Captivate (Manipulate, Book 2)

Chapter 43

Claire clutched her leg and moaned in pain. The pellet had hit her outer thigh and blood drenched the leg of her pants. She didn’t think a bone had been hit, but she wasn’t nearly clear-headed enough to be sure. The warmth of her own blood shocked her, and the smell of it seemed to be the physical embodiment of the pain.

“You are continually without proper respect,” Faal said coldly, as if she were a student in need of a reprimand. “I have engaged in a pact of honor with your friend, and yet you ignore the implicit bindings of the game and place us both in a shameful position.”

Claire ground her teeth. “I didn’t make you shoot me. You are the one who violated the terms.”

Faal snapped his beak in anger and turned away from her. “Tie up the wound,” he told his guard. “Make it tight. I don’t care if she loses the leg, but she mustn’t bleed out.”

The Merith’s rough hands pushed Claire onto her back and she stifled a scream. He roughly wrapped a length of linen around her thigh and knotted it tightly. As he cinched the knot down, Claire did scream, unable to contain the burning pain.

She may have lost consciousness for a moment, but the guard was still crouched over her when she managed to open her eyes. On second thought, there seemed to be a lot more of Faal’s soldiers standing around. They must have come back down the elevator from the ship.

Yet another ground-car was arriving in their secluded cavern.

Only Sage was in it, and Claire was thankful that he’d not brought Juliet.

He emerged from the car slowly, taking in the visible weapons and positions of Faal’s guards.

He grimaced when he saw Claire. She instinctively raised a hand to tell him to go, and he flinched at the sight of her bloody fingers.

“Faal, while clearly not all the parameters of our deal have been upheld,” Sage gestured at Claire, “I am here to complete the trade in honor.”

“Where is the computer?” Faal asked.

Sage pointed to the rear of his ground-car. “It is in here, but I will not unlock it until Claire is in the car. I assume you wish some assurance...” he pulled Claire’s glasses out of his pocket and held them out to Faal. “The computer can communicate through the glasses.”

Faal looked impatient. “Yes, I know.” He took the glasses and held them up before his one, large eye. “Sentient being known as Akemi, confirm your presence.”

***

Akemi only needed a moment to orient herself. She’d expected something like this.

Faal of Merith II. I do so identify myself as Akemi, formerly human, and now sentient technology. I would like confirmation that Claire is here and well.

Faal didn’t answer her, but he instinctively looked at Claire. She lay on the cavern floor. A rough bandage was tied viciously tight around her leg, but the wound was still bleeding sluggishly. Claire’s skin looked waxy and slick, and her mouth was a thin line.

You hurt her! I was told that her safety was part of the deal!

Faal still didn’t answer her. He folded the glasses in one hand. “I am willing to complete the trade. Put Claire in the car.”

***

“But – ” Claire was shocked. “You’re really going to let me go?” She still wasn’t alright with trading Akemi for herself, but she’d never believed that Faal would honor his agreement in the first place.