Until We Fly

Chapter 24: A Kind Word for a Kind Act

-Nim-

I woke up again on cold floor. But this time it was different.
There actually was a floor, not just darkness.
It was like...some sort of cell?

As I sat up, I quickly noticed that my ankle felt sore.
And looking down, it was clear why.
A rusty shackle gripped it tight with the flesh around turning red.
All I wore was a long, white gown resembling those humans wear in a hospital.
The room was small and damp, no windows or anything. Only a large, iron door at the front.

But the room wasn't empty.

"Köleil!"
I called out, attempting to scramble towards her but getting caught by the chains.

She lifted her head, her face tear stained and cheek bruised.

"...N...Nim..."
Her knees were tucked up against her chest and her hands were shaking. She wore the same clothes as I did.
Her lip began to tremble as more tears fell, tracing the lines of many that had already fallen before.

I crawled as close to her as I could and she did the same. This way we were able to touch.
I held her close, stroking her hair as she shivered and sobbed. She was really upset so I decided to wait a while before I tried to get some answers from her.

I tried tearing a rift.
Same as before, I was powerless.
This must have had something to do with him.

As I sat there I thought back.
I felt so stupid.

I shouldn't have lied to James about the infection.
I just...I didn't want him to worry.
And I still could fix it.
Oh god...he's still got that stuff on him...

There was nothing I could do. I was chained up in a cell, powerless.

"Hey, Köleil? Do you know where everyone else is?"

"They are in here too. Somewhere. The dark man got us. He...he got James!"

"James? What happened?"

"I-I do not know! It was strange! It hurt!"

"Köleil, calm down. Take some deep breaths and relax. I need you to tell me everything that happened after I went missing, okay?"

With a few more hics and tears, she finally managed to relax.

"Jake got upset. He locked himself up in his room because he was worried about you."

"R-really..."
I blushed.

No.
It wasn't the time to think about...him...

"Then what, Kö?"

"Then James went to bed and...and this weird, tall, dark man appeared. Myrora and Poppy were about to fight him but we all froze. None of us could move! The man just kept laughing and my hands and feet and neck were burning really badly!"

"It's okay. Relax. What else?"

"James came downstairs again but it was like he could not see any of us. The man said some weird things. I tried to scream and tell James I was there but I was stuck! Then James agreed to go with the man and everything turned black and I woke up here!"

Köleil began crying again and wrapped her arms around my waist.
"All is bad, Nim! Everything is really, very bad!"

"It's alright. Don't be afraid. We'll figure a way out of this. I promise."
Though I had said that, I wasn't exactly sure of it myself.

"I-I know! I can just get out my wings a-and shoot the wall away with my powers! Then we can go and save everyone!"

"No, Köleil, we don't have powers here. That man, he..."
My sentence trailed off as Köleil's wings slowly formed against her back.
"...Köleil...you have...your powers?!"