AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Fear, anxiety, and an undeniable hint of intrigue battled for dominance as I processed his words.
Heal Ceara emotionally.
The task felt like a mountain to climb, but the hidden implications of his words hit me harder than any physical mountain ever could.
The Supervisor’s eyes, cold and calculating, danced with unspoken meaning.
Intimacy.
He was suggesting emotional healing through intimacy.
The thought caused a visceral reaction in me, my stomach lurching as the blood drained from my face.
“I don’t…” I trailed off, unable to articulate the myriad of thoughts swirling in my head.
Could I really do this?
Be intimate with Ceara?
With Ceara who was strange, unpredictable, and yet… surprisingly gentle in his own way?
With Ceara who had shown me a vulnerability that contradicted his tough exterior?
The Supervisor’s voice broke through my turmoil. “You have a choice, Ellie. Heal Ceara, or I can return you to the Prize Pool.”
The threat hung in the air like a chilling mist, suffocating me with its weight.
The Prize Pool — a place where female captives were reduced to commodities, Claimed by Champions of the fighting pit.
I’d narrowly escaped it once, I couldn’t go back there again.
Desperation clung to my skin like a thin sheen of sweat, the sour taste of fear filling my mouth.
There had to be a way out of this situation.
A bargain.
If I had to traverse this intimidating path of emotional healing, I deserved something in return.
Taking a steadying breath, I leveled my gaze at the Supervisor. “If I do this… if I help heal Ceara emotionally,” I began, my voice firmer than I felt, “I want something in return.”
The Supervisor raised an eyebrow, clearly intrigued. “And what might that be?” he asked, a hint of amusement in his tone.
“I want to leave Ikmal as soon as possible. On a private shuttle, straight back to Earth.”
My heart pounded in my chest as I stated my terms.
The thought of returning to Earth, to my normal life, was like a beacon of hope amidst the turmoil.
He studied me for a moment, his eyes narrowed in thought.
The silence in the room was deafening, the only sound the steady hum of the ship’s machinery.
The wait was torture.
After what felt like an eternity, the Supervisor nodded. “Very well,” he agreed, a satisfied smirk playing on his lips, “If you can heal him so he can perform his task, I’ll ensure you are on the first shuttle back to Earth.”
Relief washed over me, sweet and cleansing.
