Can you see me through the ashes and the smoke?

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When Jaren and Kiva emerged from the underground maze, all they could hear were the screams. At first, Kiva thought it was a smaller riot, something she was very used to. The guards would subdue everything, it wasn't the first riot the prisoners had started. Then she could see the fighting. The chaos. People were wrestling if they weren't dead and still. Guards had their weapons drawn.

It was a riot she wasn't prepared for. People were dying, arrows were flying, whistling through the air. Inmates were yelling at the guards, punching and kicking them- even though they were weaponless. A losing battle that continued to last. Dogs were attacking the prisoners too, another unwelcome distraction for Kiva and Jaren. Between the fighting and the screaming, the dead and the living, it was too hard to see how it had started.

In the distance, Kiva could see Mot fighting near the morgue, he was fending off the prisoners who were trying to break in.

"We need to go. Now." Jaren told her, his tone serious and sure. He held her hand, even after the events during the fourth trial... But they had won, and they were now free. They had begun to travel through the chaos, dodging rogue arrows and bloodied swords. The guards didn't look at them, too focused on the riot.

They had made good distance, that was until they saw the infirmary. The outside of it looked ransacked. Kiva felt all the air leave her.

"Tilda-" She cried, sprinting to the infirmary as a voice called over to them. Naari had found them. Jaren turned to Naari and by her expression, he knew she was planning to leave now. He ran over to Naari, giving her an instruction while Kiva entered the infirmary.

Inside the infirmary, Tilda was still lying on her pallet. Everything else was smashed or broken. Vials of remedies were spilled along the floor, curtains were torn and blood was everywhere. A shelf had fallen, its contents destroyed. The Rebel Queen was covered in blood, a stab wound was bleeding out. Or it was. There was no heartbeat. Tilda Corentine was dead and beyond saving. Kiva had failed. All of her work in an attempt to save her was for nothing. All the times she risked her life was worthless.

She began to cry, hot tears dripped from her face and onto the cold body. She wept, holding onto the bloodied body. She gripped it tight, she had lost what she had to have saved. Time had passed with Kiva holding the dead body, she did not know how much or little had passed. She cried.

"K-Kiva?" A voice called out from behind a fallen curtain. Kiva's head snapped up looking at it, then she shoved herself off the body to get there. Tipp was lying, covered in his own blood. He coughed and blood bubbled from his mouth. He had been stabbed. Kiva continued to cry.

Kiva held him, "You'll be okay. I promise." She pressed her hands onto his stomach, an attempt to stop the bleeding where it came from. It would never work.

"T-Thank you... For everything." Tipp pushed out. His face was deathly pale much like his eyes. He closed them for a while, taking in a shaky breath.

"You aren't going to die. I won't let you." Kiva firmly said. Tipp didn't react. His eyes were still closed as he took another shaky breath. His chest didn't rise again.

"NO!" Kiva screamed, desperate for something to happen. Then suddenly, things began to start. Golden light flew from her fingers, shining to Tipp. His body reacted to the magic, healing before Kiva's eyes. The wound closed over, stopping the bleeding. By the time she was finished, Tipp looked like he was sleeping, covered in someone else's blood.

Kiva gave a sigh of relief, cradling Tipp.

"Kiva?" She hadn't heard the voice enter. She didn't know how long Jaren had been there. She turned to face him, wiping the tears. He stood there, staring at her.

"We can go now, Tipp is alive." She whispered in a hurried tone, "He's just asleep." She moved to lift Tipp but Jaren shook his head.

"You lied, Kiva. I saw it all." His face hardened, as if what he said confirmed what he saw. He shook his head again before his hands went running through his hair. Kiva blinked, before it dawned on her.

"What?" She tried, pleading. Jaren laughed- it wasn't his usual warm laugh, rather a cold sound.

"Kiva, you have healing magic. I am not stupid, anyone with a basic understanding of history knows you're a Corentine. Anomaly's don't exist." He explained. He eyed Tipp, who was still asleep. "You've proved it with Tipp. I saw the whole thing."

"And you'd rather Tipp be dead?" Kiva exclaimed, gesturing to Tipp. Tears pricked Kiva's eyes and from what she could tell, Jaren's eyes also watered.

"Of course not, but you lied to me. I told you who I was and then you told me a lie." He spat. Jaren moved closer to Kiva. He stared at Tipp.

"It will never work. I saved you Kiva. I risked my own life for you." Kiva felt guilt burning in herself. She did lie. He was not meant to find out.

"I didn't lie- Please Jaren! We need to leave now." She pleaded. She stood up, picking Tipp up with her. He was a small boy, she just needed to protect him. She couldn't fail him too.

"Kiva, can't you understand? We're enemies. Your family will never work with my family. I cannot save us. I cannot save you." Jaren's voice grew louder, though it was still drowned out by the riot. Kiva flinched. Everything was going so wrong. Tipp was unconscious, Jaren was livid, Naari had left and Tilda was dead.

"Jaren, now is not the time. It's not safe here anymore, we have to go now." Kiva's own voice rose. An explosive sound was heard sending the room to an eerie silent pause. Kiva's eyes met Jaren's, she was desperate.

"Please," Kiva begged, while holding tightly to Tipp. "Please."

"I'm sorry Kiva. Vallentis doesn't help Corentines." Jaren murmured, before he left Kiva to cry.





A/N: Sorry I've been away my life is falling apart <3 and school is annoying, other than that i'm great... I probably will not be updating consistently but i hope you guys are okay and doing well.

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