DARKNESS

DARKNESS | Chapter 17

"Have the courage to change the things you can. Have the courage to accept the things you can't."
- Unknown

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

The air is woven with a thick coat of humidity, suggesting the potential for rain. Night is falling rapidly like that of a bird from the sky. The sound of crickets infiltrates the forest, acting like white noise for my thoughts.

I can't think straight. We just successfully captured Kale and Blake. I should be ecstatic. I should feel something.

Instead I feel only passiveness. I feel as though I'm just surviving, going about life emotionlessly. My hatred for Ash has dissipated with my absence from his castle, and my initial dislike for Blake has subsided upon realising he was only trying to fulfil his duties. I've accepted that not everyone gets along.

"Brayden, we need to stop," Kat speaks up. "It's almost nightfall. We won't make it back to camp before tomorrow."

"It's too risky," Brayden counters, eyeing the two blindfolded brothers.

"We'll take turns to watch. We have to anyway."

Kale grunts as his foot kicks a rock and he almost tumbles to his knees. It wouldn't be the first time today.

"We need to take their gags out," I speak up.

"No," he deadpans without hesitation.

"Yes." I stare him down, my eyes unwavering. "Marcus might have given you the authority, but that doesn't give you the right to make them suffer."

Brayden groans in frustration. "Women. So demanding."

"Please," Kat and I try at the same time.

"Fine. Okay. We'll camp for the night and remove their gags, but they keep their wrists restrained," he relents, throwing his arms up in the air.

"We can camp over there," I suggest, pointing to a fairly clear patch of ground upon which we can sleep and construct a fire.

Brayden looks at me with an expression I can't quite define.

"What?" I ask.

"I remember the first time you had to sleep in the forest after we'd just met; you wouldn't have had the first clue what to do."

"Knowledge comes with experience," I shrug, brushing aside his indirect compliment. "Come on, we don't have time. Kat's right; it's almost nightfall."

The nine of us veer away from our course for the selected location. Whilst Kat, myself and two guards remain behind with Kale and Blake, the other two guards and Brayden begin gathering firewood.

"How are you feeling?" Kat asks, offering me a small smile.

"Hungry," I admit.

"As soon as the boys have the fire going, I'll boil dinner," Kat offers kindly, pulling a small bag of potatoes and carrots from her rucksack. "It's not much, but it will have to do."

"It's great," I assure her as she begins to prepare the vegetables with a pocketknife.

"Blake, it's me," I tell him as I move away from Kat and crouch down beside him. I remove his blindfold, immediately meeting his angry grey eyes. His expression almost makes me want to leave his gag in.

Reluctantly, I remove the gag.

"You bitch! Just wait until my father realises we're missing! He will find you," Blake says in outrage.