The Seventh Crow

Part 8

Being led to my cell. My mind numb from the sight I just saw. My friend. One who I thought might actually be safe from whatever experiments the Drüskelle are performing. Her body lying there unmoving. Her eyes glass.

I didn't even notice I was pushed into my cell until the ground met my head with a thud. It helped knock me out of the state I was in.

The soldier stands in the doorway. A box in his hand. He opens his mouth. Words escape but I can't make them out. My head is pounding.

He tosses the box to me and the door closes with a clink. I open the box. A navy blue gown stares back at me. Beading around the top and sewn into the long off the shoulder sleeves.

Then it hit me. The festivities are tonight. The party. The strange person the King wants to introduce me too.

I slip into the dress. It's strange to feel something that is clean and not raggedy. Feeling civil and proper. Something that I haven't felt in a long time.

The door clicks and opens. Alev stands in the doorway. His eyes widen when he takes in my appearance. His brown hair is perfectly styled. His uniform is more colorful than the one before, which leads me to believe it was new.

"Let's go," he demands. "Grab the bloody rags. We are throwing them in the incinerator before you attend the festivities."

I grab the rags and follow him down the hall. My heart is racing. I should be used to the strange things the King wants of me. But this? This is very out of character. I'm a prisoner. Never allowed to roam around with nobility.

"You look amazing," Alev whispers to me. "But why does the King want you at the festivities?" 

"Better if you didn't know..."

I felt Alev's gaze land on me. His mind probably turned with every awful idea he could think of. Problem is, one might be correct.

"You really do look amazing," he lands on. "And I'm sorry about the Grisha..."

People die everyday. One more person, one more Grisha, wasn't anything new. She might've been my friend, but that doesn't change the fact. Alev will die sometime. I'll die. Everyone will.

"I'm guessing you're the one who is going to be marching me around the festivities?" I ignore his apology. "You know, I always have to be under watch."

"It was a very difficult job to get. Some people questioned why I wanted the job, but I told them it was because you were an easy catch. Couldn't complain about being touched."

I shudder at the thought. The idea of anyone's hands on me makes me sick. Bad enough the King thinks I have "nice skin", I don't need the other Fjerdan to touch me in a sexual matter...

"Yes, my Djel cursed life," I whisper.

"You deserve better than the hand you've been dealt."

"So do you, Alev."

We walk in silence. If I ever get out of this place, I'm never coming back to Fjerda. I'm running. Anywhere and everywhere. A place far from here.

It would be nice to have Alev come with me. He never would've got tied up in the dealing of Ice Court if it wasn't for me.

"Why didn't you run?" I asked. "You should've gotten out of Fjerda."

I felt Alev's eyes on me. I wanted to look up at him, but I was scared of what I would see in his eyes.

Disappointment? Annoyance? Confusion?

"I couldn't leave you with the knowledge of you taking all the blame," he whispers. "I needed to know how your fate would end."

I look up at him. A memory itches the back of my brain as I stare in his eyes. His gorgeous green eyes.

"I'm not leaving you," he whispers.

"You have no choice. I'm the one who got us in this situation. Get them over the border! Protect them Alev!"

I shake the memory from my head. Dwelling on the past won't help the future. Besides, living out that nightmare again won't help me escape this nightmare.

He opens his mouth to say something but gets caught off by footsteps coming from farther down the hall.

"Alev Fitz," a Fjerdan calls.

I look down the hall and see a Drüskelle walking down the hallway. A smile on his face. I freeze in my spot. Please don't say anything to me.

"I need you for a second," the Drüskelle said.

"Of course," Alev answers. He turns towards me, giving me "orders" to head towards the incinerator and he will meet up with me when he is done. The Drüskelle doesn't seem to know that I'm actually a prisoner, so I at least have some freedom.

I'm glad that Alev is the one leading me around. Any other soldier I would never be able to even breathe without being hit or told to shut up.

The incinerator hallway was empty of everyone. No point in having people down here when it's only used every other half chime of the Elderclock.

I open the door. The hot air hits my face. My gaze flickering over to the incinerators door, stopping short when I see three boys around my age standing by the incinerators opening. All of which were in prisoner uniforms.