Corruption

Chapter 9

Before I even had the chance to scream, a rough hand clamped over my mouth, his grip bruising as it crushed against my cheeks. I thrashed in his arms, desperate to break free, but he was massive. I didn't stand a chance.

"I'm so glad I found you," the man chuckled, dragging me toward the exit with alarming ease. He moved fast but careful, trying not to draw attention. "Everyone thought you were dead. Seems like the whole damn galaxy's looking for you—especially the Resistance."

He tightened his grip, jerking me sharply around a corner.

"I wonder how much they'd pay to get their little princess back," he murmured close to my ear, breath foul and hot. "Bet it's not half what a good slave trader would fork over."

A sob burst out of me, muffled against his palm. I kicked, clawed, screamed into his skin. I hated the Knights, but in this moment I wanted nothing more than to be back in their cold, terrifying grip. At least I understood their rules. This man—this animal—was chaos.

"Stop fighting me, Princess," he growled. "You know you can't get away. You're just making yourself look pathetic."

I gasped as something sharp pressed into the side of my neck—a blade, digging harder the more I resisted. I froze, every muscle going limp as my instincts screamed to survive. If he wanted to kill me, he would. It wasn't like Kylo Ren or any of his men would care.

He dragged me through a side door and threw me onto the freezing concrete outside. My body hit the ground with a thud, pain lighting up my side like fire as my stitches split from the impact.

I screamed. Loud, raw, animal.

Tears blurred my vision as I clutched at my wound. My thoughts spiraled—escape, escape, escape—each one swallowed by pain and panic. I tried to push myself up but collapsed again, my body too weak.

Heavy boots stalked toward me.

"I think I ought to use you just once before I turn you over," he muttered, voice dark with intent. "You won't fight me, will you, Princess? I'd hate to mark up that pretty face."

No. No, no, no. This couldn't be happening.

I scrambled backward, gasping, raising one trembling hand as if it could stop him. His laugh chilled my blood. A fist tangled in my hair, yanking me forward until I slammed into his legs.

Then came the sound of a belt.

That broke me.

I stopped fighting. My hands shook as I grabbed the hem of my dress, eyes squeezed shut. This was it. This was the plan all along, wasn't it? Ren had just passed me off—left me to be broken before I was sold.

"Open your mouth, Princess," he sneered. "Let's see what kind of slave you'll be."

My lips parted in defeat.

But then—I heard it.

A low hum. Deep. Mechanical. Familiar.

I opened my eyes.

A red blade ignited between us, glowing hot in the dim light. And there he was—Kylo Ren, mask down, saber in hand, standing like a demon torn from hell itself.

Relief slammed into me so fast I nearly collapsed again.

"Bader," Ren said coolly, his vocoder twisting his voice into something inhuman. "It's been a long time. Time hasn't been kind to you, old man."

The man—Bader—froze. His eyes darted from Kylo to the saber, then to his own pathetic little knife.

Kylo's attention shifted to me, still trembling on the ground. I flinched under his gaze, bracing for the weight of his fury.

"Look at what you've done," he said, his voice thick with disgust. "My Knights' poor little pet—shaking, filthy... bleeding."

His head turned back to Bader.

"I didn't know she was yours," Bader blurted. "If I'd known—if I knew she belonged to you—I wouldn't have—"

He stumbled back, right into Vicrul's chest.

The rest of the Knights closed in like shadows. Bader was trapped now.

Kylo tilted his head. "As much as I'd enjoy watching your worthless life drain from your eyes... you have something I want."

"I don't—I don't know anything! Please, Supreme Leader, just let me go!"

Kylo laughed, dark and hollow through his mask. "Let you go? Then how would I find the rest of the Resistance bases? No, Bader. You know too much."

Bader screamed and lunged, but it was pathetic—desperate. Kylo didn't move. He simply lifted a hand, and Bader collapsed to the ground with a sickening crack, unconscious.

And then the world caught up with me.

Pain pulsed through my side, hot and wet. I pulled my hand away from the wound, blinking down at the blood slicking my palm. "Shit," I whispered, suddenly dizzy.

I stumbled to a nearby wall, gripping it hard. My vision blurred. The alley twisted around me.

A hand—large and gloved—pressed firmly against my wound. I hissed, clenching my teeth against the pain.

A vocoder breathed behind me.

"Stay still," the voice said, low and steady. One of the Knights. I didn't know which.

"I—I don't feel good," I whispered, leaning back into the hand holding me up. It was the only thing anchoring me to the world.

I heard the voice again, softer this time.

"Stay calm, Princess. The pain will be over soon."

And then everything went black.