Page 109 of Uprising

“Who’s seen this?” Darius growls.

“It’s everywhere. They hacked into the news stations, they’ve hacked into every tv station too. Everyone in Verona will know before the sun is up.”

Darius lets out a snarl. “Fine sort it. Do whatever is necessary.”

Carter nods, turning on his heel and stalks back out. For a second Otto just stares down at Ty and then he shakes his head looking across at Darius with a look I know only too well.

“Don’t.” I beg. “Please don’t.”

But Otto is already pulling out his gun, wrenching Ty’s head back and shoving it right under his chin. When he pulls the trigger I scream like I’ve finally given up. Like they really have broken me now.

“Shut the fuck up.” Darius says to me.

I don’t respond beyond shutting my eyes. I’m shaking now, my tears are streaming once more and I can feel it mingling with the dirt and blood on my face.

“I’ll sort the militia.” Otto says. “We’ll have the city back in our control before the sun is up.”

Darius grunts back but his gaze is fixed on me still. He clearly knows everything. He clearly knows Roman is alive. That he has Lara.

The only thing he has now is me and I wonder what new horrors he’s going to inflict before this day is out.

Rose

They leave me here. In semi-darkness. With Ty’s body still opposite me for what feels like the entire rest of the night.

I try to get my wrists free. I try to manoeuvre my hands to loosen the tape but it’s too tight and all it does is rip at my skin.

My body keeps shuddering, as if I’m enduring aftershocks from the electricity, though I don’t know if that’s a real thing or it’s just in my head.

All I can think about is that Roman is coming. That this all awful situation is finally coming to an end.

I can feel my tears falling. I can feel my nightdress getting wetter as they drip from my cheeks but I can’t stop now that I’ve started.

Ty is dead. They murdered him like his life meant nothing. But I could see the way his eyes met mine, I could see the acceptance just as Otto pulled the trigger. I think in his heart he was happy to do it, happy to sacrifice himself for Sofia but that doesn’t make it okay. None of it is okay.

I’m shivering so much it feels like the very chair is shaking. I don’t know what happens if it gives way. I don’t know what happens if it overturns. Will they come back to see what the noise is? Will they think I did it deliberately in some attempt to get free and then punish me more?

I don’t care now. They can hurt me as much as they want because Roman is coming. Roman is going to save me. I just have to do what he says and keep myself alive. I just have to be brave for a little longer.

The door opens. I blink rapidly as the light pours in.

I don’t know how long I’ve been down here or what the time is.

Darius walks up to me, squats in front of me and brushes my hair from my face. I try to jerk my head away but I can’t escape his touch.

“All you had to do was play nice Rose.” He says. “All you had to do was be obedient. Except you wouldn’t do that would you?”

I bite my tongue, glaring back at him.

“I’m going to kill Roman. You do realise that don’t you?”

I cast my eyes beyond him, to the open doorway and the men who seem to be moving rapidly around.

“I’ll give you his head as a gift.” He continues. “I’ll have it mounted the way they mount a stag’s and I’ll hang it over our bed, so you’ll know every moment you’re awake that it’s over. That I won.”

He grips my jaw, forcing my attention back to him.

“Are you listening to me Rose?”