Chapter 604: Captured
My plea echoed through the nexus, fading into the depths without the slightest response. The demons’ souls still burned bright, but they were mute and subdued, a huddling horde of dull, vacant eyes. Just seconds ago, I’d yearned for their voices to still +
Commander Conrad snorted, shaking his head. "No one’s saving you now, Filthblood."
"A fitting turn," Garyth said, nodding. "It seems trusting your new allies worked about as well for you as trusting you did for humanity. A bitter irony, but a welcome one for us."
"No!" I said, prying at the soldier’s fingers, my feet kicking helplessly in the air.
They hadn’t betrayed me. They were the Devoted, sworn to follow and help me. They were Fyren’s gift in his absence! They were...doing nothing. Allowing the Empire to claim me.
His grip on my shoulder loosened, and for a moment, I felt hope. But then his gauntleted fingers dug into my arms, grasping me tightly around the upper bicep.
"Stop struggling," the commander snapped.
His scowling face spun across as he jerked me back and forth like a ragdoll. The whiplash snapped my head back against his breastplate, sending a burst of stars across my vision. Darkness crept into the edges of my consciousness, growing deeper as I lost all sense of direction.
"Commander, careful! She’s fragile," Garyth’s voice cut through the disorientation.
The shaking stopped abruptly, leaving me hanging limp in Commander Conrad’s hands. Every muscle, especially my neck, ached with fire, and a hot trickle of blood dribbled down my throat from where I’d bitten my tongue.
The world continued spinning for a few seconds before slowly falling into place. I coughed weakly, clearing the blood from my throat. A few fine droplets sprayed the commander’s breastplate, splattering it crimson.