makes a swift exit, leaving me alone in this rotting shack.

"Where is he off to?"

At least now that he's gone, I can put more energy into-

Shit.

The wooden doors swing open again and three elven guards stroll in, each of them donning the same armor as the soldiers who took me. They're big bastards with even bigger weapons.

I swallow hard when they look my way, eyeing me up and down. The one I guess to be in charge turns to his fellow troops.

"She's the one the boss wants us to watch? I expected a bigger threat."

"Me too. Whatever, it'll make for an easy day's pay."

"Pull up those chairs, and where are those drinks you brought?"

They scape their chairs across the floor, the grating sound of it piercing my cranium. Huddling around a small table, they clink their bottles of ale together.

I need to think of something. I can't let three guards stop me if I'm aiming to take all the dark elf bastards down. At least they're occupied with their card games and chats, so there's no reason for me to panic.

But I don't like how every few moments, every one of them takes turns glancing my way. Despite the chill that just crept in from outside, trickles of sweat inch down my face.

"How do you think she tastes?" says one of the hulking brutes.

"I might go find out," chuckles another, blowing a kiss and a wink my way. "It's better than this swill you've brought."

"It's all they have out here!"

"Bah! Forget it. Go on then, it's your turn."

Think, damn it!

I continue poking and uncoiling the thick binding. By this point, my wrists are begging me to stop the friction burn but I can't afford to keep wasting time. The longer I remain in this damned shack, the closer Aldris is getting to reaching his victory over Prazh.

Without Cinis here to help, I have to take this into my own hands, quite literally. I need a plan once I'm free of these restraints, something smart, something resourceful.

I can't exactly take these three on…

I grimace at their armor, but that's when I notice the glimmer on the back of the torso piece. I peer closer, spotting a section that juts out as they shift in their seats.

Is it loose? A malfunction in his armor?

Clearly not. A glance at another soldier's armor reveals the very same piece sticking out when he twists. Their gray skin is exposed when they move their shoulders.

I think of Cinis and his attempts to kill the men who took me. I may be hoping too much, but I wonder if that small opening could compromise them somehow.

I finally untie the last knot in my binding. The rope hangs loosely off my wrists, but I need to keep them hidden until I can think of something.

"I'm bored of this," grunts a soldier.

"Me too. So what now?"

At all once, the three guards all rear their heads toward me. Looks like I won't have time to formulate an idea after all.

They each rise from their chair, slowly approaching me. I clench my fists, my heart pumping faster with every step they take. The leader stops and runs the back of his hand down my cheek.

"Aldris won't be back for a while. We ought to have some fun with this one."

"No better way to kill the time," says another.

"Me first though. You both wait your turn."

The others shrug and step away as the first grunts in delight, eyeing me up as if I'm no more than a piece of meat.

He begins to loosen the armor around his pelvis, and that's when I notice the dagger - my dagger that they took from me when they brought me in - hanging off his waistbelt. I know now what I must do.

He removes the pelvic armor. As soon as he is exposed, I lunge forward, hitting him where it hurts the most. He keels over, his eyes wide with agony before I duck and roll between his legs, grabbing his dagger.

He falls to the ground as I scramble to my feet behind him. I run for the door, turning briefly to throw a chair at the two others hot on my tail.

It grants me the brief seconds I need to escape. I spot a few stray long planks of wood right outside the shack, immediately obstructing the exit with them. The doors budge in an effort to open, with the guards behind them trying to kick them down.

It won"t hold long at all, so I'm out of there in a few seconds, running so fast that I don't quite register my surroundings.

I stop moments later, finding myself entrenched as I look around in horror. I hear other soldiers coming and I roll behind a barrel.

"Fuck!" I hiss.

Getting out of that damned shack turns out to be the easy part. I peer my head over my hiding spot, spotting tents, carts of weapons, and more shacks in all directions.

Sinking to the cold, icy ground, I bury my head in my hands, wondering how I'm going to get out of this treacherous elven compound.

"Cinis, where are you when I need you?" I groan.

Images of my parents, my brother, Nielsen, Aldor, and just about everyone I've lost to these sick conquerors flash in my mind.

I wonder how they'd react if they saw me like this. I can't give up, not now, not even if the greatest challenge yet lies hidden ahead.

Drawing a deep breath, I look around, spotting one of many swords sheathed in a nearby cart. They must be weapons for assaulting the human settlements.

But I'm too hasty, I knock almost the entire batch of them down to the ground, a clanging ringing out in all directions. My heart falls with the weapons when I see a group of soldiers looking right at me, their eyes those of hungry predators.

I run, expecting more of them to burst out of each tent as I pass by. None seem to, but it won't take an army of them to stop me. All it'll take is one, so I don't stop. I know this is a fight I cannot win.

A tent opens up ahead, a dreary dark elf crawling out on all fours as he omits a yawn.

"What in Protheka is going on-"

I step on his head, using his neck as a jumping platform to clear some distance. Glancing over my shoulder, he rears his head up, revealing a snow-covered expression of fury.

The others are gaining ground. They're faster than me. If I run straight, they'll capture me in no time. I need to throw them off my path.

A tall gate encloses the encampment. I turn to the side closest to me, running as fast as my feet will carry me.

I think I see an exit point up ahead. I sprint for my life, not wanting to think about what they'd do if they got their measly hands on me.

But the hole in the gate shuts with an echoing finality.

"No!" I shout, pounding my fist against it. I want to cry as I hear the group slowing to a jog behind me.

"That was fun, but it's over for you now."

With one hand on the hilt of my sword, I spin around, staring them down. They laugh at me, but I remain undeterred. I grab a lit sconce beside me and unsheathe the sword.

"Very well," says the leader. "You've chosen a humiliating death for yourself. Quite admirable, really."

"Come on already!" I yell.

The truth is that I'm terrified. But I won't let fear take me down without a fight.