The Silent Thief

XXVII

XXVII

       My body was thrown against a tree. Someone grabbed my arms furiously and tied them behind my back. I was starting to hate that.

I kicked, screamed, and did whatever I could to try and rebel. Learning to fight when I was younger was to ensure that no one could harm me, but now in these last few days I had been captured so many times. Gritting my teeth I struggled against my bonds eager to get loose.

“She’s an animal!” a man yelled.

“Tie her feet!” a familiar voice commanded.

Thrashing and snarling at the men who were approaching me, I tried thinking of who the voice belonged to. At first the two men came with caution. They eased closer with more ropes in their hands. I slumped back catching my breath and that seemed to assure them I wouldn’t rip their heads off. Once they stepped in my reach, I kicked violently sending one man unconscious and the other with a broken nose.

I smiled confidently though I was surrounded by the enemy.

Five more men came and while three had to hold me back as best they could, the other two spread each of my legs and tied them to two trees at my sides. The position I was in was very uncomfortable. The five men backed away and another man came to kneel in front of me.

“I’m sure you remember me, my dear,” Captain Sharp Stones said resting his hand on my right leg.

“I will throw your carcass to the sharks once I’ve killed you!” I spat.

He did a tsk sound with his tongue while slightly petting my leg. Getting up, he pulled his shotgun out of its holster and took a few steps back. Aiming it at my face, he shot.

My reflexes made me dodge to one side but I could tell something had been hit. Stones knelt back to where he had been and pulled off my mask. He had shot my little lock clean off and it fell to the ground; without it the mask came off easily.

“You bas-” I began to say as I looked at my broken mask. It hurt me to see it that way for a second time especially since my father had given it to me.

Stones’ hand grabbed my mouth pinching my cheeks together so that I could barely utter a word. “Keep your mouth shut if you want to live another day. You will do as I say and only what I say, peasant!”

Why was I here? I thought. Why did he follow Captain James just to capture me? I thrust my head to the side making him release his grip. I could see the confused look on his face when I started chuckling. “You need me. You wouldn’t kill me because without me, you don’t get anything. You can’t find it, can you?”

“I see you know why I need you. Don’t flatter yourself, girl. I wouldn’t mind cutting this pretty face if that’s what it took to get you to cooperate. When I’m done with you, I’m sure Captain James wouldn’t even think to look at you.” He brought out a knife and skimmed it across my jaw line just to prove his point. “You look so much like your mother,” he mumbled. “Don’t even think about trying to escape. Your men are dead. In a few hours I’ll have what I want and that will be the end of it.”

“They’re…they’re NOT dead,” I answered him unsure, still wondering how he had seen my mother. “The snakes were fake, an illusion.” 

“Oh they were real enough. Katina can do some amazing things to one’s mind,” he said twirling my hair with his knife. “I’m sure you remember this?” he asked cutting through the cloth that held up my hair.

I was partly thankful for that; now my hair fell down around my face and made me feel concealed in a way. “What do you mean? Who is Katina?”

“I reckon you went to visit her a while ago. She seems a feeble old woman in appearance.”