[DISCONTINUED] Protector (Zane X Reader) Book 2

Chapter 10

Trigger Warning! - Torture, gore

Your P.O.V

Blood pooled in my mouth, and I just let my jaw hang open as it poured from me like a waterfall. My shouts echoed around the otherwise silent room, and her laughter was the only company.

Where my tongue once was, intense, incredible pain took its place, and it felt as though someone had burned my tongue until it crumbled out of my mouth. I coughed and threw up blood, not seeing an end to this horrible agony.

"You should learn to hold your tongue. I did you a favor, now you don't have to worry about any future punishments earned by your bickering." I screamed and spat at her, successfully getting crimson on her dress, staining it dark purple.

She looked down, and I watched her left eye twitch. My vision was getting blurry from the pain, so I almost didn't see her grab the whip.

"I suppose I'll have to get a new gown. That's rather unfortunate. How many slashes should I reward you with? Twenty? Thirty?" I gasped and spat out more blood, deciding to just keep my mouth open.

"You... bitch..." I spat, trying to speak but finding it very difficult to do so with the extraordinary pain erupting across my mouth. And also with the absence of my tongue.

She laughed. She laughed. "What was that? I'm afraid I can't understand you!"

I growled and jerked forward in an attempt to bite her, but she moved out of the way too fast for me to do anything except graze her hair. She just kept cackling as if it was the funniest thing in the world to her.

"Ma'am." A man said from behind her. The lord turned around, seemingly bored with whoever was speaking. "The wedding is starting and Lady Aphmau is dressed and ready to attend."
The woman dropped her whip and clapped twice.

"Perfect!" Then, she seemed to remember I existed. She turned around and sucked in a breath through her teeth. "I think I'll leave you to it. After all, you shadow knights heal fast, and you're tongue will be back in no time. Until then, I hope you don't choke on your own blood."

And then she left. The room grew eerily quiet, save for my grunts and screeches as I tried to comprehend the pain. Stars danced in my vision, and I had scream to keep myself from passing out.

I waited a moment. Two. Three. And then I spat out the bobby pin I had ripped from her hair.

It landed in my palm, and I unlatched the chain around my wrist. Then, with my free hand, I unlocked the neck restraint, then my other hand, and finally my legs.

The pain made it hard to walk, so I staggered to the table and had to hold on to it as to not collapse.

I grabbed two knives and walked to the door. It was locked from the outside. Out of fury, I slammed my fist into the iron before promptly throwing up on the floor.

A gasp from outside, most likely belonging to a guard, replied, and the door slammed open. He didn't have a chance to yell for help as his helmet was ripped from his head and our foreheads collided. He fell backwards with a thump, and I rummaged for the potion of healing he must've carried.

The second my fingers grazed the glass bottle, I popped it open and chugged it. Immediately, the pain subsided, and I exhaled in relief as the blood stopped pouring from my mouth. But I froze when my mouth felt weirdly empty.

It should've grown back.... why is it not?! I'm a shadow knight, it should be healing back! A panic spread over my body as I reached into mouth to feel for my tongue. It was gone, nothing in its place.

I had half a mind to cry, mostly because no one would be able to hear my witty remarks anymore and also because I could never enjoy food again. But I forced myself to walk through the door and run out.