33. Saved?

I tried to control the water once more. My hands were tied to a tree now, but I was hoping to succeed.

To my disappointment, I failed again. And not because of my hands, but because of how weak I was.

There was no sign that Ivy would come back any time soon, so I just closed my eyes and let my head hang down.

Exhausted was little said compared to the way I feel.

A punch in my face brings me out of my trance.

I open my eyes to see a smirking rogue ready to land another one on me.

I just watched him without saying a word. What could I say, after all? I was now at the mercy of those filthy rogues.

"Not that feisty now, are we? What happened, dear? The wolf ate your tongue?" He said, leaning to kiss my cheek.

I waited till he was close enough, and I hit him in the face.

"You, bitch!" He shouts angrily, spitting out blood, then slaps me.

Then he turns around to his companions.

"I want her head glued to that tree! I don't care what you do! But do it! Now!" He shouts at them.

"Oh, so now you are the new boss? Hmm… Weird, I always thought it would be that guy there! He looks more like a leader than you!" I said, smirking and pointing at a short guy in the back.

His eyes widened at my words, and fear appeared in his eyes. I knew that the rogue in front of me would kill him, thinking he's a threat. But this is all I wanted.

"Throw him in the river! He doesn't know how to swim!" Their new leader ordered.

The poor guy tried to run but to no avail. The others caught him immediately and did as they were told.

'One less.' I thought.

"Now come and take care of this bitch while I clean myself! I want her tied up so well that even her hair can't move! Am I clear!"

The rogues nodded at their leader, and a few came while the other went probably looking for something to tie me up.

A few hours later, I was almost unconscious. My neck was now tied to the tree, and there was also a band on my forehead, which didn't allow me to move my head.

Through my blurred vision, I see a tall silhouette approaching me. By the smell, it was apparent that is the rogue leader.

Ice cold water hit my face, and I started to shiver.

"Good morning, beautiful! Are you ready for me?" He asks, making me spit at him. But my throat was so dry that nothing came out, and I started coughing violently.

"What was that? Are you thirsty?" He asks sarcastically.

"No…" I tried to speak, but my words felt like sandpaper on my throat. "I said… that… you are… ugly… like an… old horse ass…."

I finally managed to say and start laughing while coughing, sounding like a dying horse.

All I could see before my eyes shut close was his fist colliding with my ribs.

Pain radiates through my body, and I was sure that my rib was perforating my lung again.

'Maybe this is it! This is the end.' I thought.

Another bucket of cold water hits. I could not open my eyes, but I could hear what was happening.

"I am sick of this! We should go back to the camp! Boss will kill us if he finds out about this!" One rogue said.

'Boss? Who is that?'

"But he won't! Because none of you will speak about this! We will say that we found her like this! No one will know!" The one that acts as a leader said before grabbing my chin. "Isn't this right, dear?"

I wanted so much to hit him, but I wasn't even able to breathe correctly.

He starts brushing his knuckles on my face and neck while I struggle to pull away from his touch.

"Oh, still fighting! Don't you see? There is no way for you to get away from this!" He said, kissing my neck.

Suddenly, I don't feel him near me. I didn't understand what was happening till the rogue's panicked voices filled the air.

Then I hear it! The voice that I wish will wake me up every morning.

"O… Oren?" I ask in a low, weak voice, not believing that he is here.

"Amaya!" He shouts desperately, making me wonder what is wrong.

But I found out in the next second when a cold blade cut through my stomach.

"Oren… I… I'm sorry!" I said, feeling my life force leaving me.

The forest became silent. All that could be heard was Oren's heavy breath trying to untie me.

His hands felt like ointment on my skin. He was leaving hot trails behind.

"Amaya! Amaya, please, don't leave me! I… I love you!" He said.

My heart starts beating frantically at his words. I wasn't sure if he said that or it was just my mind playing with me.

I open my mouth to speak, wanting to tell him how much I love him, how much I missed him all these years. But I choked with the warm blood that flooded my mouth.

My body feels numb, and I could hear his sweet and worried voice for another few moments before I fell into darkness.

"Amaya, my love, please! Please stay with me!"

I woke up in a dark place. So dark that it makes me think that even hell is better than this.

I saw a small light heading my way, and I took a step back. Weird enough was that there was no pain. I keep my eyes on the morning while searching my body for injuries. There were none.

"I must be dead," I said out loud.

"You are not dead, Amaya! But you are on the brink of it. You will need to stay strong and choose whether to go back or not. But the journey might be hard."

"Ivy?!"