Don’t Teach an Eagle to Fly – 6. chapter

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He needed to know where Tharan was. If he had him, he could dictate peace. He could put him on trial, disgrace him in public, trade him for recognition of his rule, or even kill him once he was no longer of use. But first he had to find him.

The remaining divisions of Vargorn were not attacking. But they still held their positions in his country. They waited for orders after their commander vanished. Tharan was like a shadow, always one step ahead, never striking directly. But if he joined a battle and Kaelan knew of it in advance, he could take him. Or at least his body.

That was why he now sat in silence and knew he had to go to her. Nirella knew her father’s plans, his habits, his routes, his aim. She could lead Kaelan to him. And Kaelan no longer had time to wait.

He didn’t want to do this. She was a woman, barely more than a girl. They were not to be treated roughly. Reluctantly, he rose. He took his leather gear, walked down the corridor, and opened the door to her cell.

She sat on the bed, leaning back. The blanket covered even her breasts, her bound hands resting on top of it. Gray eyes lifted to him at once.

Dear God, did she truly have to be beautiful as well? Wasn’t it hard enough without that?!

He exhaled deeply, stepped inside, and closed the door behind him. He stopped a step from the bed. He stayed silent only a moment.

“I want to know what your father plans. Where he is now, and where he’s going.”

No preface. No introduction. He had no time.

Nirella didn’t even blink. Her head tilted slowly to the side, and cold gleamed in her eyes. A mocking, contemptuous look. Then she scoffed.

“I won’t help you with that!” she replied insolently.

Kaelan hesitated for a moment. Then he bent down, grabbed the blanket she had covered herself with, and tore it away with one sharp pull.

Her nakedness struck Nirella like a blow. She jerked, her shoulders tensed, her knees drew reflexively toward her body. Motionless. Ashamed. Vulnerable. Fear flickered in her eyes, but she quickly hid it.

Kaelan didn’t move. He only watched her.

“I think you will,” he countered.

There was no fury in his voice. Only cold, like that of an executioner examining the edge of a blade before an execution.

Then he seized the bindings at her wrists and with one firm motion pulled her from the bed. She groaned but got to her feet. He dragged her naked to the center of the room. Above them hung an old, heavy chandelier.

Kaelan reached for the length of rope he’d prepared. He ran it through her bound wrists, then over the metal arm of the chandelier, which didn’t move under her weight. He tied the other end firmly to one of the supporting braces protruding from the ceiling structure. So that Nirella remained standing, arms raised above her head, body stretched tight.

The cold bit into her skin. She was fully exposed. She was clearly ashamed.

His palm slid between her breasts. She gave a hostile growl and tried to twist away.

“You don’t like it?” he asked with a mocking edge. “Women usually enjoy my touch.”

He smirked confidently. He watched as tears of humiliation welled in her eyes, but she refused to let them fall. Teeth clenched. Chin thrust out in silent defiance. Fucking pride.

Kaelan straightened, never taking his eyes off her. He walked slowly to his leather gear. Without haste he picked up a sturdy, broad strap. He turned it in his hand as if weighing it, then came back to her.

“One last chance,” he said slowly, darkly. His voice cut into the tense silence of the room like a blade. “Tell me where your father is. Which way he went. With whom.”

She didn’t answer. Her head was already bowed, her hair fallen across her face, her shoulders trembling. But when he gave her hair a slight pull and forced her to look him in the eyes, he still found the same defiance in them. Contempt.

She smirked.

“Go ahead, kill me. But I’ll bleed out under your hands before I reveal a single trace of him.”

For a moment he didn’t move. He only looked at her. He suspected she meant every word. Still, he had to try.

And then, very slowly, he took one step back, gripped the strap with both hands, and lifted it again.

Scaring her hadn’t been enough.

So be it.