ONE (Book 1 in the Amnesia Archives)

Chapter 11

The night was a restless one for the four of us. I'd surrendered to the temptation of sitting on the floor, keeping my legs crossed and eyes closed as I listened to the constant dripping of water which echoed through the cell. The air was thick with condensation and humidity, creating a stuffy atmosphere which none of us liked, especially Senka. Senka had spent the six hours of dullness on top of my head, brushing my hair and playing with it, singing, talking, and humming nervously to herself.

The guard wasn't very entertaining either, nor was he good at his job. He'd fallen asleep three times through the night, which would've been a prime moment for us to escape, but during the first nap of his, we'd discussed that it probably wasn't the best idea. If we stayed, we'd learn where we were, and we'd learn about the people here. We weren't silly enough to bypass an opportunity to get more potential answers. But if we left, then we'd probably be hunted down by this city and all the patrollers over the continent. We were pretty easy people to spot, so this was our safest option.

"Up," a new guard commanded, gesturing for us to stand. He'd turned and shared a small word with the sleepy guard who'd been with us all night. "Any issues?" he asked in a gruff voice.

"Nah, I barely noticed they were here." The guard rubbed the back of his neck and yawned, standing up and stretching. "Gonna go to bed, been a long night."

The new guard nodded politely and as soon as the other one was out of sight, he grunted and rolled his eyes, muttering something under his breath about the man being lazy, and some other choice of words. He then turned to us and crossed his arms. "You're lucky that the city is peaceful, or else you'd be in here for weeks without any kind of hearing."

"Hearing? We're getting a hearing for walking along the road?" Sarphi asked innocently, making her eyes wide. She began fidgeting with her hands and looking between Aknon and I. "Why?"

"Because we need to know who's coming into our city to disturb the peace." The guard stepped forward and unlocked the cell door. "Get out."

We didn't need to be told twice as we filed out of the cell and followed him though the dungeon. It looked a lot different with the sync coming up over the horizon and gleaming through the large windows. I kept my bag close to me, acting as casually about it as I could, holding it with my tail, which I kept hidden under my coat. I was blue with horns, I didn't think that it would change much when it came to impressions, but I wanted to be a little safe.

"You will be meeting with the king," the guard stated firmly. "I want no trouble from the three of you."

"The king?" Aknon questioned. "I wasn't aware that there was a king of the city."

"We don't." the guard said with a roll of his eyes. "That's just what he wants to be called. I like keeping my head on my shoulders. I suggest that you do the same." He turned his head to us. "Or don't, and deal with the consequences which come with that."

"You don't want Acer to treat them like a king." Sarphi said with a small giggle, acting innocent. "I think that'll get us killed even quicker."

"Good."

The building itself might've looked bright and peaceful, almost too peaceful, but it was also quiet. There were no birds singing outside or children laughing. Maybe it was too early, but it all seemed rather strange to me. I definitely didn't have the best feeling.

"We're here." The guard knocked on the door and waited for a reply before opening it and leading us inside. The room was surprisingly small, with beams running up the wall. It made everything look smaller and more intimate. That was offset by the small platform in the far end of the room, where a man sat behind a desk, grey eyes trained on us.