Aidi's hands were raw, the ropes that once bound her now replaced by cold, unyielding metal cuffs. Her wrists were shackled to the arms of the chair, and her legs, too, were bound in place, leaving her immobile. The cold steel against her skin seemed to seep into her very bones, draining her energy, her will. She had been here for hours, maybe days, her body exhausted from the abuse, the constant threats.
But her mind was still sharp.
Hetri had left her alone for a time, but the silence in the room was worse than the sound of his mocking voice. It allowed her thoughts to spiral, to remember the fear in her parents' eyes the night they were taken, the betrayal of her own flesh and blood when they chose survival over loyalty.
She shook her head, trying to banish those thoughts. They were distractions. She couldn't let herself get caught up in the past, not now. She needed to focus on escaping.
The door creaked open, and the sound of heavy boots on the floor broke her thoughts. Hetri entered, his figure dark and imposing as always. His eyes were cold, but his lips twisted into that same insufferable grin.
"So, how's my little captive holding up?" he asked, his voice dripping with mock sweetness.
Aidi didn't look up. She couldn't—she wouldn't.
"You know," he continued, circling around her like a predator inspecting its prey, "I've been thinking. You're tougher than most. But even the toughest break eventually. I wonder how long it'll take for you."
She remained silent, her eyes fixed on the floor. She couldn't give him the satisfaction of knowing how close she was to breaking.
Hetri stopped in front of her, crouching to meet her eyes. His gaze was like a knife, sharp and calculating. "I'll tell you something, sweetheart. People like you—they don't get to stay strong for long. They crack under pressure, just like everyone else. The question is… when will you crack?"
Aidi swallowed hard, her throat dry, but she refused to let him see her struggle. She wouldn't break—not like this. Not to him.
"You'll never break me," she whispered, her voice raspy but steady.
Hetri's grin widened, a dark glint in his eyes. "That's the spirit," he said, though the smile didn't reach his eyes. "But I think we need to test your resolve a little more. Just to be sure."
With a swift motion, he signaled to one of the guards standing by the door. The guard stepped forward, a cruel smile playing at the edges of his lips, and reached into his pocket to pull out a needle.
Aidi's heart skipped a beat. Her eyes flicked toward the guard, then back to Hetri. "What's that?" she demanded, her voice barely above a whisper, though her pulse raced.
"Oh, just something to help loosen your tongue," Hetri replied, his tone casual, as though they were discussing the weather. "You'll feel a little strange, maybe a little numb. But it'll help you understand what I'm trying to tell you."
Aidi's breath caught in her throat as the needle was held in front of her, gleaming in the dim light. She felt a cold sweat break out across her forehead as panic threatened to rise. She fought to keep it down. She couldn't let him see her fear. She couldn't.
"Don't touch me," she growled, struggling against the restraints, but the guards held her firm, their grip like iron.
Hetri leaned in closer, his face inches from hers. "You'll understand, soon enough," he said, almost tenderly. "Just let me in, Aidi. Let me show you the truth."
Before she could protest, the needle was plunged into her arm. The cold liquid spread through her veins, and within moments, a strange warmth began to fill her body. Her thoughts became sluggish, foggy, as though a cloud was settling over her mind. She fought to stay alert, to push through the haze, but the drug was already taking effect.
"Feel it yet?" Hetri asked, watching her closely, his voice a low, soothing murmur.
Aidi's vision swam, and her body felt heavy, as if the weight of her own limbs was too much to bear. She blinked, trying to clear the fog in her mind, but it was no use. The drug was faster than her resistance.
"You're so close, Aidi," Hetri continued, his voice slipping into something darker, more insidious. "I can see it in your eyes. You want to break free, but the truth is—you've already broken. You're just too afraid to admit it."
Aidi's chest tightened, her breaths shallow as the weight of the drug pressed down on her. She couldn't keep fighting it. Her head drooped forward, and her eyelids fluttered, the darkness threatening to take over.
But in that moment, something deep inside her sparked. A flicker of resistance, of defiance. She wasn't going to let him win. Not like this.
Her lips moved, but the words were barely a whisper. "I'm not broken… and I won't be."
Hetri's grin faltered for a moment, a flicker of something like uncertainty flashing in his eyes. But it was gone in an instant, replaced by his usual arrogance.
"Not yet, sweetheart," he said, his voice cold. "But soon. Soon you'll be begging me to end this."
The drug was starting to take full effect, and Aidi's head lolled back, her vision slipping in and out of focus. But even as everything around her began to blur, she clung to that one thought: She wasn't broken. Not yet.
As Hetri turned to leave, the guards stepped forward to tighten her restraints, ensuring she couldn't escape. The last thing Aidi saw before the darkness overtook her was Hetri's smug smile—fading, but still there.
And in the silence, the small spark of resistance inside her burned just a little brighter.