Kora (Kora Series Book 1)

by Marina Epley

  As I run past Gabriel, he whispers, “Did you think of me?”

  I increase my pace, leaving him behind. My stomach hurts and I can’t get enough air. I can’t stop thinking why Gabriel chose me as the subject of his torture. I don’t believe he really hates me. I haven’t really done anything to deserve his anger or hatred. I’ve been respectful, submissive and haven’t broken any rules that I know of. I did whatever my master or trainers demanded. But perhaps, the genuine reason behind his continuous attention toward me isn’t based in anger or hatred. I actually feel like there’s some sort of strange, unhealthy attraction behind his interest. It seems plain crazy, but I let the thought linger for a while longer. As I recall, Gabriel’s interest first perked up only after I spoke up to him. When for a split second, I forgot that I’m his servant and he’s the master. I showed some attitude and he seems to have enjoyed it. Perhaps killing passive, compliant servants isn’t doing it for him. He must be looking for something more challenging, by finding somebody more spirited who might resist.

  I don’t really know. But I do know seeing him makes me feel sick and panicked.

  The oval track brings me back around to Gabriel once again. He smiles, his cold snake-like eyes closely watching me. Joan strikes the ground with her whip, demanding the racers to move faster. Amy still jogs beside me, being quiet now. Running doesn’t seem to affect her too much. Her face looks fresh and her skin is still dry. Sweat drips from me as if I’ve just taken a shower. Approaching the place where he stands, I slow down impulsively. But no matter how slowly I run, the distance between us is closing. Blood rushes through my veins and I feel like I’m about to faint. But I never do so I continue jogging.

  As I move past him, he grabs me by the arm and yanks me to a sudden stop. I stumble and almost fall, lowering my head. His fingers seem to be made of steel, strong and easily capable of inflicting pain. He squeezes my arm tightly and I have to force myself not to cry out. I already know crying or begging won’t do any good.

  “You’re the slowest racer I’ve got,” Gabriel says calmly.

  He smacks my head and I fall to my knees. Amy stops, standing a few feet away, watching the scene with hesitation. Gabriel turns to face her and she lowers her gaze, taking off and proceeding along the track.

  “Slow racers can’t hope to outrun chimeras, can they?” he asks, smiling. “The slow racers get eaten more quickly. So what’s the point in keeping you alive when you’re already as good as dead?”

  I drop my eyes, staring at the ground. I think about the books I’d read back in Dimitri’s mansion. I think about the glorious brave heroes rescuing damsels from dragons and werewolves. I know nobody will be coming to rescue me.

  “Look at me,” Gabriel says.

  I look up at him.

  “Stand up,” he orders.

  I rise to my feet.

  Gabriel smirks, his deep blue eyes locked onto mine. He slaps me hard across the face and I stumble backward a few steps, but don’t fall. Several racers jog past behind my back. Nobody stops. Nobody comes to my aid. I think of Trent, wondering what part of the track he’s at now. Joan and Brutus yell at the racers to increase their pace.

  “Don’t look so stricken, I’m just playing,” Gabriel says softly. “You’re not really a bad runner, Kora. You’re actually a pretty good one. I saw you evading the chimeras. I have to admit I was quite impressed.”

  He looks at me kindly, but I don’t buy his sudden change in attitude. I don’t believe he’ll let me go this easily.

  “Why do you think I’m doing this?” His grin becomes malicious. “Why am I bothering you, Kora?”

  Because you’re a killer and psycho, I think with disgust, remaining quiet.

  “Tell me!” He grabs my shoulders, shaking me. “Come on, open your mouth and speak! I know you have a brain somewhere inside your head. You spoke to me before.”

  I press my lips together and don’t utter a sound. No matter what I say, it would only worsen my situation.

  Gabriel punches me in the face, a quick straight blow. My head jerks backward and I fall. I lie prone on my back, gulping for air, letting out a helpless sounding groan. I touch my nose and look at bright red blood staining my fingers.

  Gabriel lurks above me, watching with a satisfied grin. He kicks me in the side and I roll into a defensive ball. A few more racers jog past, their faces purposely turned the opposite direction. Gabriel grabs my pony-tail and yanks me up into a sitting position. I don’t resist, holding my breath and ready to take whatever punishment is given. He slowly raises his hand and quickly slaps me one-two-three times. My cheeks burn and I’m growing dizzy. He releases my hair and I drop back onto my side, my body shuddering involuntarily.

  My eyes glue to the holstered gun on Gabriel’s waist. I envision myself grabbing the gun and shooting him point blank in the face. But I remain motionless instead, just lying passively on the ground.

  He kicks me in the stomach again. I groan in pain. The next instant Amy approaches and shoves Gabriel away.

  “Leave her alone!” she screams.

  “No, don’t!” I try to exclaim, but my words come out too soft and slurred.

  Gabriel swings an arm around, delivering a hard punch into the side of Amy’s head. She falls, but only for a moment. Snarling, she gets back to her feet, lunging forward and elbowing Gabriel in the face. He staggers backward, carefully touching his nose, then stares at his bloody hand in astonishment. Amy stands between Gabriel and me, breathing heavily now and preparing for another attack.

  “It’s astounding,” Gabriel smiles, unholstering his handgun and pointing the barrel at Amy. “You’re coming with me.”

  Amy emits a fearful noise from her throat. I jump to my feet, stepping in front of her.

  “Please,” I beg. “Let her go.”

  “Get out of here.” Gabriel fires his gun above my head. I shiver but don’t move.

  “Take me,” I plead. “Please don’t hurt her. She’s one of your best racers.”

  “You’ll have to wait your turn,” he answers.

  He slams a gun into my head and I wind up on the ground. I watch as he presses the barrel into Amy’s temple and leads her away.

  I’ve just lost the only true friend I had, I realize. Gabriel attacked Amy only because she tried to protect me.

  “Get back to your training!” Joan yells, approaching me with her whip. “Come on! Move it!”

  I hurriedly scramble to my feet and continue jogging around the track.

  ***

  Once the training session is over, I stand under a hot spray of water in the showering facility, crying my eyes out. Afterwards I head to my room and cry for a good hour longer. I lie on the bed, pressing my face into a pillow. Martha, having witnessed everything, is also sobbing and rubbing at her eyes. But even while I’m weeping, part of my mind continues to search for a solution. I know I can’t let Gabriel kill Amy. I have to do something to save my friend.

  Somebody knocks lightly at the door. I flinch, startled, but realize that Gabriel or Joan would just enter without knocking. I open the door and Tanya slips into the room like a small gray shadow.

  “I know what’s happened to your friend,” she whispers to me. “I was washing floors in the house and saw her.”

  “Is she alive?” I ask in a panic. Tanya nods. “Did he hurt her?”

  “Very badly,” the little girl sighs. “Gabriel has her locked up inside the basement. They have cages down there for disobedient servants. I spoke with her. Amy said that Gabriel promised to kill her in the morning. She believes he will. She also said to tell you that you should leave without her.”

  I don’t question Gabriel’s willingness to kill Amy. I thank Tanya for the information before she leaves.

  I stay awake into the night. When Martha finally falls asleep and the building becomes silent, I pull on my gray uniform and head toward the mansion.

  CHAPTER 14

  The night is moonless and dark. I walk toward the mansion,
concealing myself behind trees and bushes as I approach. If I hope to survive and rescue my friend, I must not be seen or heard. Surprisingly, I don’t feel much anxiety, instead feeling calm and determined.

  Approaching the mansion, I drop onto my hands and knees. A couple of guards quietly stroll past my cover, not noticing me in the darkness. I hold my breath until they’re gone, then rise to my feet and proceed.

  Step by step, I finally arrive at my destination. I stop, staring up at the dark windows, trying to guess which one is Gabriel’s room. The mansion is enormous and reminds me of an ancient castle. It’s hard to orient myself because I was only inside once and then just briefly. Long twisted vines creep along most of the walls.

  I do my best to distinguish which is Gabriel’s window, grab a vine and begin pulling myself up. I press my feet against the wall as I climb, holding the vine tightly. I feel exposed, realizing that a guard could easily spot me now. And there wouldn’t be any sensible explanation I could offer as to why I’m clambering up the outside of the master’s home at night. The guards would probably lock me away till morning, then report to Gabriel or Samuel about the incident.

  I don’t let the dark thoughts distress me. I climb as fast as I can toward a black window on the second floor. Fortunately, the weeks of hard training makes my task really easy. I approach the window, listening for any noises before carefully pushing it in. The window is unlocked. I’ve no idea what I’d do if it wouldn’t open. But no time to think what could go wrong, so I pull myself up and inside the room.

  I calculated everything correctly. This is the very room where Gabriel was strangling me. I recognize the furniture. I close the window behind me and take a look around. There are two doors inside this room. I know that one leads into a corridor which leads to a staircase. I open the second door, stepping into a smaller room. Inside is a bed, dresser, small table and a couple of chairs. I realize I’ve just entered Gabriel’s bedroom. He lies on his back in bed, covered by a blanket, eyes closed. I stand unmoving for an instant, allowing my pulse to slow, and cross the room on tiptoes.

  His keys lie on the table. I pick them up cautiously, trying not to make a sound. I start walking back toward the door and stop, turning to look back at Gabriel. I don’t know what I should do about him.

  Finally, I approach his bed, not really breathing. I take one of the pillows and stand beside his head, hesitating. My arms begin shaking. I envision myself pressing the pillow against his face and holding it down hard. I imagine him struggling and grunting as I’m smothering him, then watching as his body becomes limp. But what if he overpowers me? What if I’m not strong enough and he manages to call for the guards?

  Adrenaline hits me and I feel like all my bones turn into mush. My thoughts start racing.

  Easy, easy, I tell myself. You don’t have to risk it.

  I draw in a shivery breath and let the pillow fall to the floor. I quickly exit the room, heading toward the corridor. I’m not willing to become a killer, at least not yet.

  Descending a staircase, I run into two guards. There’s no point in running now because they both saw me. I freeze, looking downward and hiding the keys away inside my pocket.

  “What are you doing here?” one of the guards demands.

  “I was visiting Master Gabriel,” I confess. I can’t come up with a good story at the moment. My mind seems to be paralyzed to the point I’m unable to think.

  “All right then. Get out of here.”

  They ascend the stairs, leaving me behind. I stand still for a moment, not believing my good fortune. Gabriel must beat and torture his servants often. The guards must have assumed I was one of his victims. I shake off my stupor and descend the staircase toward the basement. I spend a couple of minutes trying to find the right key, before finally managing to unlock the door.

  The basement is immense. Dim lighting along the wall illuminate the space. I pass a section containing barrels of wine and stocks of food. I finally arrive at a long row of cages. I make out muffled sobs and walk toward the voice. Amy sits in the corner of one of the cages, her hair cropped short and deep cuts running across her face. Upon hearing footsteps, she lets out a whimper and crawls in the opposite direction.

  “Amy,” I whisper. “It’s just me.”

  “Kora?” Her eyes sparkle feverishly. “Is that really you?”

  “It’s me,” I repeat, feeling my throat tighten. “I have Gabriel’s keys.”

  I stand at the door to her cage, trying to unlock it. I can’t find the key that fits the lock. Amy sits in front of me, large tears rolling down her disfigured face.

  “You have to go now,” she mutters. “Please leave me. You must get away. Gabriel already promised to kill me. And he’ll kill you too if he catches you here.”

  “I’m not leaving without you.” I continue trying different keys. “We’re going to escape together.”

  “I’m hurting so much. He beat me really badly.” Amy puts her hand to her face, wiping away blood mixed with tears. “I just can’t do it. I can’t escape now.”

  I finally get the door open and enter the cell. I grab Amy under her arms and pull her up. I place one of her arms across my shoulders for balance.

  “You can do it,” I say. “Come on, let’s get you out of here.”

  I start walking toward the exit, half leading, half dragging Amy. She’s in terrible shape. The cuts on her face are still bleeding and she’s not able to remain in an upright position, bending over and swaying. My heart aches in sympathy. I bite my lip, angry with myself for permitting Gabriel to live. I should have smothered him.

  The basement door in front of us suddenly swings open and our master appears in the doorway. I freeze, staring at him stupidly. Amy lets out a startled gasp. Gabriel smirks.

  “Hello, my darlings.” He points his gun directly at us. “And where do you think you’re going? Did you really intend to leave me?”

  I stand side by side with Amy, unmoving, our hearts beating as one. I gaze down the barrel of the handgun targeting my head. I calculate whether I have a chance to attack Gabriel before he can pull the trigger. How long does it take to fire? There are about fifteen feet between us.

  “Kora,” he grins. “I wasn’t asleep. I knew you were in my bedroom.”

  He approaches, holding the gun on me.

  “My keys please,” he demands, extending his hand.

  I drop the keys in his hand and he places them inside a pocket.

  “What were you thinking, Kora?” he asks, pressing the barrel into my cheek. I stand unmoving. “What mischievous thoughts crossed your mind while you were standing beside my bed? Thoughts of killing me? Am I right? I couldn’t watch you because I had to keep my eyes closed. I was so curious to learn what you intended to do.”

  His smile disappears. He watches me thoughtfully, studying my face. I don’t know what I might do to help our situation.

  “You surprised me,” he admits. “You were behaving so obedient and passive, yet you suddenly broke into my room in the middle of a night. It’s quite exciting.”

  “Please, don’t kill her,” Amy pleads. “You have me now…”

  “Shut your mouth, girl,” Gabriel orders her. “So why didn’t you do it, Kora? What stopped you? You had a chance to kill me and you took a pass. What’s wrong with you?”

  What’s wrong with me indeed? I ask myself. I don’t have the answer.

  “It was a mistake,” Gabriel sighs. “You shouldn’t have hesitated. You should have gone for it while you had such an opportunity. Don’t you agree?”

  I remain silent.

  “Tell me!” he yells. “Damn you, Kora! Why won’t you speak to me now?”

  “Please don’t hurt her,” Amy sobs.

  “Please don’t hurt her,” Gabriel mocks, rolling his eyes. “I believe I already told you to shut your mouth. I’m getting bored with you, girl.”

  He shifts the handgun to Amy and pulls the trigger, shooting her in the face. I shudder from the loud gunshot as
her warm blood showers over me. She remains standing for a moment longer while I’m still holding her arm. I release her arm and she drops to the floor, limp and motionless. I begin screaming. I stagger backward, not believing my eyes.

  Amy is gone. My beautiful wonderful friend is dead.

  “Yes, that’s right,” Gabriel sighs. “Just look what you’ve done now.”

  I stare blankly at the blood spreading across the floor. I backpedal several more steps until my back presses against a cage. Nowhere to go.

  “Now it’s your turn,” Gabriel smirks, holstering his gun. “But let’s not use firearms, all right? Let’s just pick up right where we left off.”

  He moves in closer and I scream, trying to brush past him. He grabs my arm, yanking me back against the cage. I bend down, trying to push him away. Still holding my elbow, Gabriel slaps my face and throws me to the floor. I land on my side, disoriented and in a full panic. I understand what Gabriel intends to do. He sits on top of me as I attempt to fight him off, hitting at him with open palms. He grabs my hair, tilting my head to the side. Following suit, I grab a handful of his long hair and yank down as hard as I can. Infuriated, he growls, taking hold of my wrists and pinning my arms to the floor. I still hold a thick tuft of freshly pulled-out hair in my fist.

  “You miserable swine,” he sneers.

  I remember how disgusted Gabriel was by merely touching my bare arm, so I spit in his face.

  “Damn it!” he flinches, releasing my arms and rubbing at his face.

  I pound away at his chest, hoping to knock him off me. Gabriel’s hands wrap around my throat, squeezing ever so slowly as he continues holding me down. I begin to choke and my vision darkens.

  “Hold on just a little longer,” Gabriel whispers softly. “You won’t have to suffer ever again.”

  I can’t see anything now, gasping and squirming under his weight. I strike at him with my hands to no effect. I grab his arms, attempting to pull them away from my neck, but it’s useless. He’s just too strong for me.