A Partisan's Fight - COMPLETED!

Chapter Twelve

"What do you mean they will do nothing about it?" Mina's voice was dangerously low with hints of panic in it. She hadn't expected Aldrik to wait a few days to tell her what the officer had done. Or therefore lacked to do. The few bruises on her face were starting to heal up, but her ego was still raw.

She'd been humiliated. Shamed. That wasn't something that you just simply got over.

Aldrik's gaze dropped to the ground. He pinched the bridge of his nose. Being the bearer of bad news was by far not his thing, and had been by far worse than he had imagined.

"I am sorry, Mina." He looked up at her, shaking his head at the inferiority of the whole situation. "This whole law about women making money from having kids has the whole thing messed up. The man that assaulted you said that you wanted it."

"He said what?" Surprise was no longer something that graced her face. She was pure, lethal anger.

"I know, Mina. I know you would never want that, but the authorities do not know you like I do. They would not listen to me. I did everything that I could." Aldrik reached out to comfort her, but the moment his hand even came close to her shoulder she flinched back. His gut twisted painfully at her reaction.

"I do not want to be comforted. I want him to pay." Her teeth were gritted together as she spoke. There was no denying her trying to contain herself. She was a loose cannon at this point. It was dangerous. She needed to stay in control. She needed to stay sane.

Aldrik watched her. It was all he could do. No words he said would take away her pain. No words he said would comfort her. Listening was his best strategy at this point. The only strategy at this point.

Mina turned away from him. Her mind was lost in the clouds as she took slow, quiet steps away. "I do not want him to do this to anyone else. Nobody should have to feel what I'm feeling right now." Her voice broke, but she quickly hid away the brokenness and replaced it with vengeance.

"If you want me to kill him, Mina, I will. You just have to say the words. He does not deserve to live after what he did to you. I have no problem eliminating the threat." Aldrik fought to take a step toward her, his arms crossed tightly over his chest. She'd come to him if she wanted to be near him. He needed to give her her space.

"No, I do not want him dead." Mina slowly turned around. Something scary lit up her eyes. "I want him to bleed. I want him gagged and tied up. I want to hear him begging for mercy as I cut away the only thing that will bring him a legacy. I want him to feel fear. The fear that you can only feel when you know that nobody can hear you calling for help. I want to break him."

Aldrik stood speechless. He'd never seen this side of Mina. He'd seen her broken before. Multiple times, in fact. Yet he'd never seen her out for blood. She had a vendetta that she expected met. He nodded slowly, fighting to find his voice.

"I can do that." His voice squeaked a bit, reminding him that he had no idea who was standing in front of him right now.

Mina stared at him a few seconds longer before slowly nodding. She peeled her eyes away and ran her fingers through her hair. "Good."

Walking away, Mina paused and turned back toward Aldrik. "They knew him at that place. He was a usual. Find him. Find him and follow him. I want to know where the best place to strike him is."

Nodding, Aldrik watched her a moment longer. He'd never been in her shoes before. He had no idea what she was feeling. If this was what she needed to come to terms with what had happened, then he'd make it happen. This little revelation of another side of her was eye opening, however.