6. Laia

6

LAIA

I wake, every muscle screaming in protest as I shift on the makeshit bed. A flickering fire casts long shadows on the walls, its light dancing over the unfamiliar space. The scent of herbs lingers in the air, mingling with the earthy tang of blood and sweat.

My head pounds as I try to sit up, but my body refuses to cooperate. My limbs feel like lead; my throat is dry and raw. I force my eyes to focus on the fire, its warmth a small comfort against the rough bed beneath me.

"You're awake."

The voice startles me. I turn my head slowly, wincing at the sharp pain in my neck. One of the minotaurs crouches near me, his eyes studying me with an unreadable expression. It's Kael—the one who tended to my wounds.

"Where am I?" My voice comes out a croak, barely audible.

"Safe," he replies, his tone even but firm. "For now."

I try to push myself up again, but Kael's hand on my shoulder stops me. "Rest," he says. "Your body needs time to heal."

"I can't stay here," I whisper, panic rising inside me. "I need to keep moving."

"You won't get far in your condition," he says, his eyes locking onto mine. "You’re not strong enough."

His words sting, but I know he's right. My body is weak, and every breath feels like a struggle. I slump back against the stone floor, frustration boiling inside me.

"Why are you helping me?" The question slips out before I can stop it.

Kael's expression softens just a fraction. "A life is a life," he says quietly. "Even one as stubborn as yours."

Thalos steps forward, his massive form blocking out the firelight. “Why are you here?”He demands, his voice cold, unforgiving.

My mouth opens, but no sound comes out. His gaze pins me to the spot, and my mind races for an answer that won’t get me killed.

“I... I escaped,” I finally manage to say, my voice trembling.

Thalos’s eyes were narrow, dark, and piercing. “From whom?”

I swallow hard, the memory of Eryndor’s cruelty flashing through my mind. “Lord Eryndor,” I whisper. “He... He kept me as a slave.”

His gaze doesn’t soften. If anything, it hardens further. “And you thought you could outrun him? You think you’re safe here?”

“I had no choice,” I say, desperation creeping into my voice. “I couldn’t stay there any longer. I run without a particular direction. My only thought was to escape without thinking of the repercussions.”

“Yet you bring your troubles to our doorstep,” Thalos growls. “Do you realize the danger you’ve put us in?”

Kael shifts beside me, his hand still on my shoulder. “She’s in no state to be a threat,” he says quietly.

Thalos ignores him, his focus entirely on me. “Answer me this—why should we keep you alive?”

I search for words—something that will convince him not to end my life right here and now. “I can be useful,” I stammer. “I’m not helpless.”

A harsh laugh escapes Thalos’s lips. “Useful? How? As a burden?”

“No!” The word bursts out of me before I can stop it. “I can work; fight if I have to.”

Irix, the one with the savage grin, prowled closer toward me like a hunter that found its prey. “Do we look like we need you to fight? You look like a wind will blow you over.”

His muscles spasm, bursting with power.

I know I’m out of options. The firelight casts eerie shadows, making the minotaurs appear even more monstrous. My heart races, each beat a reminder that if I don’t convince them to keep me alive, I’ll be dead by morning.

Thalos’s cold gaze bores into me, and I know I have to speak now or never. My voice trembles, but I speak with all the strength I can muster. “I can offer you something else.”

Irix’s golden eyes widen, and he raises an eyebrow, intrigued. “And what could a human offer us?”

I swallow hard, forcing myself to hold his gaze. “I know herbs,” I say quickly, my words tumbling over each other in my haste. “I was trained as a healer before Eryndor... took me. I can help you—tend to your wounds, prepare remedies.”

Thalos snorts unimpressed. “We have Kael for that.”

Desperation claws at me, but I press on. “I know things about Eryndor,” I add, my voice growing stronger. “Secrets he wouldn’t want anyone to know.”

Thalos’s expression doesn’t change, but I see a flicker of interest in Kael’s eyes.

“Go on,” Thalos says slowly.

“I heard things while I was his slave,” I continue. “Plans, weaknesses... If you ever face him in battle, this knowledge could give you an advantage.”

Irix steps closer, his towering form casting a long shadow over me. He crouches down, bringing his face close to mine. “Interesting,” he murmurs, his voice a low rumble. “But not enough.”

My pulse quickens as his eyes search mine. There’s something almost predatory in his gaze, but also a hint of curiosity.

My heart pounds crazily, a drumbeat that drowns out the crackling of the fire. I fix my gaze on Thalos, then Irix, then Kael, trying to read their thoughts, but they're like stone walls to me—impenetrable.

My voice barely shakes as I lay my last card on the table. "My body," I say, the words tasting of desperation and iron. "My loyalty. I’ll serve you, do whatever you want, if… if you protect me."

Silence crashes down on us like a wave. It stretches on, thick and suffocating. Thalos's eyes darken like a storm cloud ready to burst, his massive hands curling into fists at his sides. Kael's expression is softer somehow, a quiet sympathy in his eyes, but he remains silent, bound by some unspoken brotherly pact. Irix... His smile just grows wider, those golden eyes of his glinting with a mix of amusement and something else—something primal.

Thalos takes one heavy step closer, and I feel his breath hot against my skin. "You think you can bargain with us?" he asks, his voice a low rumble of barely restrained anger. "You're nothing. You have nothing."

My hands shake—whether from fear or defiance, I can't tell—but I refuse to back down now. I've played too many of Eryndor's twisted games to let fear rule me any longer. "I have me," I say with all the strength I can muster. "I have my life. And if that’s not enough, then kill me now."

The air between us crackles with tension, a spark ready to ignite at the slightest provocation. Irix leans forward slightly as if he's witnessing the most fascinating spectacle of his life. Kael’s eyes never leave mine, and in them, I see an echo of my own resolve.

Thalos stands before me like a judge passing sentence—a sentence that can end everything or grant me a sliver of hope. His jaw clenches tight as he considers my words.

"Then prove it," he finally says, his voice like thunder rolling across the hills of Protheka.

The challenge hangs heavy in the air, but it's a challenge I accept without hesitation. Because for the first time since Eryndor claimed me as his own, my fate is mine to shape—even if it's in the hands of these minotaur brothers.

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