That clap against the wall of the first mate's cabin, something large and hard. The harder she strained, the more Ember could hear the scrapping mixed within the muffled voices- voices taught with tension or fear.Jintao peeled Tay's body off the wall and slammed her into it again, harder this time. "Yeah? And you expect me to believe you?" he kept his face close to her's. "I believe you about as much as the last dog that drowned. You're working for somebody. I know it!"
Jintao loosened his grip just enough to move Tay's wrist from the handle to the inch of blade that wasn't swallowed by the wall, pressing just enough for her to feel it without peircing skin. He was accustomed to hostages not talking, some even refusing to the point of death.
Tay's quivering increased and her legs shook more. He knew her legs were to the point of temporary paralysis, so he pressed his knees in deeper. His conscience barked at him, telling him to stop. He blocked it out like he had always done, reminding it that he had killed innocent victims before.
Jintao's grip loosened. He held back his knees only a little. Tay held her face away from his, the same face he had met only a few days before. Scared, lonesome, and helplessness hidden by a toughness that wasn't to be broken. That toughness was gone now like a victim of abuse and fear for her life replaced it.
Idiot! Fool! What are you doing? He didn't want this. He had left it all behind the moment he jumped off the Whey. Self-preservation was why he was doing this, and if it had to end like this, he wasn't sure he wanted it.
Siudalmus, it was the very thing that kept him going. It was why he lost his arm instead of his life that day for the fear of it was too great. He pressed Tay's wrist to the side of the blade continuing his threat, but with less risk.
"How'd you know?" his tone had calmed, despite him keeping its firmness. "Tell me, Lyra, how'd you know. Who told you about my arm?"
Her cabin door swung open and she swept out, wings tight so as not to brush the doorframe this time. Instinct overcame, all of her senses were pricked halfway toward her own movement, forcing silence.
And as she threw the cabin door open, still brandishing her knife, the ocean of fear swirling in the air threatened to knock her back.
She could never have explained what she did next. Thinking straight, she would have probably reacted the same way she had when Vhanya threatened to shoot Lichen just that morning.
No, easy thought abandoned her here. But not until her eyes met Lyra's, and the familiar glitter of fear within them shot clean through her blood.
The Harpy lunged for Jintao, grabbing his wrist and yanking back on it, driving a knee into his ribs. She attempted to brace the blade against his throat, but her angle was off. Her support gave way under the phantom space of his right sleeve, and she had to pull back the knife again to keep from slicing his throat. The motion threatened to thrust her against him and she kneed him hard again, using the motion to pull back, still aiming the knife close to his throat.
"Back- get back," she hissed, barely audible.
@_-Captain BRM-_
@Lacy Duckwing