Bratty thief stole my heart

Chapter 10: Gashes and guilt

Eren's Pov:

"Please!...I...I will tell you!...Everything!...Just...make the pain stop! Please!"

He did it. He finally got me to break. After all he put me through I just couldn't take it anymore. This dagger was a tool of the devil and I felt like I was burning in hell. It wasn't like the times Levi had beaten me when my wounds would sting and burn. No, now I felt like I had fire running through my blood. My whole body was consumed by flames, burning every inch of me. I knew it was the poison in the blade that made me feel this way, but my mind was too occupied with silent screams in agony to process that.

I had slices and cuts all over my arms, chest, stomach and back. Blood was running down from the deep wound on my neck, my weak point. I had always been sensible there and the second Levi placed the edge of the blade there, I knew it was over. I had tried to fight, but in the end it had all been useless.

The king was standing in front of me, the dagger hanging loosely in his right hand. He fixed it at his belt, then he kneeled down and lifted my limp head up. I stared at him, yet there was no hatred in my eyes. Only defeat and desperation.

"So, now that you've finally accepted that you can't stay mute forever, I hope you ment what you said and that you'll answer all my questions truthfully."

I closed and opened my eyes slowly, too weak to nodd.

"All right then, brat. First question. How did you know about the documents in that safe behind the bookshelves?"

I opened my mouth, not sure if I even had the strengh to speak. I coughed a bit and when I started to talk, my voice sounded raspy and strained.

"I *cough* I was...told...to sneak into your office *cough* to steal some papers from the king."

"So you were assigned to do it. By whom?"

"I din't know him." I closed my eyes, trying to remember what the hooded guy looked. "A man. He was...tall. I couldn't see his face. He had his hood on."

The raven slowly nodded, motioning for me to go on.

I cleared my throat and continued. "He looked like he was a noble or at least kinda rich. He came to our house and asked me to get something for him."

"How did he know where to find you?" Levi asked.

"I don't know. He must have followed me."

"What exactly did he say to you?"

"He said his master needed a skilled thief to steal some documents from your office. He didn't tell us about the content nor why he needed them."

"Wait", Levi interrupted. "Did you just say 'us'? Who else knew about that plan?"

I looked away. The memorys of my friends that started to flood my brain where just too painful.

"Oi, brat! I don't want to have to use the dagger again. Who else knows about this?"

I swallowed hard. I had promised not to tell him about my friends, but I broke it. Just like all my other promises.

"My...my two best friends where with me when the coureer told me about the plan. They insisted to stay with me."

"Smart brats", the king murmured. "How many of them are you living with?"

"I'll only tell you if you promise not to go after them!"

Levi cocked his head a bit to the side. "You're not really in the position to make requirements here, brat." He placed one hand on the hilt of the dagger.