Built on smoke and mirrors

Chapter 28

Birds chirping were the first thing I was aware of. I rubbed my hands against a warm blanket. I breathed in the comforting scent of herbs and flowers and smiled. These smells were familiar to me. They reminded me of...

My eyes flew open to see I was in my small bedroom, laying in bed. Events from yesterday flew into my mind. I was in Hell and Kol was far from here, fighting in the Motherwealth's war. 

We already wasted the night. We needed to leave, get back to the capital before it was too late.

I scrambled to my feet and popped my head out the door to see Ezra sprawled out on the floor. 

"Ezra, it's morning," I said loud enough to wake him.

He startled awake and locked eyes with me. "Ok." He got up from the floor and stretched. "Let's get back to the capital." He pulled out a bag and slipped on a pair of shoes as if he had been ready this whole time. "I thought about this after you fell asleep last night and I think we should go into town. If your brother left two days ago, I would think that capital people are still around. Our best chance is getting a ride with them."

"But how can we get a ride with them? We ran from capital. We should be shot for punishment." 

"I think I have a few ideas up my sleeve on how to avoid that. But you have to follow my lead." 

I gave a sharp nod. I could do that. 

"Ok. Look around, collect anything that you might want to bring with you and let's leave in 20 minutes?" 

My eyes darted around the room, wondering what I would need for the trip. I walked to the middle of the room and mentally checked off things that might be important. When I left, I only brought a handful of items with me. Those items didn't seem as important anymore if there was a war being fought. 

First, I grabbed a brown and tattered backpack. No matter how tattered it looked, it was still sturdy and reliable. I stuffed a few pairs of clothes, an extra pair of shoes, and some fresh linen in the bag. 

The bag felt light enough to walk a distance, and I knew that if I put much more in there, I would struggle with walking. With a heavy sigh, I looked around one last time. 

Nerves twisted my stomach into knots. I never envisioned leaving Hell again but here I was. My hope was to find Kol quickly. I zipped up my backpack, slung it over my shoulder.

"I'm ready," I said to Ezra.

He popped his head out of a cupboard with bread in his hands. "It's stale, but maybe it will be useful. There isn't much food here that we can bring along." 

I shook my head. "I am sure we have some money laying around somewhere. We should get something in town."

"I'm guessing my money does not work here?"

I chuckled. In theory it should work, but no one here liked to use it. "Good guess." 

I wondered back into my room to a box by the window and opened it to see a handful of change still in it. With the change in my hands, I walked out to show Ezra. "We use these."

His eyes grew wide as he looked at the circular items in my hands. "I haven't seen anything like this in person. This is old stuff, Telvi, like before my parents old."

I shrugged. "This is the only stuff we use." I put the change in my pocket.

"I was told all the Commonwealth used the same cards we did in the capital."

I gave a humorless chuckle. "I think you should know by now not to trust what the capital tells you." 

Ezra looked hurt but he still nodded. "Old habits die hard."