Silver can't die

Chapter 2

I whimper in pain as the jolts of the van jostle my wounds, making me spasm. I hear a soft rasping, coming from the front of our cage. When I look towards her, she is bent forward, trying to hack something up. I grit what teeth I have left in my mouth and wiggle my hips, twisting until my body is propped up against the wall.

I croak behind the broken bones, and watch as she coughs one last time and spits out a slightly bloody hairpin.

'Gotcha.' she grins and spits.

 The hairpin slides along the floor, aiming for the doors. Before either of us can make a move, a silhouette darts forward and snatches it up, swirling through the air like an arrow.

It's Bonkey. I have no idea how he managed to sneak in here without anyone noticing, but now he can get his own back. I think of apologising, but that's not how it works with demons. Words only carry weight in deals, not in anything else. He's come to collect his due. 

I brace myself for another round, but instead of attacking, he swoops down and places it lightly at my feet, scurrying forwards. 

Shocked beyond belief, I flinch slightly when his warm hands touch my jaw. After the initial shock, I relax as his hands glow slightly, and a pleasant feeling drifts up my nerves. 

So he can heal . . .

The bones of my jaw click gently into place, and he moves his hands along my sides, healing the lacerations from my scuffle with Mikael.

'Well I'll be damned.' The girl says softly, gazing in wonder at him. 'How did you manage to train him?'

I open and close my jaw, delighted to discover that I can speak again.

'I honestly don't know.' I murmur, testing my new jaw. It's been ages since I healed like that. It feels good, addictively so.

Gazing at Bonkey in a new light, I speak gently to him.

'I'm sorry for throwing you around like that, but we need to get out of here. Can you please give . . .'

I glance at her for her name.

'Isla.' she says. 'My name is Isla.'

'Can you please give Isla her pin?'

With a low bow, he picks it back up reverently and goes over to Isla, who takes the pin carefully, as if she's afraid he'll bite her.

Before I can continue thinking about the impossible miracle, I force myself to look away from Bonkey and at Isla.

'My name is Silver, and if you can work that hairpin, we need to get out of these chains.'

Her fingers move deftly, and I can't help but admire her as the cuffs around her hands fall to the ground with a chink of metal.

'Can y-'

Her foot snaps back and whips toward my head, knocking me out cold.

*****

I'm in a small, dank hole. It doesn't deserve to be called a cage. Too small, too tight. I focus on my breathing, trying to avoid panicking, but every time I close my eyes, I'm reminded of the punishments the Others used to give me when I managed to fight the effects of the Collar.

Dripping stone.

Harsh words.

A whip made of fire.

Split flesh.

Screaming.

I begin to rock back and forth, trying to stave of the madness creeping up on me, whispering so many words until I can't tell the difference between the lies and the truth.