I stripped him of everything because he put me above himself.
He made me his master and I’d killed him with stupidity.
I tried to speak, but my throat was still too bruised. I tried to warn him not to trade his life for mine. That I preferred to be dead over what was in store for me. That I would give anything—including my own life—not to witness his be taken from him.
I can’t.
I can’t watch him die.
If he was ready to end this, then at least kill me first.
Please, El…
But I couldn’t utter a sound, not a peep. And Elder didn’t look up; he just focused on his ex-leader’s shoes and waited.
His voice came heavy and strained but etched with a snarl that said he might be kneeling, but he wasn’t cowering. Not yet. “Leave her alone, Daishin-san.”
It didn’t make me feel any better to have a name for the man holding my life in the tiny blade pressed against my throat.
He waggled the thimble, a gentle reminder for me to behave as he cooed, “I’m glad you remember your manners, even in unhappy circumstance, Miki-san.” Twisting my hair, he made me wince with a fresh flash of pain. “Perhaps all my lessons weren’t in vain, after all.”
Dragging me over to the double doors we’d just came through, he pulled a piece of black rope from his pocket and wrapped it around my hands before tying it to the door handle.
Focusing on Elder, he blatantly ignored me; happy knowing I was bait and would ensure Elder would obey as long as I remained his.
Leaving me captive, he linked his fingers together and stood over his defeated. “Let’s see what else you remember, shall we?”
I tugged at my bindings, desperate to get free so Elder’s honour-bound handcuffs could be removed. He needed to kill his ex-leader, not submit. He needed to live, not die.
With another hard jerk, the door merely swung toward me then yanked me back, willing to move a little but not letting me go.
I cursed my stupidity with every passion I had left. After years of being mute, I hated having the choice of speech stolen when I had the most to say.
The most to swear.
The most filthy of responses to distract Daishin from his fascination with Elder.
Elder’s gaze flickered to mine before settling back on Daishin. “Stop this. We both know who you truly want.” Elder slowly levered himself back to his feet, swaying a little, not putting weight on his braced ankle. Even now—nose bleeding and body broken—he was still just as handsome, still just as majestic and heroic as when I first met him.
My heart pounded with love even while I drowned in fear.
“Let her go and I won’t fight when you kill me.” Elder bowed his head, but his eyes blazed black flames. “Do it. I’m tired of this.”
Daishin laughed, circling Elder as if seeking just how true his offer was. “You’ve given up on trying to kill me already?” He rubbed his chin. “I’m disappointed.”
Elder cringed; once again, his eyes skittered over me with so much hurt and affection my knees buckled before he looked at Daishin and turned void of emotion. “You know why I won’t attempt it now. You broke the rules of combat. You have something that belongs to me.”
Daishin laughed. “I taught you to be above human affection and personal possession, did I not?”
“You did.”
“Yet you fell in love.”
“I did.”
Daishin circled again. “In that case, I would say goodbye if I were you. It will be the last time you see her. I’ll be generous and give you the opportunity to say farewell. Call it a gift after you didn’t get to share final words with your father and brother.”
I opened my mouth to scream, to beg, to cry but only a distorted moan came out.
Elder’s eyes widened in horror as he searched my lips for signs of blood; his white skin hinting that the memories of carrying me with my tongue half-severed hadn’t left his mind.
I hated for him to worry.
I loathed I was the reason he worried, even now.
Arching my chin, I revealed the heavy bruising I could already feel forming on my throat.
He clenched his jaw, his hands balling as fury filled him with a final injection of energy.
Turning to face Daishin, Elder’s posture didn’t change. He didn’t crouch or antagonise. He merely stood ready and supple, a snake in the grass waiting to strike.
Only I knew something had changed. Only I saw the steely glint that maybe he wasn’t ready to die, after all.
A resilience.
A promise.
A final attempt.
I held my breath as he drawled, “You know, I always looked up to you, Daishin-san. I believed you when you said you wanted to help me with my habits and idiosyncrasies. I was too naïve to hear the lies behind the promises.”