I awoke to the sensation of a boot prodding harshly at my ribs.
"Oi, get up. Are you planning to laze about all morning?"
My eyes snapped open to see Elfriede looming over me, hands on her hips. She looked as fresh and icy as ever, as though last night's exhaustion had evaporated. Around us, the faint gray light of dawn filtered in from somewhere above the labyrinth, just barely illuminating our rocky chamber.
"S-sorry, Mistress!" I scrambled to my feet, hastily wiping drool from the corner of my mouth. I must have dozed off hard—I didn't even remember falling asleep. After the beating and the sheer fatigue of yesterday, I'd hit the ground like a corpse and known nothing more until her kick roused me.
"I couldn't… sleep well last night," I mumbled by way of excuse. That earned me a narrowed stare.
Elfriede flicked my forehead with a gloved finger—hard. "I don't pay you to sleep well. Now pack up the tents and blankets, on the double. This expedition is dragging on far too long. If we're delayed because of your slacking, you'll get another taste of my whip."
"Yes, Mistress. I'll do it right away." Stifling a groan, I set to work breaking camp. My entire body protested—especially the welt on my back where her whip had kissed me—but I forced myself to move quickly. Within minutes I had shaken the others from their rest, collapsed the tents, and rolled up all the bedding.
As I shoved the last folded canvas into my already-bulging pack, I caught a glimpse of myself reflected in a shallow puddle on the cavern floor. A pair of dull eyes stared back from a gaunt, unshaven face smudged with dirt. Shoulders slumped, expression cowed… I looked every inch the beaten slave.
Is this really me? I wondered. Two years in chains had changed me more than I cared to admit. After enduring constant abuse and humiliation, any spark of youthful pride I once had was nearly extinguished. I moved on autopilot, following orders instantly to avoid pain. Like a dog trained with the lash, I had been broken in.