The Lost Artifacts II: The Abyssal Staff

Blackmail

Vivian grabs a long hose, connected to the tap on the wall, and points it at me, preparing to open the tap.

I know what they will do. They will throw me cold water. Common torture used by the Magistrate. They know I am weak enough to not be able to fight back, but I will resist. I MUST resist. I will resist until Ying is here to save me. I am sure she will come, like the last time she did.

But why will they torture me? For fun? They are using me as bait so Ying comes to save me. They don't need any kind of information.

- Why am I in this room? - I risk asking.

- Why? Because you betrayed us. - Corvus answers.

- Your father already gave me a treatment of some sort. - I laugh ironically. - But in that last time, he wanted information from me.

- We don't need any information, this time. - He laughs. - We know everything we need to know. Let's say that we need you in a state that makes Ying think about what she has to do for us.

- May I? - Vivian asks.

- Go for it. - Corvus responds.

Vivian opens the tap and a water jet hits my body pretty hard. The water is cold and its pressure is hurting me. It is soaking the jacket and the boxers I am only wearing.

I try to protect myself with my own arms, but it is in vain. It either hits my body or my arms, both ways are painful. I just turn my back and let the water jet hit it. It still hurts, but at least it hurts less than any other body part, my back is more than used to the pain.

Vivian turns off the hose. Now I feel colder. My body aches and the cold makes it worse. My clothes are all wet and it makes me very uncomfortable too.

- You have a visit. - Corvus speaks.

I hear someone entering the room and closing the door again. It sounds like high heels. I turn around again to see who it is.

- It's been a while. - Lian smirks.

- Lian... - I say with clenched teeth. - What are you doing here?

- I personally asked Corvus to let me speak with you. - She answers. - Just you and me...

- Oh, then we take our leave, princess. - Corvus bows. - But we will stick around.

- Of course. I will tell you when I am done.

Both Vivian and Corvus leave the room and close the door. Now it is just me and Lian. I wish I could just get up and fight her, but I feel too weak and after the water jets I feel weaker and in pain.

- You could have had everything in the Magistrate. - Lian walks from the right to the left and vice-versa. - A payment, a comfortable bed, a decent roof, good food. Yet you left us to the enemy side, making yourself a target. Why?

- Because what the Magistrate does is wrong. - I answer. - I put my honor above such luxuries. Besides, I met the love of my life there, no payment is worth to be here.

- Such a naïve Nord, poor soul. - Lian laughs. - Do you remember when you had a crush on me?

- It is long gone...

- You are tougher now, and more aggressive. - She laughs again. - And somehow... more attractive...

- What!?

- I would never sleep with a lesser class like you, but... I could make an exception. I don't have sex in a very long time. My sex servants stood in my palace.

- I don't want to have sex with you. - I spit to the floor. - Get away!

- Who are you to give me orders? - Lian laughs again. - Are you hungry? I could give you a full warm meal, but only with one condition.

- No, I don't want to know...

- You have to do what I want... for an hour. Do that, and I will order a big bowl of warm venison soup, made today.

- No... - My stomach rumbles.

- Are you sure?