With the remainder of humanity in chains, Shasta keeps her head down and tries to weather the storm. Servicing the filthy needs of a superior alien race, each day passes in a blur, the struggle to survive outweighing everything else.
After ten years...
The box moves and my heart stops. This is it. All of the plans I've made in my head hinge on what happens right now.
Taking a slow, deep breath, I wait for whatever is on the other side. Will it be dark? Will the light be blinding? Will he grab me immediately? I don't know but I have played over every scenario I can think of. No matter what happens, no matter what awaits me, I have to act. I'm taking my fate into my own hands.
My fear turns to adrenaline in my veins. No more thinking, it's time, it's happening.
The lid opens revealing darkness in the room. Instantly, one of his hands is around my throat while the other pulls me up. He holds my body against his hard, pressing me into him so that I can't move. He must have been expecting a fight but I don't try anything. I have to conserve the little energy I have left. I will wait until the right moment.
"You will stay silent and compliant and be rewarded for it." His harsh voice is like ice against my skin.
I nod my head.
"Come," he throws my body over his shoulder, then covers me with a cloak made of the same shiny, metal-like material that my dresses have been made from. "If you are not silent, I will remove your head from your shoulders."
"I'll be quiet.' I whimper. Even as I say this, I feel my body brace for impact. I will not be silent. At the first opportunity, I'm going to scream as loudly as I can manage.
He might kill me but I won't let him take me.
The door slides open and he steps cautiously into the hallway.
Upside down and disoriented, I can see through the material of the cloak that the hallways are empty. Straining, I listen for any sound as he silently moves through the hallway, a thief in the night.
Shit. There isn't going to be any opportunity to escape if we never encounter another person.
Think, Shasta.
This could still work. Originally, I had planned to try to escape from his room. We're already out of his room. All I have to do is run.
If I can take him by surprise, I might make it a few steps before he overtakes me. As long as I'm loud, someone might hear.
Taking a deep breath, I close my eyes, preparing to suddenly jerk my body away from his. Instead, cold air hits me and I hear something.
Voices.
My eyes jolt open and I try to piece together where we are. There are crystalline ships lined up in rows that stretch as far as I can see.
Screaming as loudly as I can, a sharp, mangled cry, I fling my body to the side. He scrambles to catch me but the unexpected motion caught him off guard. I hit the ground painfully hard. The impact momentarily stuns my body and I'm being snatched into his arms again before I can even get my wits about me.
"Help!" My shrill scream echoes in the icy air before he slams his hand over my mouth. My lips crack and bleed under the force.
Kicking my legs as hard as I can, I fight against him. A door slides open beside us and he starts to step in but someone stops him.
A low, growling voice sends a ripple down my spine. My salvation. The Destroyer.
My body is released from his grasp and I fall to the ground. Scrambling up, I turn to watch but something hot and wet sprays across my face blinding me.
Sputtering, I step away as something plops to the ground beside me. It collides with the floor, creating a sickening squish sound, like something wet, then gurgling.
I frantically wipe my face but it does no good. I can't clear it away.
"Shasta of Earth." His voice sounds relieved.
My body relaxes, all the panic leaving me instantly. He's here. I'm safe.
"Destroyer!" I lean into him as he lifts me from the ground. Blinking, I wipe my eyes against his shirt, his scent comforting.
Looking over his shoulder, the carnage behind us is shocking. Everything happened so quickly, it hardly seemed like enough time to inflict this much damage.
The alien that took me is missing the upper half of his head, all of the contents oozing out on the floor where he fell. His crystal sword is half pulled from its sheath, he didn't even have time to arm himself.
My body trembles even though I'm not afraid. Maybe I'm in shock. I can't stop shivering, my teeth clattering loudly as he carries me past the forming crowds. Everyone looks stoic, their faces are completely unreadable. If they are shocked or upset by what just transpired, they aren't showing it.
Inside the safety of his room - our room - he sets me down on my shaky legs.
"Did you leave my quarters?" He takes my face in his bloody hand, studying me.
"No! I swear! He came here once and brought me food. Then the next time he came and forced me to go with him. He held me in a box in his room." I shudder.
"He did not touch you."
"No," I'm surprised by his statement. He knows there is no question.
"I cannot smell him on your skin." He runs his thumb over my bloody lips.
"Oh," I lean into his touch, comforted by it. What a strange turn of events, to seek out his affection this way.
"What is that?" He gestures behind me.
"Oh."I feel my cheeks flush. With everything that happened, I forgot about my crystal dream house. "I found those tiles and made a house."
"What is a house?"
"On Earth, we lived in them."
He studies it, moving closer to inspect it. "Interesting. These pieces are for defense. We use them to construct weapons and shelter." He pulls his blade from its place on his hip. "Each weapon is unique, made by the warrior that wields it. This is mine."
"How do you make it look like a single piece?"
"Fire."
Reaching out, I run the tip of one finger over the flat part of the blade. "It's beautiful."
He hums and takes my hand in his. "Come."
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