Dawn Carver (3)

3

Freya

The aching takes longer than it should to subside.

Even after one of the guards brings down a healing herbal tea, my bones protest at the impact of the hit they endured. Lei lies across from me, flat on her back on the single bed, staring at her fingers. The night has been and gone, yet neither of us have slept a wink.

We were upgraded to a single room on the second floor of the building Hana resides in. There isn't much aside from two single beds and a set of drawers, but it's sure nicer than the cells we spent most of our time in.

The lack of the metal bars should motivate me, but I can barely move as I sit against the wall, legs crossed, running through what happened in the forest.

"Maybe if we try at night," I suggest, my voice hanging in the darkness. "When he--Alaric--is asleep."

I run the situation through my mind. If Alaric is asleep, will his forcefield still work to keep us in? My body concaves at the thought of experiencing that pain again.

"Or maybe we could knock him out."

My suggestion goes unanswered. Lei, unbothered, seems unusually captivated by the shapes made by her hands.

We'd been back for hours, but neither of us had said a word. Until now.

"We'll find a way out," I say. "They'll come for us."

"Who?" Lei says, her voice flat.

"Casimir, Elex, Killian--"

Her humorous laugh cuts me off. "Nobody is coming for us."

"You don't know that."

"You can delude yourself all you want, but I won't waste my time waiting for someone who isn't coming." She swings her legs sideways to sit up on the bed, staring at me with heavy-lidded eyes.

I bite the inside of my lip so hard I start to taste blood. "I'm not deluded--"

"The dead don't concern themselves with matters of the living. We're on our own."

Her words hurtle through the air towards me but I duck past them, brushing them away as though they hold no more weight than a feather.

Because if what she's implying is true, then not only is all hope for escape useless, but hope itself.

A knock at the door interrupts us, cutting off my retort. I force myself to stand as the wooden door creaks, revealing one of the guards. Strong lines mark his forehead as he straightens his shoulders.

"They are waiting for you," he says, voice low.

Lei rolls her eyes. "Yeah, yeah, we're coming. Off to sell more books and make absolutely no sales. How inconspicuous."

"Not you," the guard corrects. His gaze shifts to me. "You."

I exchange a glance with Lei who's mid putting her boots on. Me. In my mind, I see the forest, the forcefield, Hana and Alaric standing side by side over me.

"What for?" I ask, though I already know the answer.

"The marketplace. 5 minutes." He slips out through the door before I can put my boots on. My stomach tightens as I turn to face Lei.

She kicks her boots off and lies back on the bed again.

"You're coming, aren't you?" I ask.

She turns sideways and stares, deadpan. "You heard him. They want you."