Two

Eira

Pain.

Sharp, unrelenting, all-consuming. It stole everything else.

I blinked, or I thought I did, but it was hard to tell in the suffocating darkness. My body ached with a heaviness that pinned me to the cold, jagged ground beneath me. The rough surface scraped against my skin, raw and unyielding, as if mocking my every twitch.

I tried to move—anything to ease the suffocating pressure in my chest—but the attempt sent a jolt of searing pain down my spine. A ragged groan escaped my lips, the sound bouncing off unseen walls.

“Where… am I?” I rasped, my voice hoarse, broken.

The question disappeared into the void, swallowed by the silence. My head throbbed violently, a sharp ache that made the edges of my vision blur. Every inch of me hurt, as though I’d been broken into pieces and haphazardly put back together.

The air was damp and heavy, clinging to my lungs like poison. It stank of mold and decay, the smell sharp and bitter enough to turn my stomach.

My hands trembled as I reached up to touch my face. My fingers brushed against swollen skin, jagged cuts, and dried blood. The tattered remains of my clothing clung to me, damp and sticky with sweat and something thicker.

Blood.

My breath hitched, and my stomach twisted as fragmented memories slammed into me.

The wedding. Felix’s smile as he reached for my hand. My parents’ laughter mingled with the music. Nyla teasing me about my nerves. The crowd jeered as I leaned in to the love of my life for the kiss.

And then the gunshots.

So much blood.

“Felix…” His name slipped from my lips, barely a whisper, but it shattered something inside me.

I closed my eyes, but the memories didn’t stop.

Felix collapsed into my arms, the warmth of his body draining away as crimson spread across his chest. My parents falling, their lifeless bodies hitting the ground with a sickening finality. Nyla’s scream cutting through the chaos—high, sharp, and utterly helpless.

“No…” My voice cracked as I shook my head violently, willing the images to go away. “No, no, no… This isn’t real. It can’t be real.”

I held my head, prompting myself to wake up from the nightmare. I need to wake up.

Wake up Eira, wake up. This isn't real so do it now and wake up!

But it was.

A strangled cry tore from my throat, raw and broken. My nails dug into my scalp as I rocked back and forth, my body trembling under the weight of grief and rage.

I had lost everything. I'm utterly and completely alone.

His face surfaced in my mind—a man standing amidst the carnage with a cold smile. The memory sent a new wave of fury coursing through me.

My love. My family. My life.

All gone and never to be returned.

I slammed my fists against the ground. “Why?!” I screamed into the void. “Why did you take everything from me?!”

The darkness gave no answer.

Dragging myself to my knees, I reached out blindly, my fingers brushing against a cold, solid wall. I followed it, dragging my palms along the rough surface until my skin burned. When no exit appeared, frustration boiled over.

“Let me out!” I screamed, slamming my fists against the wall. Pain shot up my arms, but I didn’t stop. “Do you hear me? Face me, you coward! Kill me if you have to, but stop hiding!”

My voice echoed, the sound swallowed by the oppressive silence. My strength gave out, and I crumpled to the ground, pressing my forehead against the cold stone. The fight drained out of me, leaving nothing but an ache so deep it felt endless.

Then, a low creak cut through the silence.

Light flooded the room, blinding and harsh. I threw an arm over my eyes, squinting as the brightness pierced through the darkness.

“Five days, bird. Did you miss me?”

The voice was smooth, dripping with mockery. My stomach turned as his scent filled the room—sharp, clean, and suffocatingly familiar.

I lowered my arm, blinking rapidly as my vision adjusted. A tall figure stood framed by the doorway, his broad shoulders cutting an imposing silhouette. He moved toward me with slow, deliberate steps, his presence filling the room like a predator stalking its prey.

It was him.

The murderer. My captor.

“You’ve had time to think, haven’t you?” he said, his tone light and almost amused. “Consider it a gift. Not many are so lucky.”

My blood boiled. Rage propelled me forward before I could think, my body lunging at him with a raw, animalistic fury. “You monster!” I screamed. “You devil!”

He didn’t flinch. His hand shot out, gripping my throat with a force that stole the air from my lungs.

“Wrong move, agent,” he growled, his voice low and venomous. His eyes burned with hatred, the weight of it suffocating. “I’d love nothing more than to end you right here. But that would be too easy.”

I clawed at his hand, my vision blurring as I gasped for air. Panic surged through me, but beneath it, a strange clarity settled in. Death was inevitable, wasn’t it? Why was I still fighting it?

Still, I met his gaze, my own filled with defiance. “Do it,” I choked out. “Kill me. Just like you killed my family. Stop pretending you’re anything but a coward.”

A cruel smirk curled his lips. “Coward? No.” He released me with a shove, sending me sprawling to the ground. “You don’t get to die so easily. Not yet.”

I coughed violently, clutching at my throat as he turned away.

The door didn’t close behind him. Instead, two men entered, their expressions cold and unyielding. They grabbed me roughly, hauling me to my feet.

“What do you want? Where are you taking me?” I demanded, my voice shaking but firm.

He didn’t turn, but his voice carried through the room like a blade. “It’s time to pay your debt, cara mia.”