I step outside in my new outfit.
I've never known hate so intense.
This dress is too short.
Too low cut.
How dare they dress me up like I've not been kidnapped.
Like I haven't been starved and left to rot.
"Well Elle? What's your idea?"
"You have no loyal men. Because no one respects you" I say boldly.
I'm standing in front of a round table.
Adam, Ava and two other men sit on the table staring at me.
One guard is in the corner of the room with a gun trained on me.
"What did you say?" Ava whispers icily.
"Ivan is world known. Everyone is terrified of him. You went against him, you tried to over throw him, that makes you an idiot. And then you failed. You stole his wife and he's done nothing. Nothing has been accomplished, so now your almost pitiful" I reply, my voice even colder than her.
"Fine then what would you suggest we do?"
"You need a bigger army, or more supporters. You need to make an impression on the people. Show them you are someone to be feared. And with more defence on your side you stand a chance at maybe being able to over throw Ivan without needing to make him agree to it. Which he won't ever do"
"And what should he do?" One of the men asks me.
I shrug.
"I don't know. Surely you can come up with something impressive."
"Should we shoot her in front of people?" Someone else suggests.
I blink slowly.
"No what will that do? Ivan won't react and then we have absolutely no leverage" Adam says.
Dip shit formed a brain cell.
"Whatever, send her back" Ava says.
One of the guards takes me back to my room.
I lie there on the mattress for a little bit.
I'm so tired.
The door opens and I sit up.
Ava stands in the door way.
"How you doing?"
"Stop asking as if you care"
"Ohh miss nice girl gone, what changed?"
"I lost respect for you" I say standing up
"Oh?" She asks stepping further into the cell.
"You know you said that you and I were alike but we're not because you're weak, you like your stupid husband make dumb decisions that get you in hot water with pretty much the entire world and you let him blame you for it and he doesn't even respect you enough to not to hit on me"
She freezes and I hold back a grin.
Yes I lied.
Who cares.
"He hit on you?"
"Come on Ava he bought me a new dress. he let me get in the shower and then offered other forms of gratitude in exchange for my advice" I say smoothly.
"He tried to fuck you?" She yells.
I don't have enough time to process what's happening before she rushes at me and rams a knife into my thigh.
I scream and elbow her in the face before falling back.
The pain is un like anything I've ever experienced.
The world goes white for a second as I collapse on the floor.
It feels like my leg is on fire.
I gasp again still screaming.
She's hunched over holding her face.
I see blood trickle.
Go. Go. Go.
I throw myself forward and reach for the knife on the floor she grabs my hair back as I reach for the knife.
I'm pulled back, biting down another scream the knife still in my hand.
She reaches her arm around and digs her fingers into my stab wound.
I scream so loud I'm shocked her glass earrings don't shatter.
I whip around blindingly the knife raised as darkness quickly crowds my vision.
I hear a scream and force my eyes open to see her looking at me in horror as her chest drips with red.
I slit her chest.
Not enough to kill her.
But it's still a deep cut.
I hope it really stings.
I stumble back, letting the darkness surround me.
I hear coughing but my eyes are closed.
"Kill me" it's a wheeze.
It takes all my strength to sit up and the action alone has me gasping from the pain.
"What.." I croak out.
"This is a miserable life. And like Adam knows we're dead. He's coming for you of course he is and he's going to kill us all"
"Who?" I gasp watching as she sits on the floor.
Tears streaming down her face.
"Your husband who else?! He's coming for you"
"How do you know?" I hiccup.
"Every day he sends us a head. Of one of the few men we have left. He's pushing closer. He asked Adam for proof you were alive and Adam didn't respond for 2 days and Ivan killed 15 of Adams own bodyguards. We have no idea how, it's like he's within our walls. How he's so close without us knowing we don't know." She breathes out.
The pure shock takes away the pain ever so slightly.
He's been coming for me.
He is coming for me.
He's terrorised these people.
For. Me.
"Any day he'll be here and he's going to do such awful things to us. Skin us alive." She sobs.
It takes me a couple seconds to allow the words sink in.
"Why would I show you mercy" I spit at her.
She's quiet for a long time.
And when she finally looks at me she's a shell of a woman.
"I was just a girl when he took me. And I fought so hard, like you. But I knew he was never going to let me go. So I adapted, to survive. And I did. I'm 35 years old. And I've done terrible things to survive. But I survived all the same. And I never let him break me." She whispers.
"Your just the product of your environment" I whisper.
She nods desperately.
"I'm too much of a coward. So please. If not for respect at least for understanding. Kill me. Save me" she begs.
I look at her and allow the tears to flow down my cheeks.
"I'm going to kill your husband and everyone in this house" I tell her reaching for the knife.
"Do it for Evangeline, that's my real name. Do it for the girl who didn't deserve it" she whispers.
"I will destroy them"
"Give them hell" she says.
I smile.
She closes her eyes and I kiss her cheek.
I do not forgive her.
But I understand her.
That's enough for me.
I take a breath.
And slit her throat.