Golden eyes turned to regard the lieutenant. If he was the leak, he was good. She COULD simply order him to carry out her ordersâŠbut where would the fun be in that? Something in her told her to draw this out just a bit longer.
The corner of her lip quirked into a barely visible smirk. âOh? You say you can draw out the information?â The commander turned to face him fully, wearing an expression that didnât seem to give away her suspicion. âDo tell.â
The prisoners, on the other hand, seemed alarmed at the idea of additional pain, worriedly whimpering amongst themselves. One even started to cry, trembling. âWh-why are you doing this??â
Qessyn raised a brow. Slowly, she approached the weeping prisoner. Why indeed. She could have simply told him to shut up, or given some spiel on the glory of the empireâŠbut they had probably heard it all before.
âYou really want to know, do you?â she mused. Very well, she would let them know exactly what kind of person they were dealing with.
âI used to be like you, you know,â she began, catching the prisonerâs attention enough for them to meet her gaze, their eyes wide and filled with tears. âFrightened. Meek. I always tried so hard to see the best in everyone. Tried to treat everyone kindly. Even prisoners like you. I thought what we were doing, we were doing for the good of all.â
Turning away, she walked around the room. âI served under a man named Trekhar. He wasâŠa ruthless man. Didnât tolerate any kind of weakness in anyone, not even his own species. And I was his favorite punching bag.â
Looking at her hand, she clenched it into a fist. âEvery day, he would beat me within an inch of my life. Carve into my flesh. Electrocute me. Every day, some new horror. Some new humiliation. Oh, I tried my best to hold on to my mind, but every day, I lost a little more of myself.â
She looked back at the prisoners. âUntil I finally had enough. I began making plansâŠand one night, I sprung my trap. And now Trekhar was at my mercy.â
Her eyes grew distant, and she smiled. âI tortured him for hours. Listening to him beg for mercy, beg for his life. And the whole time, I couldnât help but thinkâŠno one ever extended such to me. So why should I extend that to him?â
âWhen his cries finally grew silent, and the last bit of light left his eyesâŠI feltâŠelated. More alive than I had felt in years. I was giddy, I was shaking, I was THRILLED. Oh, it was such a rush! That ecstasy, that high, Iâve been chasing it ever since.â
Her face was a look of wild excitementâŠand then it began to fall. âButâŠafter all was said and doneâŠafter I had confessed to what I did, after the Emperor named me a Commander, and gave me Trekharâs fleetâŠthe burning came back.â
She put a hand over her heart. âA burningâŠa smoldering, seething hatred. An overwhelming rage, an AGONY! I didnât understand it back then. I had killed my tormentor! So why, then, did my anguish still BURN?!â
She looked back up slowly. âIt wasnât until I finally lashed out at a prisoner did I realize what had happenedâŠwhat I had become. And in that moment, I knew that I would never be truly happy again. That the only thing to alleviate this hatred in my chest was taking it out on others.â
Lip quivering, eyes wild, she shrugged lightly. âSo to answer your questionâŠI do this because Iâm broken. I do this because the pain of others is the only thing that alleviates my own agony. I do thisâŠbecause no mercy was ever shown to me.â
Her shoulders began shaking. Lips twisting into a pained grin. And she began laughing, a wry sort of despairing laugh, as the prisoners huddled closer together, eyes wide with horror. Even the other soldier in the room looked visibly uncomfortable.
Staring at the ceiling, Qessyn was silent for a long moment, before suddenly looking back down, eyes narrowed and cold. âSo do not come to me seeking mercy. Do not try to appeal to any goodness inside me, because itâs all shriveled up. You will get NOTHING.â