I stared at the patch of mud, the water which had long sank into the parched earth. My throat burned, my fingers bled, and for the first time in my life, I did not care about the consequences.
The fear that usually acted as my shadow had simply… evaporated. There was nothing left but a cold, final, exhaustion.
I didn't reach for the mud. Instead, I looked up at the "softer" twin, the one who smiled while he stepped on my soul.
"No," I whispered. My voice was thin, but I forced it not to shake.
Elias's smile faltered. The guards gasped. Behind us, the guards gasped. Even Tillie took a sharp step back, her eyes wide with a mix of terror and anticipation.
They were all waiting for the slaughter that was sure to come.
"What did you say, slave?" he asked, his voice dropping to a dangerous growl. The playful Alpha facade was gone, in its place was the predator closing in on it's kill.
