Chapter 10

Chapter 10

Txälina

Crack.

I felt the pain of the whip across my back, splitting my skin. A sob broke from my throat.

Crack.

Five lashes.

Crack.

Six.

And it kept going and going until I could no longer bear the pain. My body felt feeble, and I collapsed to the ground. Kaluen loomed over me, and as he stared at me, I gave him a brittle smile before i slipped unconscous.

...

It's dark when I wake up and strangely quiet. The noise of the warriors that was always at the entrance of my cell had disappeared, replaced by silence.

I looked around, my breathing coming in short bursts. The cell was fetid; it reeked of blood and urine.

All hope of saving Säli women had deflated ever since Kaluen cinched this collar around my neck. I tried to rise, but I felt too weak and lay back on the cold floor. Exhaustion sank into my eyelids, my bones, and muscles.

"You're awake," a voice sliced through the air, and I turned to see a warrior guard standing at the entrance of the cell. He was holding a torch.

Memories of that night flitted through my mind like the wind. How long have I spent in this cell?

"What day is it?" I asked, tugging on the collar around my neck. Ever since Kaluen placed it on me, I have felt an emptiness inside. The voice was gone, and so was my hope and any power I had left inside me.

"We need more hands in the kitchen," he said, opening the cell.

I shielded my eyes from the brightness of the torch as the guard approached. The guard pulled me up from the floor. I lurched forward as he struck me across the face.

My body trembled, my throat dry and parched. I was ravenous after spending days without food.

We passed through a narrow corridor and stared at the new house. After Kaluen became Alpha, he moved into the Alpha's residence.

I dragged myself into the kitchen, which was filled with smoke and the reek of roasted meat. Maids thronged the place, getting yelled at as they bustled around, taking care of things. I tried to quell the anger rising in my chest.

"What are you waiting for?!" one of the guards yelled at me. "Get to work now!"

The muscles around my eyes tightened, and I walked into the kitchen, wondering where to start.

The warriors left us alone after a while, and the scent of food drifted into my nostrils, causing my stomach to rumble.

"What's going on?" I asked, scrubbing the plate.

"We have guests visiting," Täneli replied, drawing the attention of Nuxiwän, who was rinsing the dishes. "Alpha Kaluen wants enough food prepared for the guests."

"What guests?" I asked, concern pinching my brows.

"Have you forgotten what day it is?" Nuxiwän questioned.

"Tonight is the Lunär Moon, which means Alpha Mätrang will be coming for the yearly visit."

My brows rose in surprise, and before I could say anything, I heard a deep voice from behind.

"What the fuck are you two murmuring about?!" The guard bellowed. "Get back to work now!!"

Täneli nodded and took the rinsed tray from Nuxiwän, flitting away. My shoulders wilted in silence when I saw her swollen, black eyes.

I faced an onslaught of emotions, from anger to worry to sadness. I frowned, turning to the dishes.

We hustled to cook the food and put the kitchen in order, even though we looked feeble. But as the night dragged on, worry coated my skin. I thought of Alpha Mätrang, the heir to the throne. He had been visiting the pack for years now, yet he hadn't suspected a thing. Either because Säli's men hid it so well or he knew what was happening but decided not to say a word.

Hearing an anguished cry, I turned my head to see one of the women crouched on the ground. A warrior kicked her back, and she spewed blood on the floor. She whimpered as he continued to kick her until she clambered up and started walking again.

I gritted my teeth.

My fingers nuzzled the collar around my neck, the cold metal halting me from Säli. I had tried using the voice when I was locked in the cell, but power didn't erupt from it. When the guard sent me an admonishing glare, I quickly turned my head to the throng of dishes and continued to wash.

I washed until my legs were tired and threatened to give out, but I didn't fall. Not until the food was ready. Not until the guards announced the arrival of Alpha Mätrang. Then the women began leaving the kitchen one after the other, trays of food in their hands.

Täneli handed me a tray of roasted chicken, cheese, and fruits, and I fought the urge to eat anything from it. I held it gently, taking my eyes off the meat. Once I reached the door, a guard scowled.

"Where do you think you're going?" he questioned.

I stared at him in silence.

"You can't go in there," he said brusquely.

"But—"

"I said you can't go there. Alpha Mätrang will see the bruises on your face, and you know what would happen."

"You!" He called out to Nuxiwän, who was dressed in a beautiful yellow gown that had been given to her. She was one of the few selected to dine with the guests because she had no bruises.

"Take this from her," he commanded.

Nuxiwän gave me an assuring smile before taking the tray from me. She left the kitchen, the guards trudging behind her.

My shoulders dropped, and I muttered a string of expletives at the guards.

My ostensible reason for going to the dining room was to serve the guests, but I really wanted to find the key to the collar around my neck.

With every second that dragged on, the gauzy hope inside me frayed.

The kitchen stretched in palpable silence and as i turned around, i saw Täneli staring at me.

"Is it really true? That you have the voice? That you used it to kill Alpha Mätxin?" she asked in a low voice, her eyes darting around as she slunk to close the kitchen door. We were the only ones left. Everyone else was in the dining room with the guests.

"Yes," I replied. "But Kaluen placed this magical collar around my neck. I can't use the voice anymore. I don't feel Säli."

She breathed through her mouth, a mystified look on her face.

"But how come you have the voice?" she asked.

"That's a long story for another day," I said, dredging up the memory. "If I can get this collar off, I'll handle things from there."

"We can expose them to Alpha Mätrang," she said. "That's if the guards let us in there."

"Alpha Mätrang," I said under my breath. "What if he's like the Säli men? What if he doesn't put an end to the suffering?"

She wore a quiet, melancholic expression. "But—"

"We can't place our hope in Alpha Mätrang. We don't really know who he is. We've never left our pack to understand how men from other packs might act."

"So what do we do?" she asked, her voice deceptively calm.

"Now that Alpha Kaluen and the warriors are with the guests, we should grab this opportunity. Help me find the key to this collar and I'll handle things from there."