Dust (Of Dust and Darkness) - By Devon Ashley Page 0,41

eating.

I do the unthinkable and suck it up…literally. I try not to think about the number of pixies that have lain on this floor before me, possibly defecating in this very spot. The strawberry is a necessity if I’m to endure whatever Finley has in mind for me tomorrow. I find the strength to suck up a few water puddles as well, holding my nose so I won’t taste anything more. Luckily, I think my taste buds are still missing-in-action, so it’s only a matter of overcoming my mind that what I’m doing is disgusting.

Proud of myself for not being a complete pushover, I find a spot on the ground that doesn’t seem to poke any part of my body and allow myself to rest. No matter how much he pushes, no matter how much he hurts me emotionally or physically, I will not roll over and die easily. If he hates coming out here to deal with me, then I’ll make sure to ruin every damn day I have left in me.

I guess Finley couldn’t be bothered to come torture me yesterday because I’m certain more than a day has passed. Not even a spriggan came with food and water. Not surprising, really, considering they left me without sustenance for four days before. I pray they don’t do that again. Without someone to nurture me back to health, I’m as good as dead if left here in that condition.

I’m quietly lying on my side when I hear voices echoing in the distance. One voice snaps at another. Finley. My conviction is tested as my heart immediately panics and thumps madly within my chest. As the faerie and spriggan descend my prison and paint it with light, I find the courage to stand on my feet. I’m already three inches shorter than him; no point trembling like a caged animal.

He’s surprised to see me standing – or amused. I hate that I have to lean the back of one of my shoulders against the wall for support, and I think he knows it. But still, I will not cower. Willow told me no pixie ever came back the same, and eventually committed suicide. I know the road before me will be difficult and painful, probably demoralizing, but I will fight it to the best of my ability for as long as I can find the strength.

“Well, well, well. Someone’s got spunk. Perhaps we’re feeding you too much.”

I calm my nerves, releasing long, rhythmic breaths through my nose. I keep my reaction impassive.

“Any self-progress yet? Still believe you’re better than your fellow inmates?”

“I’m not better. Just more determined to fight for what’s rightfully mine.”

He shines one of those twisted half-smiles, making his cheek bulge. “Let’s see what we can do about that determination, eh?”

Finley cocks his head in my direction. The spriggan is lightning-quick to wrap his arms around me. I’m powerless against his grasp; one hand alone can reach all the way around my neck. I scream and thrash against his body with all my might, but he squeezes our chests together tightly, constricting my lungs and incapacitating my limbs. His hands splay against my spine and the vertebras pop down the line. I cringe in sickness as his fiery breath disgustingly licks the top of my head. I’d never been held by a male before, and this isn’t what I pictured for my first time. The spriggan keeps pushing against my spine, squeezing me so tight his own chest recedes to accept more of mine. My lungs strain madly, trying desperately to pump within an inch of space. Fire burns across my chest and my limbs begin to tingle. My legs weaken and jiggle in place. A wheezing noise escapes my mouth and the spriggan suddenly releases my body. I drop lifelessly to the floor, my lungs gasping at the chance to breathe once more.

Something rams hard into my back and I stumble forward. Before I can fight my way back up, the spriggan jumps on my back and holds me flush to the floor. Protuberances in the rock dig into my hip and left shoulder.

“Get off me!” I scream, twisting aggressively, regretting the movement as the rock tears at my flesh. I feel his hands snatch the base of my wings and every cell in my body screams in panic. “Noooo!” I choke.

I hear the deafening crack before I feel the sharp pain radiate from my upper wings and down the length of my spine. The screams, wet