Page 10 of A Whisper of Cinders

CHAPTER FOUR

Irush back to the cafeteria where I’m expected to prepare everything for dinner. Which basically means that there isn’t a tower of plates that are too high, and make sure that the knives and forks don’t get mixed together. Things like that.

It sounds boring, and it is, but it’s easy work. The fact that I can do it with Ami makes it ten times better. She’s currently giving the tables a quick swipe of her cloth so they are as clean as you’d expect in a cafeteria.

She looks up as I move closer. “Everything alright?”

Normally I’m perfectly capable of hiding my emotions. The fact that she asks, must mean my mask slipped. She’s the only one that would notice, of course. “Let’s say things got pretty intense at the infirmary.” I give her a short summary of what happened, leaving out one tiny detail regarding a certain male.

Her brows nearly touch her forehead. “A stab wound? I really thought they kept everything behind locked doors by now.”

I lift my shoulders. “Someone must’ve smuggled it in or picked the lock. It doesn’t matter, she’s dead either way.”

Before I know it, I’m pulled into a hug. She’s the only one I’ll ever let me touch like that. She’s also the only one that wants to do so, but that’s beside the point.

A clearing of someone’s throat breaks up the silence and we quickly step away from each other, but he already saw it. ‘He’ being Dom, short for Dominic. The staff are a mix of men and women, some kinder than the other. But Dom is more ruthless than anyone else.

I break into a cold sweat, followed by a heavy feeling in my stomach. My body begs me to run away, hide, do anything to get away from him. But there is nowhere to go right now.

Ami, bless her, recovers faster than me and moves towards him, putting herself between us as a human barrier. Not sure if it would do anything honestly, but the gesture is kind either way. “Can I help you, Dominic?”

She has seen the scars on my back, ones I didn’t have when I arrived here. She has helped me get dressed when I couldn’t lift my arms or move for that matter. She tended to my wounds when I didn’t feel like bothering Doctor Herbert with another one of my aches.

“No physical contact. You know the rules, Amira.” The sound of his voice alone sends shivers down my spine and when his eyes find me, I forget how to breathe. “You do too, Scorch. Or would you like me to repeat them for you?”

You see, maybe in another world, this would seem like a kind and genuine offer. But if you know Dom, those two words are not written in his vocabulary. Nothing he offers comes out of the goodness of his heart.

Ami moves a little bit closer, trying to draw his gaze to her. “We’re so sorry. We do know the rules and it won’t happen again. We promise.” She looks over her shoulder, offering me an encouraging smile. "Don't we, Maily?”

I know she asked me a question, but my vocal cords somehow don’t know how to work, so I nod. Hoping, no, praying it will be enough.

Dom steps to the side and moves closer, completely ignoring Amira. It takes everything in me not to shrink back. My throat tightens to the point where it’s hard to breathe. “Did you lose your tongue? I asked you a question.”

Of course it wasn’t enough.

“She understands and agrees —”

“Silence! I wasn’t speaking to you.”

Our eyes lock at the same time and we both know there is nothing more she can do. He needs to hear the words from me, even if he has to beat them out of me.

Fucking asshole.

I bow my head, showcasing the innocent child he sees me as. I know it’s his favourite play. He’d enjoy it even more if I would fall to my knees, which I will definitely not do. Yet.

“I apologise, Dominic. I will continue my tasks and keep enough distance between Amira and me.”

As my gaze is still cast downward, I thankfully don’t have to meet his gaze, but it also means I see him move closer until his our boots are nearly toe to toe. I know what will happen now, it’s always the same routine.

Ice cold, slightly wet chunky fingers grab my chin and roughly lift up my head until our eyes meet. “That’s a good girl.” He licks his chapped lips and I am seconds away from passing out. I’ve stopped breathing too. “Continue. Now,” he barked.

He releases my face and walks away to sit down at one of the tables near us. I can breathe again, although my chest feels tight, my body equally tense.

I know Ami wants to reassure me, but it would only anger him more and I do not need that right now, so I subtly shake my head.

Thankfully, the sounds of a quarrel outside of the cafeteria draws Dom’s attention away from us and when the shouts get louder, he has no other choice than to find out what is going on.

Ami rushes over and holds my pinky with hers, a small habit we picked up. “I’m so sorry.”