Chapter 10: The Tension Rises

The fourth day began like the previous ones, but this time, the tension in the air was almost tangible, seeping into Evelyn’s every move. She felt more watched than ever. Every time she walked through the base's corridors, she sensed eyes on her, conversations abruptly stopping as she passed, hushed whispers that made her feel an unsettling anxiety. Kane was watching her closely, she knew that. He had ramped up his surveillance, and now every move she made seemed scrutinized. It kept her constantly on edge. She had to calculate every gesture, every word, aware that the slightest misstep could be fatal.

When she entered the medical room, Vykhor was already there, as usual. Seated, his imposing figure cast a long shadow across the room. His yellow, piercing eyes fixed on her, glowing with an unreadable intensity. Evelyn could never quite tell what he was thinking when he looked at her like that, but it always unsettled her, as if Vykhor was probing directly into her soul. Ignoring the shiver that ran down her spine, she immediately got to work, focusing all her attention on his prosthetic. Her nimble fingers adjusted the internal circuits with precision, every movement deliberate and calculated. But today, she was taking an extra risk.

Today, Evelyn attempted to activate a series of secondary commands—systems she knew were critical: the integrated weaponry. It was risky, almost suicidal, but she knew Vykhor would need them if they ever planned to escape. Just handling the military technology hidden in the prosthetic set her heart racing, beating faster as her fingers worked on the delicate connections. There was no room for error.

As she worked with absolute focus, Vykhor’s deep, impassive voice suddenly jolted her out of her thoughts.

“Evelyn, what are you playing at?” The question was calm, but there was a latent threat in his tone, like a warning.

Caught off guard by the sudden interruption, Evelyn tried to keep her composure. She decided to play innocent, hoping he wouldn’t push further. “I don’t know what you’re talking about, Vykhor. I’m just trying to get your prosthetic working again.” She met his gaze directly, her face perfectly impassive, betraying nothing.

But Vykhor wasn’t one to be fooled by simple answers. In a swift movement, he pulled her closer, the gesture sudden but measured. Their faces were now so close that Evelyn could see every detail of his features, every shadow in his yellow, inscrutable eyes. She held her breath, feeling the electric tension settle between them.

“You’re manipulating weapon systems, Evelyn,” Vykhor growled, his tone low and threatening. “And you know it. You’ve known exactly what you’ve been doing from the start.”

He stared at her intensely, trying to see beyond the calm mask she wore. A shadow passed over Evelyn’s eyes. Of course, she knew what she was doing. Every move had been calculated. But why was she focusing on the weapon systems? Why take such a risk? He had to feel the tension rising around them, just as she did. But why was she doing this? Were her intentions really her own, or was she following orders from somewhere else?

Vykhor wasn’t going to let her slip away without an answer. “You’re working with them, Evelyn,” he said, his voice vibrating with distrust. “What do you think will happen if you reactivate my weapon systems?”

His words hit Evelyn like a punch. She knew he had every right to ask that question, but she wasn’t ready for such a direct confrontation. She tried to respond, but her words came out jumbled, scrambled by the unsettling proximity of Vykhor.

“I... I don’t... I mean, yes, but...”

She fumbled even more as he pulled her closer until their noses almost touched. So close she could feel his breath. The heat radiating from him contrasted with the cold atmosphere of the medical room. If his goal was to throw her off balance, it was working. Her heart raced, her thoughts muddled. Every second spent at this distance made it harder for her to concentrate. But she couldn’t afford to falter.

However, Vykhor might not have realized that this tactic wouldn’t yield him a clear answer. It was a bad strategy to get what he wanted. Though disturbed, Evelyn withdrew into herself, retreating behind a barrier of silence, refusing to buckle under the pressure. She couldn’t afford to be vulnerable—not now, not in front of him.

A long silence stretched between them, heavy with unspoken words, mistrust, and unresolved questions. Evelyn knew she didn’t have much time left to decide, but the truth was more complicated than a simple choice between repair and sabotage. Kane, the military base, and what she had in mind for Vykhor… it all weighed heavily on her shoulders.

But one thing was clear: she was caught between two fires, and whatever she did from now on could trigger unpredictable consequences. Evelyn felt the pressure mounting around her, both from Kane’s expectations and from Vykhor’s piercing gaze, which didn’t seem willing to let go. Every word, every action was a risk.

“I’m waiting, Evelyn,” Vykhor murmured, his deep voice reverberating in the tense silence of the room. He still held her firmly, his gaze fixed on her with an almost suffocating intensity. He clearly wasn’t willing to release her without an answer.

Evelyn’s heart was pounding. She tried to find the words, but under the weight of his intense gaze, she felt disarmed, exposed. “I’m not really working for them...” she began, but her voice wavered with uncertainty. “I mean, it looks like I am, but...” The words tangled in her mind, spilling out incoherently. She had always been good at hiding, because she’d never had a choice, but in front of someone like Vykhor, who could read others like an open book, she felt vulnerable. Too vulnerable.

Finally, Vykhor let her go with a low growl, but his eyes never left her for a second. “According to Kane, you were supposed to break me,” he said, his voice hard, loaded with deep skepticism. “I wonder where he got that absurd idea.”

Those words hit Evelyn like an invisible blow. Break Vykhor? The mere thought seemed ridiculous, but it also hinted at the cruelty behind Kane’s true intentions. “Break you?” she repeated, stunned, her throat dry.
“Me? No, I... I’m a doctor. They brought me here to heal you, that’s all. I’m not even military.” Her voice revealed her surprise, but also a certain innocence, an almost sincere bewilderment in the face of this revelation.

Vykhor straightened slightly, leaning dangerously close to her, his warm breath brushing against Evelyn’s ear. He spoke quietly, almost in a whisper, but every word thrummed with the innate authority that defined him.

“Not with me, Evelyn Ashcroft. You’re more than a doctor. Much more.”

Those words slipped into Evelyn’s mind, sending a shiver down her spine. She felt a warmth rising inside her, a mix of fear and fascination in the face of this mysterious being. What did he see in her? She knew she was more than just a doctor, that she had talents few others possessed, but hearing those words from Vykhor, who barely knew her… it took on a whole new meaning.

Although Vykhor didn’t get all the answers he wanted, he finally let her go completely. But the tension remained palpable. Vykhor continued to size her up with his gaze, trying to decipher the mystery she represented. Evelyn, for her part, felt relieved to be free of the suffocating proximity, but the echo of his words still resonated in her mind.

She knew now that things would never be the same. Vykhor had figured out that she played a much bigger role in this situation, and he had hinted that he knew far more than she was willing to admit. Whether by choice or by force, she was now deep in a game she didn’t fully control.

The silence between them was heavy but not uncomfortable. She worked with intense focus, muttering quietly to herself as usual. Her murmurs were reflections on the circuits, on the necessary adjustments, but also mental notes about the situation. She couldn’t help but wonder what Vykhor was thinking after their confrontation.

Once again, the end of the day was interrupted by Colonel Kane’s arrival. He entered the room without knocking, his gaze sweeping over both Vykhor and Evelyn. “That’s enough for today, Dr. Ashcroft,” Kane said in his usual cold, authoritative tone. “You’ve done enough.”

Evelyn clenched her teeth but nodded without protest. She knew there was no point in arguing. She gathered her things, feeling Kane’s piercing gaze on her, as if he, too, was trying to read her thoughts. As she left the room, she felt the weight of worry pressing down even harder on her shoulders. She had to be even more cautious.

Vykhor watched Evelyn leave, surrounded by Kane’s men. He gave the colonel only a quick glance as the officer turned on his heel, arrogantly closing the door behind him. Insignificant. That’s all Kane was to Vykhor. This officer thought himself untouchable, but in the Kael'tarien’s eyes, he was just an insect strutting around with airs of superiority. Nothing but a pawn, one he would crush without remorse if the opportunity arose.

Soon, other men would come to escort him back to his cell, chained for the night like a beast they thought they had tamed. But they knew nothing. With every improvement Evelyn made to his prosthetic, every adjustment she performed, Vykhor was one step closer to freeing himself from this humiliating captivity. His escape was a certainty, a simple countdown. And when the time came, he wouldn’t have the scruples others might have.

The fate of this base didn’t concern him much. For an exiled prince, cast out by a bloody coup, a mercenary forged in violence, vengeance was not an option—it was a necessity. This base, with all its inhabitants, represented only a tiny fraction of the price to be paid for all he had lost. Burning it all down would just be a step on the path to his revenge. He wouldn’t hesitate. He knew that when he escaped, the base could very well end up in ashes, and he would feel nothing.

But Evelyn Ashcroft, she presented a far more complex dilemma. He saw something exceptional in her. Her intelligence, so dangerous and subtle, was a weapon in itself. And even though she wasn’t inherently evil, that intelligence could be manipulated, exploited by forces beyond her understanding. She was far more than just a doctor.

For Vykhor, she was a much bigger factor than the men who watched her or the base itself. Evelyn could become a valuable ally, or she could become a problem if left in the wrong hands. One thing was clear in the Kael'tarien’s mind: he had to decide quickly what role she would play in his plan.