Page 58 of Dark Elf's Good Girl

“Calling for my brother, are you? There’s no use, no one is coming to save you this far out in the woods.”

As much as I hate to admit it, I know he’s right. The carriage delves into the forest. Each second that passes diminishes my hope of escaping.

We ride for another few minutes, taking various twists and turns that would throw off even the most experienced of travelers. The shock and awe of what’s inevitably about to happen strips all the strength from my body, and I find myself regrettably compliant as we pull up to the dreaded sight of the cabin.

It looks abandoned with a few planks of wood missing. Half the porch looks as though it’s been chewed away by some large animal. An apis hive juts out of the side like a tumor.

I climb down from the carriage, trudging toward the entrance. Calix slaps my ass, squeezing it as he follows behind.

“I’m going to have a lot of fun with you.”

I step inside, first seeing a bed tucked away in the left corner. The sheets are bloodied. To the right is an open cabinet, the top shelves lined with tinned food and cutlery, but the lower half is filled with a selection of weapons and tools. Calix presses the dagger into my back.

“Get on the bed,” he snarls. “Then, the fun will begin.”

24

AIKEN

I ride away from the manor, spurring the equu into a full sprint. So many things are running through my mind as fear takes hold of me, twisting my stomach as I gradually start to feel sick.

Fuck! I never should have left in the first place! I should have done the meeting while Calix went to town- Oh what am I thinking? None of that matters now! I need to get to Isla before it’s too late.

I spur my equu again, causing it to run faster than it’s ever run before. In my mind, I keep trying to push away thoughts of what could be happening to Isla. My head works against me, filling my mind with visions of her being tortured and slowly driven to death.

Echoes of my brother’s laughter rings through my head. I realize I can only shut out such thoughts for so long, for I may have to live out those nightmares for real when I reach the cabin.

I ride into a small village, everything passing by me at high speed. The ear piercing shrill of a whistle rings through the air.

“Stop right there,” calls out a miou as I ride past him.

I’ve no plan to stop, not even for one second. I ride out of the village but hear the sounds of hooves behind me. I glance over my shoulder, spotting the miou chasing me on an equu of his own.

“This is not what I need right now!”

“Stop in the name of the law!” yells the miou.

There’s no way I’m going to be able to talk my way out of this one. I spur my equu

to run faster, hearing it pant breathlessly. I ride through a small park, narrowly dodging citizens and obstacles.

“He’s a madman!”

Maybe I am but I’m one with a purpose.

Ahead of me, a large pile of wood appears in the middle of the road as I ride up on a construction site. I prepare myself and pull on the reins as the equu jumps into the air. For a moment, we soar through it as time slows down.

We hit the grounds on the other side. I glance again over my shoulder, seeing the miou has come to a halt. I waste no time continuing my journey. One step closer to getting Isla back.

I turn onto a dirt trail road, leading into the hills. As I ride, I spot the tracks of the carriage on the ground passing below. They seemed fresh enough, meaning that perhaps they arrived not too long ago. Still, I don’t slow down. Isla’s life hangs in the palm of my hands.

I know the exact route to follow. Oftentimes, I journeyed to the cabin not to partake in the sick pleasure of my brother but rather to clean up after his mess.

I should have burned down that cabin a long time ago. This will be the last time, so help me gods… Who knows how long into torture Isla is by now?

I look to the distance, spotting my family manor, followed by the main city of Orthani in the background. This place fills me with rage. I know that even if I can somehow place Calix under arrest, no justice would come his way thanks to the politics of the city.

King Ryfon Vatoris has no interest in human rights. If anything, he’s likely to reward Calix for what he’s doing to Isla, a thought that sickens me. At that moment, a hint of doubt comes over me.