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He considered my words, his eyes never leaving mine. “You’re banking on my reputation, but you forget, Violet, that in the end, we’re all prisoners here, trying to survive, to make it to another day.”
I took a deep breath, pressing on. “That’s why I came to you. Because despite the challenges, despite the murky waters of prison politics, you’ve managed to retain a sense of integrity. You value your word, and the respect of your peers. I’m offering you a golden ticket, a way to ensure your gang remains in power without resorting to unnecessary bloodshed.”
There was a heavy silence, the weight of decisions and choices hanging in the balance.
Cayggod’s gaze was inscrutable, and for a moment, I felt a pang of doubt.
Had I miscalculated?
Maybe he had been the one to circulate the rumors about him being honorable himself.
It wasn’t beyond him, was it?
“You’re asking for a lot,” he finally said, breaking the tense silence. “You want me to risk the safety and security of my people, to plunge this prison into chaos, all for… what? A piece of information that I have no concept of and to help two inmates escape?”
“Yes,” I responded, resolutely. “Because if you don’t, someone else will. And who’s to say what they’ll do with that information? This is a chance, Cayggod. A chance to change the narrative.”
He was quiet for a long time, so long that I thought he might not respond at all.
Finally, he sighed, rubbing his temples as if trying to ward off a headache.
“Violet,” he began, his voice carrying a hint of regret, “I respect your tenacity, your drive to protect those you care about. But what you’re proposing… it’s too risky. The balance here is delicate, and I cannot, in good conscience, jeopardize the lives of those under my protection.”
I felt desperation claw at me.
This was my last shot, my only hope to ensure Kuana and I could escape this hellish place together. “Cayggod, please. There has to be a way, some compromise we can reach—”
He shook his head, his expression softening just a touch. “I’m sorry. Whatever information you possess, whatever it is you think can leverage, it’s simply not worth the cost.”
With that, my last hope seemed to vanish.
Cayggod, the one beast I thought could help us in this place, had refused.
* * *
There’s a strange stillness that follows an utter rejection.
It feels like a vacuum, devoid of all hope and possibilities.
Just moments ago, I’d been fervently pleading my case with Cayggod, and now… now everything felt lost.
The surprise, however, wasn’t over.
Cayggod looked at me with a knowing gleam in his eye. “I’m aware you’ve been visiting Kuana every night.”
My blood ran cold, and a shiver of dread trickled down my spine. “How…?” I started, but my voice trailed off, my throat dry.
Cayggod chuckled softly, leaning back in his chair. “My dear, in a place like this, there are eyes everywhere. And to retain the position I hold, it’s imperative I know everything that transpires within these walls.”
The realization hit me hard.
The privacy Kuana and I thought we shared was a mere illusion.
Every stolen moment, every whispered word, wasn’t ours alone.
It had been watched, analyzed.
I felt exposed, vulnerable.
