Bound and Broken: An Isekai Adventure Dark Fantasy (Melas Book 1) V.A. Lewis (feel good books to read .TXT) 📖

"Hey," she said, "you ok?"

I looked up at the Cat Beastkin— at the woman who protected me, despite my doubts in her— and nodded. "I’m… fine. I should be the one asking you that. Does it hurt?" I asked, gesturing at where they tazed her.

"Nn." Rin sat down next to me. "It doesn’t hurt anymore."

Neither of us spoke for a moment. I averted my gaze from the catgirl, ashamed at myself for getting her hurt. "I’m sorry," I said, finally.

"For what?" Rin replied, almost nonchalantly. "You didn’t do anything wrong. It’s stupid Shang’s fault for rushing you when you still weren’t prepared."

"No," I protested, feebly. "I just… don’t want to be a slave anymore, Ms Rin. It’s so terrible. Why did this have to happen to us?" I looked over at the normally carefree girl, tears forming in my eyes. I was crying. But why was I crying?

Rin did not ask. Instead, she wrapped her arms around me, and brought me into a hug. I froze, almost in shock by the sudden contact. I almost felt like my personal space was being violated for a moment— and yet, my worries suddenly washed away. Not completely. Just for a moment, I could relax.

We stayed like that for a few minutes. Neither of us said anything. I was pretty sure Rin did not know what to say, but it was better this way. Finally, when I had stopped crying, I broke the silence.

"I’m not going to give up." Rin let go of me slightly, and cocked her head. I glanced up, and met the girl’s luminescent eyes. "It is as you guys said: we can’t let them break us. I can’t let them break me. I’ll try again, the next time I get the chance. Not tomorrow, they’ll be on alert then. Give me four days. And this time, we’ll escape."

"Nn, of course," Rin said, trying to throw me a thumbs up but failing because of the manacles covering her entire hand. "Whenever you’re ready, Melas."

I took a deep breath, nodding my head. Four days, I thought. It was an arbitrary number, but that still gave us an extra week before we got to the Free City of Slaves if all went according to plan for the Mancis Company. So if this attempt failed again, we had time to try at least once more.

I eyed the smiling Rin, who seemed uncaring of the fact that she had just been hurt. I hesitated, biting my tongue. But I forced myself to speak. "Ms Rin—"

"Just call me Rin," she cut me off. "Nn, I liked being called a ‘Miss’ at first, but now it’s boring!"

"Right," I said, "Rin."

"What is it?" the Cat Beastkin asked, peering at me.

"Thank you." I bowed my head. "For helping me." In more ways than one, I left that part unsaid.

Rin grinned. "Nn, no problem!"

Chapter 17: A Brief Reprieve

"Oh, it was my birthday last week."

The words casually left my mouth, as the sounds of wheels running over gravel and horses trotting on the road filled the background like white noise from a television. The rattling of the cages and the shaking of the crates were aggravating at first, but I quickly got used to it.

I shifted in my lying position, and felt a bump, as the thought crossed my mind. I feel… bad. I took a quick peek at the young woman sitting to the left of my knees, and saw as she perked up.

"Nn, really?" Rin excitedly leaned forwards to face me. "Happy belated birthday!" she said.

The man sitting across her shook his head, and tried to lift his hand up to pinch his nose. He failed.

Instead, metal clanged with each as his manacled hands hit his muzzled face, followed by a loud sigh. Shang turned to face the Cat Beastkin, and spoke resignedly.

"Rin, do you really think she had a happy birthday?" The Dog Beastkin just barely stopped himself from throwing his hands up in the air, before continuing, "And remind me again, why exactly do you even know what day it is?"

The white haired woman scoffed, then stuck her tongue out at Shang.

"Because I pay attention! Nn, see? Stupid Shang!"

I looked on at this trivial argument, and smiled.

It was not the happiest smile in the world; it was not a wide grin accompanied by boisterous laughter and a witty remark. Perhaps I was not even happy or relaxed: I was just not completely on edge. And the small curling of my lips was indicative of that.

I felt so much better around these two, and I felt bad for how I initially thought of Rin! I know I never said anything bad per se, but just the fact that I thought it made me feel guilty; however I did not let that feeling affect me, and the smile— or curling of the lips, or whatever— stayed on for the moment.

Regardless of what it was, I interrupted their minor quarrel by turning to Rin and bowing my head slightly in her direction.

"Thank you, Rin, for the birthday wish," I said, looking back up and meeting her eyes. "And thanks for reminding me about my birthday," I added, "if you did not bring up the date, I might have become an old woman and never realized it."

The wagon hit a bump, and my joke fell flat.

Both Shang and Rin did not even register the attempt at humor, but the catgirl turned red at my praise, and looked triumphantly at her partner.

"Hehe! Of course!"

Remind me never to make a joke again. I lay back down, and stared up at the canvas ceiling. First Adrian, now them. Where has my sense of humor gone?! At least, I found myself