The Ties that Bind Me Book 1

How Much Pain the Body Can Take

 I zoned out, couldn't focus, my mind and body a haze of pain. Yet as I opened my eyes I could see I wasn't in the same room and I could feel hands on me. As I began to focus I could see little Azana cleaning my wounds and bandaging me up. Her face looked horrified at what she saw yet she worked diligently to fix me up. She looked up at me and tried to smile, let me know everything was alright, but I knew differently.

Her voice was light and caring. "Don't move, you will damage the bandages and break the skin again. You were lucky your body could take so much damage."

Lucky she said, at that moment I didn't feel lucky, I felt sore and tired. I fought off the sleepy feeling, I wasn't ready to close my eyes yet. "What happened?"

"To be honest yet, I am not sure what happened. The master was half crazed when they forcefully pulled you from the room. Thaman and Hao had to work very hard to restrain him or he would have killed you. Thankfully Gethin is quick even for his age and he got you out of there and back to us to make sure you lived. The wounds are pretty bad and it will take a while to heal. Sleep now, you must be tired, the medicine I gave you will help you sleep without the dreams."

I closed my eyes and let the medicine knock me unconscious. While I slept I heard people move in and out of the room but I paid it no mind. I had learned early on that I had to be mindful of my surroundings or I wouldn't survive. Melina and Nastia made sure early in my time here that I was aware of everyone around me. It was true what Azana had said and forewarned is forearmed, but nothing could have prepared me for their sadistic treats as I had come to call them.

I heard arguing around me, but I didn't open my eyes. My language skills had become very adept to picking up conversation, yet I didn't hint to it. I could hear Inara and Lolek argue by the door and figured I would just listen in.

Inara* أنت تعرف أنها لا تستطيع إرضاء مثل ما أستطيع. (You know she can't please you like I can)

Lolek* إذا فهمت حقًا معنى المتعة ، فسيكون الأمر مختلفًا عنارة. (If you truly understood the meaning of pleasure it would be different Inara.)

Inara* سوف يستمر في معاقبتها كلما حاولت حمايتها. أن نكون صادقين وآمل أن يقتلها ، ثم سوف تكون لي مرة أخرى. (He will keep punishing her the more you try to protect her. To be honest I hope he kills her, then you will be mine again.)

Lolek* أنا لم أكن لك إينارا. أنت لا شيء بالنسبة لي. أنت لعبة متعة السيد وهذا هو كل ما سوف تصل إليه. (I never have been yours. Inara you are nothing to me, you are the master's pleasure toy and that is all you will ever amount to.)

Inara* آمل أن يكون هذا الدرس الأول كافياً لها كي تبقى بعيدة عنك. إذا لم يكن الأمر كذلك ، فسأحرص على قتلها في المرة القادمة. (I hope that this first lesson will be enough for her to stay away from you. If not I will make sure he kills her next time.)

Lolek* سأحذرك هذا مرة واحدة فقط ، إذا أصيبت مرة أخرى فستكون أنا من يقتلك. سأجعل موتك بطيئًا. إذا كنت ترغب في العيش ، أنصحك أن تتركها وحيدة. (I will warn you only this once, if she is hurt again it will be me who kills you. I will make your death slow. If you wish to live, I advise you to leave her alone.)

Inara* ما هو الموت بالنسبة لي الآن؟ لقد أخذت كل شيء مني ، العزاء الوحيد الذي وجدته هنا هو أنت. ومع ذلك أنت بعيدا لي. وأنا أعلم أنك تستمتع يجري معي. لماذا كان لها وجود هنا تغيير ذلك؟ (What is death to me now? I have had everything taken from me, the only solace I found here was you, yet you turn me away. I know you enjoy being with me. Why did her being here change that?)

Lolek* مثل المكالمات إلى مثلك الخائن. تذكر أن هذا هو تحذيرك الأول والأخير. جهزها هكذا مرة أخرى وسأقتلك نفسي. (Like calls to like you traitor. Remember this is your first and final warning. Set her up like that again and I will kill you myself.)

I heard the door open and close but kept my eyes closed and tried to control my fast breathing. I heard a chair move and then felt someone grasp my hand. My eyes shot open and I looked into the beautiful green eyes that stared right into my soul. His voice sent shivers up my spine.

"Imiri are you alright? I heard that Ghassan went crazy and started to cut you open. I couldn't get there, Inara had me sent on an errand away from the compound."

I thought back to what happened and how I had blacked out at some point. I knew Inara responsible but could I give her full blame for it. I had been forced into this world and disrupted their world. I had avoided Lolek for months though and showed no interest, so I guess I could blame her. I then remembered that Lolek asked me a question.

"Yes, I hurt a bit but I seem to be healing up well. I don't hurt as much as the last time I was awake."

He smiled a bit at me and then got serious. "Imiri you have been asleep for the past three days, I am here to give you food and water, make you stronger."

His accent was to die for and all I could do was listen. I had to find a way to make him talk more. "Tell me some more about you while I eat. Tell me what you remember about your mother."