The Forgotten Light

47. Fairlight

The next day, an Invicta guard burst into the dungeon a little later than usual. Fairlight only woke up when the grating she had been leaning against all night moved up. She groaned in pain and tried to stretch.

"Get moving, we don't have all day," growled the Being.

Fairlight made sure the glowing stone was safe in her pocket and stepped out into the corridor, rubbing her cool shoulders. Taking advantage of the light glow of the stone in the tunnel, she glanced quickly at Aryanele's cell. The girl was still asleep, leaning with her back against the bars, her right hand resting between their prison cells, where they had been holding hands all night, giving each other comfort. Her short black hair fell down her cheek, hiding her face.

"You can't just leave her here," she pointed out the guard.

The man didn't even look at the cell. He grabbed her by the arm and wordlessly pushed her in front of him, forcing her to step quickly into the semi-darkness. Totally ignored her indignation, and when she looked back, he nudged her in the ring on her shoulder with his nightstick. She was pierced by pain that made her feel nauseous.

They walked the rest of the way quietly, and Fairlight only realized where they were going after a long while. Invicta opened the door in front of her to the room where she had served the Beings at dinner not so long ago and pushed her inside, telling her to wait.

She had no idea what she was doing there or who she was supposed to be waiting for. She looked around the room. It was spotlessly cleaned, and without Invicta at the huge table, it gave an impression of being quite cozy.

She approached the glass wall, looking outside. The visibility was excellent, she had a view of the entire city from there. The old skyscrapers, built many years ago by people, and the new ones - taller and darker - put up by Invicta, stood side by side and glistened in the midday sun. Even farther away she could see the massive wall that marked the boundaries of San Diego. Darksen claimed it was impassable, but there had to be some way to get to the other side... They could use the sea route, but there were three problems. The first: the sea current was very strong there, and the waves would probably immediately throw the fugitives back to shore. Second: Invicta certainly had such an escape route in mind, so who knows what traps or creatures lurked in the water. And then there's the third problem: Fairlight couldn't swim. Having spent her entire life in the desert, she had never seen such a vast amount of water.

She stepped away from the glass and came to a glass case that was filled with all sorts of items - rings, sparkling crystals, silver daggers, and almost at the very top...

Fairlight felt warmth spread across her chest.

Almost on the highest shelf was her father's belt.

The one she was supposed to guard, the one that was taken from her.

She glanced at the door, expecting that someone might enter the room any minute, then back at the shelf. She was too short to reach for it without a problem. She ran for a small stool on which stood a pot with a tree with lush green leaves, but before she could do anything, the door opened and Cressida walked in with two Invicta from the South.

Fairlight froze surprised.

"What are you doing here?" she asked before she could bite her tongue.

Cressida set up her guards at the door, then approached her with a cruel smile on her dark red lips. Her hair was braided into a crown around her head, her dress was black, embroidered with gold.

"Ivy, the eyesore I hate the most. I wanted to say goodbye to you," she replied, as if it was obvious.

She stopped literally a few inches in front of her and Fairlight smelled the sweet scent of her perfume. To look her straight in the eyes, she had to lift her head.