Stupid Sickness

Trapped (Inej)

Inej woke in a dark place, gagged and bound. 

Memories came rushing back to her, blinding and powerful enough to knock her out again.

The slaver ship she'd been put on at fourteen, the Menagerie and being bound there by a different sort of bonds, the theatre Van Eck had stuffed her in to lure Kaz.

Kaz.

What had happened to him, was he alright? Was he in a place like this one, wondering about her? Or was he being tortured right now, paying his supposed debt to Heleen and Pekka? Or had they simply not bothered and killed him to get rid of the constant thorn in their sides?

Kaz had taken everything from both of them.

Inej couldn't even pretend to be sorry.

Heleen had stolen everything from Inej and sold her again and again. Inej would never fully recover from what had happened to her because of Tante Heleen.

Pekka was the reason Kaz was the way he was. He was the reason Jordie was dead and they had lost everything as children.

They deserve whatever Kaz has in store for them, Inej thought. She knew her Saints might not approve, but then again her Saints didn't like bullies who stole from innocent children.

But Inej knew Pekka Rollins and Heleen Van Houden would not see it the same way.

They would seek to punish Kaz and Inej, to make them pay for daring to resist.

And now they had them both right here, wherever here was.

Fear gripped Inej. She started trying to pull at her bonds to free even one hand. But the ropes were too tight and she could barely move.

She was still wearing Kaz's gloves.

Inej let out a choked sob that was almost entirely muffled by the gag in her mouth.

Kaz's hands were bare, his armor was gone.

He was going to die, and so was she.

They were both going to suffer and die at the hands of their tormentors.

Inej hoped it would be quick but she knew better. There was no kind death that awaited either of them.

Rage coursed through her as she imagined Pekka and Heleen torturing Kaz, his hands stripped bare. No kind death awaited them either--she was going to kill them slowly and painfully if she ever got out of here, if she even survived.

~

There was the sound of a door opening and light flooded into the room. It was small and barren and cold, but Inej was shaking for a different reason.

She studied the room as close as she could while the light remained.

A man stood in the door, one she recognized. He was one of Heleen's enforcers, a bruiser. She couldn't remember his name. He leered at her before grabbing her bound arms and pulling her off the ground and over his shoulder.