Blood Lands (Savage Lands #5)(79)
“It’s gotten worse. So much worse since you left. The Games are three times a week now. There are constant beatings and torture. People are getting killed daily. Killian’s guard was executed yesterday.”
“I know.” I swallowed, the memory of Sloane’s crushed face haunting my mind.
Her head darted to me.
“Learned it from Scorpion.”
“Right. I forgot you can be here through him.” She wiped, pulling up her pants. “That won’t stop being weird, by the way.” I followed suit, going to the sink next to her. “It’s not all.” We washed our hands. “The guards...” She lowered her voice even more. “The ones here first. The ones you knew?”
“Yeah?”
“They’ve beco—”
“Hey!” Another unknown guard came behind us, slamming Kek into the metal mirror. “What the fuck did we tell you? Stupid fucking demon.” He put his gun to her temple. “No talking or interacting. Now move the fuck along.”
He shoved her forward, walking her out of the bathroom as another guard pushed me to the exit.
“I’ll take it from here.” Boyd stopped us right at the door, his gaze moving salaciously and hatefully over my body. Grabbing my arm, he yanked me forward, not waiting for the sentry to respond. “It’s so good to have you back with us, Kovacs. Can I say I missed you? This place just wasn’t the same without you.” His fingers bruised my bicep as he tugged me forcefully to the mess hall.
Heads turned, eyes burned into me, a few gasps filled the mostly silent room. All the guards lined up against the wall were new. None I recognized from HDF. They all wore the new uniform, their faces fresh, their eyes focused.
“Look, you’re already creating such a stir in your new outfit.” He stopped us in the middle, turning to face the room right as four guards with guns walked in a massive form, his height reaching far above their heads, an electric collar around his neck as well. His stormy gaze met mine.
“Warwick.” I felt my mind call to him more than I used our connection; the goblin metal around my neck made it harder to link to him. A flood of air exhaled from my lungs seeing he was okay. I could feel him around me, double-checking I was in one piece too. A nerve twitching in his jaw told me he was fighting the barrier of his own goblin collar.
He wore a black uniform as well, as if he had never left Halálház. I remembered when I saw the man in black for the first time across the room my first morning. The power of his glance was similar to a lion looking over his pride. The idea of even getting near him at once terrified and exhilarated me. It still did.
“Hey, assholes! Look who’s back!” Zion jumped onto the food counter, holding out his arms like a carnival conductor. “Aren’t we so happy to have the great legend and the princess of HDF back among us? Oops, I guess her tiara has fallen. Do I spy a different color uniform? Guess the princess has been outcast.”
“Zion, shut the fuck up,” Boyd snapped at him, clearing his throat, his grip on me tightening. “But he is right about them being outcasts. The black uniform means they are nothing. They fit nowhere. This is the only warning you get. You speak or even look at one of them, you will be punished. Severely. They are lepers here. Ghosts. They do not exist to you.” Boyd let go of me. “So, when I do this.” His fist slammed into my cheek, pain exploding through my nerves, the force hurling me to the ground. “You don’t react!”
“Kovacs!” Warwick called for me at the same time I heard him bellow, lurching for Boyd. One step and electricity hummed and crackled in the air. He jolted, his body twitching and straining under the electrocution, dropping to his knees before they relented.
Yells and pleas to stop came from all sides of the room, building up a commotion.
“Hey! Hey!” Boyd screamed, standing over me. “What did I say?” He pulled an object out of his pocket, pushing the button. My muscles jerked and spasmed, my teeth grinding together as pain rushed over me in a steady stream.
The room went silent.
He let the button go, my body easing, but I stayed curled up, trying to breathe.
“The more you respond, the more I will punish them and you.” Boyd shoved his boot into me, highlighting the power he had. The control. “Want to live? You treat them worse than shit on your shoe.”
Glancing over at Warwick, his gaze was already on me, his neck and face strained. I tried to reach out, but I couldn’t. Everything in me was fried and empty, my powers traumatized by the electrocution.
A bell sounded.
“Well, look, boys and girls. Breakfast time is over before you even got any.” Zion snapped his fingers in an ‘out of luck’ gesture, jumping down from the counter. “Don’t worry, we’ll keep it right here waiting as your supper. You can thank them.” He motioned to us, causing more hate and tension to build with those who didn’t know us.
“Get up!” Boyd dragged me to my feet, my head spinning, my muscles trembling.
Warwick rose next to me as shoulders slammed into me, knocking me forward, prisoners moving past. “Kill you myself, bitch.” Hisses and threats were muttered at me. Funny enough, not one went near Warwick, still too afraid of The Wolf.
Once again, I had the target on my back.
Boyd hand delivered us to the factory floor, relishing in every knock and hit I took along the way.