Commander’s Pet Part III
Every muscle, every cell seizes with pain. My back is arched at an inhuman angle but I don’t fall as fire continues to zip through my being. Then it’s over as quick as it began. I still stand between the two pillars, hands in the depressions. I’m hunched slightly forward trying to catch my breath. Each exhale borders on a scream, but I’ve been ordered to be silent. Tears stream from my eyes, and for the first time since Tahlana has taken control of me, I manage to release a clear thought and emotion through her hold. Anger. I’ve never been hit in the head with a baseball bat, but I imagine it is similar to the feeling of Tahlana clamping down on my mind in response to my breach of her authority. I redouble …