Lesson Three
691 Words
CONTRACTED TO THE DEVIL'S BODYGUARD
EPISODE 8: LESSON THREE
`364:21:27`
The air down here tasted like metal and old blood.
No windows. Just one flickering bulb and the glow from Ava’s sigil. Black light crawling up her veins like ink. On the table between them: the dagger. The Envoy’s "gift". Warm. Pulsing.
Ryder hadn’t spoken in 10 minutes. He just stared at it like it was a bomb.
Because it was.
Vexa leaned against the doorframe, filing her nails.
Vexa: "We have 71 hours. Maybe. So are we gonna train or are we gonna stare at it until it kills her?"
Ava’s hands were shaking. Not from fear. From rage.
Ava: "Teach me."
Ryder finally looked at her. Gold eyes dark.
Ryder: "If I do this wrong, you die. If you do this wrong, we both die."
He stepped closer. "Are you sure?"
Ava picked up the dagger. It hummed against her palm. The sigil answered it.
Ava: "They came to my house. They threatened you. They want me dead in 364 days."
Her voice didn’t shake. "I’m sure."
Ryder moved behind her.
Chest to her back. One arm around her waist to steady her. The other covering her hand on the dagger hilt. His skin was cold. Hers was burning.
Ryder: "Rule 1. Don’t think." His voice was low. Right in her ear. "The contract isn’t logic. It’s blood. It’s time. Feel it."
He guided her wrist up. The blade caught the light.
Ryder: "Rule 2. Cut intent, not flesh. You’re not killing a body. You’re killing seconds."
Ava could feel his heartbeat. Too fast.
Ava: "You’re shaking."
Ryder exhaled. "Because the last Vessel who held this turned to dust in 3 seconds. I watched."
Vexa: "Romantic. Can you focus?"
Ryder ignored her. Brought Ava’s hand down in a slow arc.
The air split. A black line cut through empty space and slammed into the concrete wall.
The wall timer flickered.
`364:21:25`... `364:21:24`... `364:21:25`
It stuttered. Paused. Then snapped back.
Ryder let go. But his fingers dragged across her knuckles before he pulled away. One second too long.
Ryder: "Good. You cut time."
He stepped back. Put distance between them like it physically hurt.
Ryder: "Again."
They did it 6 more times. Each cut made the sigil crack a little more. Like glass.
By the 4th cut, Ava was sweating. By the 6th, she was dizzy.
Ava: "Why does it hurt?"
Ryder: "Because you’re using your life to fight for your life. The contract hates that."
Ava turned to face him. They were inches apart. She could count the scars on his jaw.
Ava: "Why are you so scared of me using it?"
Ryder’s jaw ticked.
Ryder: "Because I’ve seen what happens when it’s used on a Vessel."
Quiet. So quiet Vexa couldn’t even hear it. "They don’t come back. The time eats them."
Ava reached up. Almost touched his face. Stopped herself.
Ava: "Then don’t let me disappear."
`364:21:22`
The alarm didn’t blare. It screamed.
Red lights. The floor vibrated.
Vexa was already on the comms, cursing.
Vexa: "They’re early! 30 trucks! They blew the outer wall!"
On the monitors: Kestrel soldiers pouring through the smoke. White armor. Glowing weapons. Clocks on every wrist counting down in sync.
`71:55:10`
Ryder cursed and grabbed the dagger from Ava. Checked the edge. Then slammed it back into her hand and closed her fingers over it.
Ryder: "Lesson three is over."
He looked at her. Really looked. Like he was memorizing her.
Ryder: "Lesson four: Survive."
He grabbed her wrist and yanked her toward the stairs.
Ryder: "Stay behind me. No hero shit."
At the top of the stairs he stopped. Turned.
Ryder: "And Ava?"
The building shook again. Dust fell between them.
Ryder: "Don’t pause. Burn. Burn them until there’s nothing left to count down."
Ava nodded. The sigil flared up her arm and to her neck. Black fire licked her fingertips.
`364:21:20`
The front doors exploded inward.
Shards of wood and metal flew.
Through the smoke came the first soldier.
Ava stepped forward. Dagger raised.
Her voice was steady.
Ava: "You want my time? Come take it."
TO BE CONTINUED...
- Writer
