Haven And Chaos

49) Abandoned

I noticed Maya's bandaged leg and the image of it bleeding flashed in my mind. I had caused her the injury. Though I'd never admit it to her face, it bothered me seeing her wounded. Why? Because it was a little early for her physical body to break.

"Argh! Easy!" I snapped glaring at her as she cleaned my grazed knuckles.

She lifted her head and smirked.
"My apologies, My Lord."
She wasn't even bothering to hide her disdain and wore it proudly on her face like a part of her.
I looked away, drained of any more energy to waste getting angry.

Once she was done, she put some bandaids over my knuckles and got up from the floor where she had been kneeling. She walked with a limp which was too noticeable to ignore.
'Not entirely my fault,' I told myself diverting my attention down to my clean hand.
It hurt stretching my fingers fully as the broken skin of my knuckles was gaining some pressure.

I sighed resigning to my current fate, which was absurd given that I had survived a laser bullet through my guts, and wasn't as painful as these little scratches.
Had I grown soft over the years? Pathetic.

Maya came back from the bathroom after a minute or so, her hair pulled back in a high ponytail. The left strap of her dress was slowly slipping down her shoulder, exposing more skin.
"I'm borrowing this," she informed bringing forward the ointment tube, reminding me of the rough spanking I had given her a while ago.

Something filled my throat and I quickly averted my gaze from her and onto the bathroom door. "Shut it properly." My OCD kicked in to save my dazed mind.

She let out a 'fuck you' melodramatic sigh as she turned back to tend to the door.
"I want to sleep in my room."

"You'll be sleeping with me until I've made a full recovery," I shot back getting off the bed. "You caused my insomnia in the first place."

She faced me, a frown of disapproval painted on her face. I started a little too much into her eyes which caused a string of tension to wind around my heart.
"It was an accident. How long do you plan on making me-"

"Forever!"
My feet moved closer until I stood only an inch away from her body. "Unless you can bring her back... So don't ever think that I'll let you go Maya. Your life, your existence, your present, and your future, all belong to ME." The strands of fury were beginning to choke my throat on the inside. I wanted to shove her against the door and bury my lips in hers before taking her.
It had already gotten to this, so what was there to hide or hold back?

She was MINE.
I had every right to do with her anything I pleased.
I was not a forgiving person and never had been. The moment Maya walked into my house, I had made up my mind that she would never leave, at least not alive.
And if the day comes when I had enough of her presence, I'd send her to the hell she belonged.

"I hate you!" She spat venomously, her eyeballs reflecting light a little too much from the thin tears forming on them. "Why don't you just kill me and end this toxic relationship we share?"

I sneered, surprised by her liquid courage. She never ceased to amaze me with these sides of her. One second she could portray this seductress devil in her and then the next, she was the dainty girl in need of protection from my very existence.

"Death is too easy love." I lifted my hand and caressed her cheek down to her lips. "Isn't it better this way? You have nothing to worry about. You have enough food to eat, a warm house, a comfortable bed, a good school, reliable security, money...what else could a girl like yourself want that I haven't provided, hm?"

She glared wickedly at my face.
"Freedom!" Maya shot. "What's the use of all that if I'm a prisoner? I'd rather have my freedom and starve."

My fingers froze as I stared into the determined eyes shimmering at me with a toxic scowl.
"Is that so? Then how about we make a bet, hm?"

"I don't want any-"

"For two weeks, I'll give you your freedom."

The fury in her eyes dissolved into curiosity and confusion. "Wha-what do you mean?"

"Exactly as you've heard. You've just said that you'd rather starve, right?"

She took a step back, creating distance between our bodies. The air of alertness around her was charming like the freckles on her button nose. She had put her guard up, but it wouldn't be enough to keep me out if I wanted to get to her.
"You make it sound like..."

I couldn't help but enjoy the expressions crossing her face. Just laughed dropping my hand to my hip. "But there's a catch."

"What is it?" Maya tried to sound brave and all but I had known her too long to pick up the fear in her tone.

"I'm taking you to a place you've never been. You won't have a cent on you or a spare cloth to warm you. You'll toilet and work for your bread if you're lucky enough to find employment. How does that sound?"

She looked even more confused, her eyes moving side to side while her mind pondered through my words.
"I'll go!" She cried out shooting her eyes up at me. "And if I survive, what do I get?"

I leaned forward a little and smiled at her face. "I may reduce your punishment years from a lifetime to maybe, thirty years. Isn't that a good reward, hm?"

"No!"

"No?"
I straightened.

Bringing her foot forward, she put on her boldface. "I want to choose my career path."

"Hmmm..." Not like she would survive anyway. "Okay. I can accommodate that."

"When do I leave?"

I chuckled turning around to walk back to my bed. "Eager to escape me, eh?"

"Anything to get the fuck away from you."

"Ouch!" I laughed again.
This was a brilliant strategy. I could finally take care of the corruption cases in Syra town while teaching this little spoiled brat a lesson.

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MAYA'S POV
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The cold air bit and chewed on my warm flesh, beckoning me to wake up.
Sleepily, I patted the area around me searching for my duvet but only felt the hard and rough surface.
My eyes popped open in an instant to take in the dirty ground I lay on.

As if electrified, my body sprung to sit up with my heart starting to pound.

Overwhelmed by the sight before my eyes, I began panicking until the air refused to go down to my lungs.
"Oh gawd! Oh gawd!"
I was surrounded by giant green trees that towered over the small dusty road that I had found myself on.
The sun was shielded by their branches, a relief on my part.

It took me five minutes to pull myself together as last night's conversation replayed. This was Gale's doing. He must have asked them to throw me in some abandoned forest and watch me grovel until I cried for his mercy.

My head whipped around as my eyes searched for the men I was certain were watching me. But the thick bushes made it impossible to see deeper.

Oh well, not like they'd give me money if I even spotted them.

I pulled myself off the ground and realized I had no shoes and wore an old rugged dress. "You're a demon! A bastard!" I cursed at Gale while punching the unlovable cloth I had on that was only enough to cover my dignity. Rummaging through its pockets, I felt a piece of paper which I snappishly took out.

“Let the game begin. Will be waiting for you down in the village. Come to me when you need me."
Without a shred of doubt, I knew it was Gale. And had he said...village?