Ronan

Chapter Seven

For the final time that evening, Ronan got the machine fired up, entering Rosa's head as she screamed and wailed, body rattling against the chains.

He had to know, remembering bits and pieces from her memories himself, that they were getting closer and closer to their real meeting. To their reunion on the 'ground'.

Rosa wanted him to see it, even as her eyes filled with fire.

She wanted him to see how much he'd fucked her life up.

Maybe, just maybe, he'd feel bad about it. Then and again, she knew that was wishful thinking.

Her body shuddered, overcome with another memory.

Rosa stared at the ceiling of her bedroom, unable to sleep. There was too much playing on her mind. She'd read too much and now the facts were haunting her.

How was she supposed to just sleep when she knew the things she did? When she knew she and Meg would someday be used as weapons to win a war then cast aside as soon as their purpose had been served. To know they'd never serve a purpose beyond that. All these teachings they were fed in class were bullshit. Her head was full of bullshit she now had to unlearn.

But what was true? What was fabricated?

In the bed beside hers, Meg slept soundly. Unlike Rosa, her head didn't bristle with endless fear for the future. She'd never looked at a fate and suspected them of foul play. She didn't carry this terrible knowledge.

Rosa didn't know what to do with it. Who was she supposed to tell? What difference could she make?

Still, even knowing she was helpless, she couldn't get enough of the knowing. She had to know. She needed the whole picture. She needed to see this life for everything it really was.

Not for the first time, she found herself sneaking out of bed, holding her breath so as not to stir Meg. For a change, she made it to the door without attracting any notice. She slipped through to the other side with ease, too frightened to make a noise.

The second the door closed behind her, Rosa's back hit the wall. Her wings gave a flutter, forced back by an unseen force.

Please don't be Nadine.

Was Rosa making things too obvious? She was losing sight of caution. Sooner or later, the consequences of her curiosity would catch up to her.

She searched the night for the source of this disturbance, spotting the outline of the cloaked man just across from her.

Why was he here? There was nothing important to be found near the dorms.

Unless he's come looking for me. They'd seen each other twice now. Gods, he could've snitched her in earlier—and the time before. But he hadn't. Can I trust him?

"It's you again," She whispered. "You're here."

She was prepared for the words spoken directly into her brain this time.

"Breaking curfew again? That's brave."

"Brave? It's hardly brave. I get the feeling you wanted me to. That you were waiting here for me."

"And intelligent." The hooded figure took a step closer towards her. Not so close she could feel him breathing—if he breathed at all—but close enough for the hairs on her arms to raise. "Scared?"

She swallowed, answering without thinking. "Not anymore."

"No?"

"You won't hurt me." Fingers crossed. "At least not right now. You need me for something. That's why you covered for me in Nadine's office. That's why you didn't sell me out when we met. Because you want something. You won't hurt me until you get whatever it is you're after."