Shrouded Hearts

Chapter five

When Aria woke up, she found herself disoriented and surrounded by walls made of heavy vinyl-coated polyester. As she sat up, she noticed her arm handcuffed to a nearby metal post, preventing her from escaping. Despite her attempts to free herself, the restraint was sturdy and immovable. Aria sighed deeply, feeling the persistent headache she still had from what she thought was yesterday, making her sensitive to light and sound. Suddenly, a man entered the tent, causing Aria to startle.

"I didn't think you were ever gonna wake up. Took a nasty fall, I heard," the man said.

Aria strained her eyes to see the man more clearly, her vision still blurry and her head throbbing with pain.

"Don't exert yourself too much. Our doctor will assess the damage you caused soon," the man continued, sitting down on a folding chair in front of her.

Confused and in pain, Aria asked, "where am I?"

"You're at Camp Adams," the man replied matter-of-factly.

Aria's eyes widened in confusion as she took in her surroundings, adjusting to the bright lights and the sound of people outside the tent.

"What am I doing h-hee-" She asked, her voice strained. Aria stopped and hissed in pain as it felt like a sharp knife was being drug through the base of her skull.

The man leaned in, his curiosity clear in his eyes, and said, "Leo said you killed some of our best service members. What's a tiny little thing like yourself doing to kill five of our greatest men?"

Aria attempted to speak but stopped abruptly, wincing in pain as her headache intensified. She was confused by his number, as she remembered two lightning strikes. The man seemed satisfied by her silence.

"Not gonna talk, huh?" He remarked.

Aria turned away from the man, not wanting to engage with him further. Fidgeting with the tight handcuff digging into her skin.

"Where's Leo?" she asked, shifting the topic while trying to relieve the discomfort caused by the restraint.

"He's probably off with one of the many comfort women he hangs out with. Why are you asking about Lieutenant Cameron?" The man replied.

Aria turned to face the general, her eyes widening in surprise. "Lieutenant?"

"That's what I said," the general replied, his suspicion clear in his gaze.

Aria felt a shiver run down her spine as she looked into the cold eyes of the man, sensing that he was interrogating her. His rough, expressionless face seemed unfazed by her presence.

"Can I speak to... Lieutenant Cameron?" she asked, shifting the focus of their conversation.

The general eyed her for a moment before exiting the tent, leaving the flap open and filling the space with blinding light. Aria raised her right hand instinctively to shield her eyes, but the handcuff prevented her from doing so, leaving red marks on her frail skin.

Avoiding the tense light, Aria looked to her left and noticed a table nearby covered with scrolls and weapons. She thought that if she could free herself from the restraints, she could grab a weapon and escape back to her people. Experimenting with her handcuff, she tried to manipulate them to release her, but the clanking metal only aggravated her headache and she hissed every time the metal dug into her skin, minor bruises already arising on her pale skin like watercolor flooding paper.

"You've got five minutes, Lieutenant, and she's mine," a voice announced, interrupting Aria's attempts to free herself.

Leo ducked down and entered the tent before straightening back up and closing the flap behind him, making eye contact with the girl. Aria's gaze turned defensive, her demeanor becoming guarded.