Intermission – Alexis (7)

Alexis awoke to the jolting of the carriage, but she kept her eyes closed and her breathing steady. Her whole body hurt, and she was afraid that if Cedric noticed that she was awake he would beat her again. What was she thinking, taunting him like that?

Eventually the carriage came to a stop, and she heard the airship descending. When the soldiers lifted her out of her seat she couldn't help but moan from the pain, giving away the fact that she was conscious. They carried her before an air admiral, who grabbed her jaw and roughly moved her head this way and that while closely inspecting her bruises.

"Why is she damaged? The commander's orders were clear. Any damage lowers the asset's value," the admiral demanded from Cedric.

"She nearly managed to sabotage the operation and cost the lives of a dozen of my men, so I punished her. By the time you put her to use the bruises should already heal, anyway," Cedric replied meekly.

The admiral scoffed.