CHAPTER FIVE
One moment she was staring into Zayn’s face, the next, darkness. What had happened? Did she flash herself away? That made no sense; why would she do that? Looking for a light of any kind she realized she was in a cell. “Hello?”
“I see you are awake, good. It’s time for you and me to have a talk.”
“Derrik is that you?”
“No, stupid girl, he isn’t here. Now be quiet while I ask my questions.” Panic started to sink into Nikole’s mind. What happened? Why was she being held? Hadn’t Derrik said he wasn’t out for her?
“Princess Nikole, let me explain who I am, that way, when you speak, you will know how to conduct yourself. You see, your amm, Haydar has employed me to ensure your capture. We knew Derrik would find you, so all we had to do was follow him, and of course he led me right to you. My name is Hamza, and I am Haydar’s lead general.”
Panic turned to deathly fear as Nikole listened to this man speak. His voice was slow, his words drawn out. “Tell me where your akh is. Tell me how to reach him and I will let you live.”
“I think you have this wrong, Hamza. If you let me go, I promise my akh and I will kill you swiftly, instead of dragging it out.”
“Wrong answer, Princess.”
At that moment she heard the noise of footsteps. The cell opened and guards started coming in, five men, all with knives and swords pointed at her throat. They pulled her by her hair and dragged her out of the cell. She kicked at the men, hit one in the groin. Another came from behind and grabbed her arm. She spun, punching him in the throat. It was at that moment she felt the electricity soar through her body as she fell. She looked at Hamza, seeing the dark look in his eyes. It sent chills down her spine. He ordered her to be secured to a metal table. She glanced around and saw a knife set on the desk to the right and up above a waterspout, dripping drops of brown water.
She closed her eyes and said a small prayer, hoping to come out of this alive. Nikole felt his rough hands holding her head in place. There was some sort of metal object holding her eyes open her head started to buck back and forth, instinct telling her to fight. “Let go of me now!” She felt her arms starting to heat, the fire taking over her body. The metal started to burn; she could smell it. Out of nowhere, she was soaked in water. She tried to shut her eyes, but it was no use; her head was stuck and her body drenched. The flames were out. She watched as Hamza’s fingers run down her arm. He spoke something in a language she couldn’t understand, but she soon realized it meant, go fetch a knife.
“One last time, give me your akh, and you won’t get hurt,” Hamza said while placing the cold knife on her skin, slowly pressing the blade in. She could feel her skin slicing and see blood seeping over the blade.
“Go to hell!!!” Nikole called out, then, without a second thought, she screamed, the blade going deeper into her right arm, her muscles being torn apart and blood starting to pour out over the table. Her tears began to sting her eyes and started to flow over the metal contraption holding her eyes open. “If you cooperate, the pain will stop. Now, Nikole, once more, where is your akh?” Hamza moved the knife to her right shoulder and pressed it into her skin.
“NEVER!” She cried as he took the knife from the shoulder down to her breastbone, cutting her clothing along with her skin.
She felt her eyes changing to their violet shading. With the amount of pain she was in, they looked deep purple. Her feet started to flare, the heat from the fire working up her body, engulfing her. It burned her clothes off, the melting material scorching her already aching wounds. She screamed louder as her own body caused her more pain. Hamza turned the faucet on and the water killed her flames.
Derrik could hear Nikole in the other room, crying out in pain. His head resting in his hands, he was ashamed of what he had done and how he had lead them right to her. He didn’t even know she was his eben amty. He had no idea that the infamous Nikole he had been sworn to kill and been polluted with jargon his whole life would turn out to be someone he could connect too. There was of her screaming he could listen bare listening too before he had to do something. He knew his abb; he will be killed for the betrayal. He had to go get help.
“Nikole, I’m sorry,” Derrik said to her through the mental connection they could establish. He had been blocking her out the way his omm had taught him, but something inside of him needed to apologize.
He took his phone and opened it while walking outside. They were in such a secluded area no one would ever find them. They were tucked back in the wilderness of the Rocky Mountains, an hour outside of Colorado Springs. Derrik placed a call.
“Hello?” Adara said franticly into the phone.
“Adara, don’t say my name, this is Derrik. I swear it’s not what you think, but now it’s gotten worse. Hamza showed up and they are torturing her. I’m going to text you the coordinates. Get that to Zayn. I can’t get her out.” Derrik hung up the phone and then sent her the coordinates. He hoped the conversation was under a minute so it could go undetected by Hamza’s men. He walked back into the cave, trying to think of another way of saving her.