Chapter 33: Chapter 33

Warning: This chapter contains a death scene that some of you might find uncomfortable. I am sorry, but it is vital to the plot. Thank you!

It is a known fact

That Devilio rules

The pack

With an iron hand

He however brings

It up a notch

By becoming

Even more ruthless

To break Kayola

- PenaciousShewa

She gets up from her bed, tired as hell. Her whole body aches badly from the way Devilio treated her last night. Kayola honestly does not want to relive yesterday’s ordeal, but she can’t help but remember everything. Now, it is crystal clear that Devilio does not give a hoot about her. She has finally come to terms with the fact that he loathes her, and she has decided that to survive, she must be in his good books.

This is why she chose not to go along with Alexis’ plan. Yesterday, after she became conscious after she had fainted, Alexis told her that she could help her run away from the Rogue Territory. Kayola, clearly surprised, had asked how, and Alexis had gone on to tell her about the tunnel she had discovered a few weeks ago. She had gone down the tunnel and realized that it led to the deep forest. The fear of not being able to survive in the deep forest on her own had stopped her from running away.

Alexis thus encouraged her to run away from the Territory using the tunnel, but Kayola had declined based on two reasons. One was that as soon as she leaves, Devilio will organize a search party for her; he would never want to let her go, and if he does not find her, Alexis would bear the brunt; hell, he could even kill her. The second reason is that she has a plan, and once she is done, the whole forest will shake.

Time is all she needs, and she has plenty of it.

She begins to think about her plan and all that she needs to do to execute it, and she catches herself smiling. Her thoughts shift to Petra, and she starts to imagine what life looks like right now at the Peasants Pack. She really wishes she could take Alexis’ advice and run back to Petra; as she already knows the way back to the Peasants pack. On her way to the Rogue Territory last week, after her kidnap, Kayola had memorized the landmarks and scents that would help her go back home easily. Aunt Petra must have cried her eyes out that day and the days after. She still remembers the look of helplessness on Warinth’s face as Devilio dragged her away.

Kayola’s stomach suddenly rumbles and she feels the urge to use the bathroom. The bathroom is at least twenty years old, and it is poorly maintained, despite Alexis’ efforts at keeping it clean. After pooping, Kayola decides to have her bath, and as she does, a sharp pain in her abdomen informs her that her period is here.

Shit.

She holds on to her belly for a few seconds until the pain passes; then she brushes her pearly-white teeth and takes her bath. On getting back to the room, she rummages Alexis’ duffel bag for sanitary pads and she thankfully finds two. She quickly wears one before her blood starts to drip. The cramps are back with more ferociousness this time and Kayola slowly lays on her bed. Soon, despite the ache and discomfort, she falls into a deep and restful sleep.

She has only slept for just thirty minutes when she hears a sound, one that she has become accustomed to in just a week of her stay here. It is definitely the ‘Horn of Doom’ and Kayola knows better than to remain in bed. As she struggles to put on her gown, she hears the thudding sound of several feet of her fellow servants as they all rush to the square. Anyone who arrives at the square after the soldiers will be punished mercilessly.

She approaches the ground and sees that a whole lot of the members of the pack, if not all of them, are assembled at the square. There are silent whispers among the people and Kayola can smell fear and death; she does not know why, but she does.

What the hell is going on?

It is a good thing she is five feet nine inches tall as she is able to see two male servants on the same exalted ground that Devilio had had her publicly five days ago. She closes her eyes for a few seconds, as memories of that day flash through her mind.

The servants are kneeling in front of the throne, and even from the distance at which is standing, she can see that they are terrified, and they have every reason to be. For them to be paraded publicly, their offense must be grievous, and Kayola prays to the moon goddess that they are not given the capital punishment.

What could they have done?

She is still thinking of possible offenses when she sees him, good-looking as ever, with a very stern look on his face. Kayola’s heart skips two beats, and she cannot take her eyes off him. He sits on his throne and as usual, there is utter quietness in the arena. Devilio scans the crowd with his soul-piercing eyes until his gaze lands on her. His smile has a meaning that she cannot decipher at this moment, but she knows in her heart of hearts that whatever that smile means cannot be good.

He gets up from his throne and the whole crowd drop to their knees, including Kayola.

“As much as you all fear me, and know what I am capable of, some of you still disobey my orders; some of you still dare me!”

He pauses and looks at the servants kneeling right in front of him, facing each other.

“These bastards were caught having sexual relations, and you all know that I do not tolerate homosexuality. Therefore, I am going to make sure they pay with their lives”

At this point, the whole crowd begins to cry and plead for mercy. They ask Devilio to please spare the lives of the culprits. One of them starts to pee on his body, while the other looks at him with love and pain, all in one mix.

Devilio orders the offenders to face the crowd and they do.

“This is a warning to any of you who is involved in homosexual acts. Stop, or you will be beheaded like these two”

Kayola gasps loudly and the whole crowd starts to beg. Even Basil, his friend, and Beta pleads with him not to kill them but he refuses to lead him.

“Executioners!” Devilio calls and as she watches, Kayola feels all her blood rush down her onto her pad. She keeps shivering and does not want to believe what she is seeing.

As the executioners approach, the servants to be killed hold each other’s hands, and right here, everyone can see the bond they share. They look into each other’s eyes until their heads bounce off their bodies, one after the other.

Alexis screams loudly and Kayola does not even pay her any attention. She keeps staring at Devilio and she shoots daggers at him with her eyes. Every bone in her wants to pounce on him and kill him right there, but she knows that she won’t succeed.

At this point, what she feels for Devilio is pure acrimony.

Oh, I’m gonna make him pay!

The crowd disperses quietly and soon, Kayola is the only one left. As she turns to leave, Devilio calls out to her and says, “I could have let them live; I just wanted you to watch one of your people die!”

I really hate Devilio, what about you? Please, let me know what you think in the comments section. I love you guys!!