(Y/N)
I open the door of the room and step out with Zuri.
"Where are you going, Captain?" Someone growls behind us.
Almost immediately, I turn as Zuri whips around and presses her gun to the person's temple.
Ren.
"Prince Ren." Zuri exhales.
"Let go of me, peasant. I'm here to speak to your master." Ren growls at her, his eyes glinting with malice and condescension.
Zuri's eyes harden and she presses the gun harder against Ren's head. He winces and glares at her.
"What did you just call her?" I ask Ren quietly.
Ren looks at me and his eyes suddenly hold adoration and love.
"Klavor, where are you going? You're not leaving, are you? Tell her to go of me!" Ren whines, ignoring my question.
What happened to that cold look of his earlier?
I barely hide a grimace. "Don't call me that wretched term. Moreover, she is the one holding you up. She is not a pet for me to be the master of. She has her own free will which I will allow her to pursue as Captain but have no right to strip her of. You may work differently here, but she is my Vice Captain and you will address her as such. Not as a pronoun, not as peasant, but Vice Captain Zuri. Do I make myself crystal clear?" I say coldly.
Ren's face darkens considerably.
"Well?" I ask.
"Yes." He grumbles as he stares Zuri down.
"Zuri, you should leave before he draws attention to your departure." I say and hold my gun to the other side of his head.
I hear her footsteps as she steps away. Suddenly, I hear her turn, feel her grab my hand and drop a pouch in it.
I don't move my gaze from Ren, who still holds a lovesick expression on his face.
I feel Zuri whisper in my ear. "It's the pill stock from the ship. It has everything. You know enough to use them, (Y/N). Come back to us safely."
Ren eyes flash a murderous shade of red. I see his jaw clench. His stance shifts just barely but I notice it.
He's getting ready to pounce on Zuri.
I press my elbow against his neck to hold him down and nod quickly in response to Zuri. She pats my shoulder before running down the hallway to the exit.
She must've seen it too.
Ren's stance relaxes and he leans into my elbow, his face flushed by lack of oxygen or something else, I don't know.
I relax my elbow against him and withdraw my gun.
Almost immediately, he whines and pulls me flush against him. I sock him square in the jaw and twist his elbow. I twist until I hear him grunt in pain and he falls to the floor on his knees.
"Captain, what's going on?" I hear a voice behind me ask.
Amit.
I turn to see him glaring at Ren.
Amit
I've never known (Y/N) to be violent. She's tough when she needs to be but otherwise, she's a sweetheart.
So when I hear a grunt come from outside, I immediately assumed the worst.
Did I lose her again? Is she hurt?
I saw those twisted looks on all of the princes. They stared like she was their salvation.
Like she was some object to be owned and cherished rather than a human with her own free will. They'll learn about it soon enough, if they haven't already.
My best friend will make sure of that.
Either way, just to check on her, I open the door. What do I see?
Her with Prince Ren on his knees in front of her, his back facing her front. His hand twisted at an uncomfortable angle.
But that wasn't what bothered me so much, what made my heart squeeze.
His arm was in her grip. When he looked back, there was a sickening look of pleasure on his face and a bruise blooming on his sharp jawline. He wasn't even trying to free himself. If anything, he leaned into her grip.
My angelic best friend is holding such a dirty thing. Something far beneath her. I then look at her face, and I see a flicker of unease in her eyes. She tries to hide it, but I notice.
He probably touched her in some uncomfortable way for her to look like that.
I suddenly feel the urge to tear him apart.
(Y/N)
"Captain. Did he harm you in any way?" Amit asks quietly. Too quietly.
I feel a shiver go up my spine. I've never heard him talk like that. Like the very thought hurts and angers him.
"Why would I harm my klavor?" Ren chuckles.
"You-" Amit's interrupted by a shrill scream.
We look at each other.
Zuri.
I let go of Ren and run through the hallway and out the exit, Amit following behind me.
I see Zuri on her knees, a gash running down the side of her face. She looks dazed and completely out of it.
Behind her stands Caspian, his hands holding one of those metal guns behind Zuri's head and his eyes flash red. He shoots me a grin.
I look around and see a plethora of guards circle us. I hear a grunt and turn my head to see Amit losing consciousness. Behind him I see the four princes, Ren holding a gun by its barrel, the butt of the gun covered in small specks of blood.
Amit's blood.
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