Because I Love You✔️

Chapter 136: Trapped

Chapter One Hundred and Thirty Six: Trapped

Ella couldn't believe her ears.

Spack's hands tightened on her throat, as if urging her to believe him.

"You're lying," she hissed. "He can't be down here!"

"Oh, but he is," the orc sniggered, abruptly letting go of her; she saw his eyes shift, heard him rustling away from her. "Speak, little boy... come on, show our guest the truth."

There was silence, but Ella heard a small, imperceptible jingle and her bile rose. Someone else really was in here with them. Whether it was Adariel, she didn't know, but someone was chained in the dark.

Spack suddenly let out a snarl and the sound of a thud met her ears.

A child's shriek of pain made her heart jump.

"OWWWW! BIG BROTHER! HELP!"

"That's right, scream," Spack hissed, and another thud followed by a second cry filled the air. "You should know better than to defy me! You're already broken!"

Ella flinched in horrified fury, pulse pounding; her blood pressure skyrocketed in rage.

"STOP HURTING HIM!" she roared, fighting against her bonds. "TAKE YOUR FILTHY HANDS OFF OF THAT LITTLE BOY, YOU MONSTER!"

Spack paused, and the only thing she could hear were muffled whimpers and sobs.

"Monster?" he asked; Ella wheezed when something heavy hit her stomach, hard. "I'm your benefactor, Ella. I'm trying to save you."

"From what?" she hoarsely cried, gritting her teeth. "I can save myself! I can handle this in a diplomatic manner by requesting a public council with the King and Duke!"

"They would slay you on sight."

Ella faltered, swallowing her panic, until she remembered what Vordt had told her a few days ago about the Eastlands.

The treaty... the treaty!

It was here that Ella decided to take a risk.

It was a gamble, a dangerous one, too... but it was the only card she had in her defense.

"No, they wouldn't!" she shot back. "I have allies even more powerful than the King, and by the thirteen Gods of Atlas, I want answers!"

"Allies?" Spack sneered. "Your allies can do you no good. Do not forget where you're at. If I wanted to, I could--"

"Do nothing," Ella interrupted, locking her trap in place. "There are laws this country has that even the king cannot break! The treaty of the Four protects me!"

The orc froze.

Silence momentarily filled the air.

"You are forgetting that such a thing is void if you have broken the laws of this country," he said in a soft tone, pushing her hair out of her face with thick, meaty fingers. "By defying the high king's additional laws, you have already committed treason."

"Treason?" Ella barked, letting out a harsh laugh. "Quite the contrary, the high king is the true criminal here. If what I heard earlier is true, it would mean that he and the Duke have already broken nearly all of the conditions of the treaty!"

Silence.

Then...

"In what ways?" he asked, humoring her. "Pray, tell."

"Interfering with my way of governing, for starters," she hissed. "He has forcefully kidnapped and subjugated the faeries from my region, the true rulers of this world, to prevent anyone from defying him. And he harmed all of them."