Chapter 5: Nice to Meet You Again

"Where are you from?"

Brock still had me by the shirt, holding me up off the floor.

I opened my eyes and looked into his angry face.

My shirt had ridden up in his fist and the guards in the door could see everything, and I didn't care.

I only cared about his hands.

He was twice my size.

"Answer me, or I make you."

I said nothing.

His fist came down on my nose, and I heard it break.

Blood poured over my mouth.

"One more chance," he said.

"Then I start on your legs."

I stayed silent.

I had kept the secret for three years, and I wasn't going to hand it to him for a broken nose.

"Get me the syringe," Brock said to the guard behind him.

The guard left at a run.

I knew what was in it, because I had seen what it did to the rogues who came back from the dungeon.

It was more wolfsbane, and it was enough to loosen anyone's tongue.

I had a few moments, so I spent them gathering strength.

The guard came back with the needle held out in his fingers.

Brock reached for it.

I was faster than either of them expected.

I snapped my good hand up, snatched the syringe from the guard and drove the needle into Brock's neck.

He roared and dropped me.

I hit the floor, scrambled onto my one working foot and backed up until I had the wall behind me.

Brock tore the needle out and threw it away.

His chest heaved.

"Get the king," he told the guard, in a voice that barely sounded human.