Kyara's Journey (Kyara Book 2) [CURRENTLY ON HOLD]

Chapter 3

Fearing what his reception might be – his face was still stinging from her slap – Luka pushed open the door of the room. He swam inside, closing it behind him, and stared in horror as the rattle of chains greeted him. The room was devoid of furniture, and the only light source was a tiny barred window. She was huddled against the far wall, but her head was up. Her wrists were shackled together with only a short chain between them, and another shackle was locked around the base of her tail. A short chain linked it to the wall. He could see the raw skin around her wrists and tail, evidence of her fighting spirit, but he was shocked at the difference one night had made in her. She was thin and pale, her eyes huge in her dainty face. They hadn’t lost their fire, though, and at the moment, all of her fury was being aimed at him.

“Come to see your handiwork?”

He flinched. Her cold voice cut through him like a knife, full of scorn. And she was right. He had no answer to that, so he merely bowed his head. He hear her snort with faint amusement.

“I wondered if you would.”

“Kye…”

“No. Don’t you ever call me that.” Her chin jerked up, and her eyes had turned to ice. “I once trusted you. You broke that.” She turned away from him, gazing up at the window. In her eyes, he could see indescribable longing, and loss, and he knew he was to blame.

“Kyara…”

“No.” She cut him off again, and glanced at him. “Go away, Luka. I don’t want to be near you. Ever again.”

He flinched again, each word slicing into him. She turned her back to him, curling into herself, and he felt a chill when he saw the blood stains on her shirt. Through her shirt, he could see red welts, evidence of some sort of punishment.

“Kyara…” He was pleading with her, he knew, and he let his hurt come to the surface, let her hear it. She didn’t move.

“Go away, Luka. I don’t want you.”

He hesitated, and she suddenly erupted, surging towards him in anger.

“I said go away!”

To his shame, he found himself grateful that she was chained to the wall. The chain brought her up short before she could reach him, and he backed away from her anger. He slipped out the door, closing and locking it again, but he paused outside it. He pressed his ear to it, listening, and his heart felt like it was being sliced in two. She was sobbing, and he had done it to her.