The Caste - On Hold, major edits and title change.

Chapter Five

Corvus awoke lying in a strange bed in what looked like a room aboard a spaceship, with its metal and riveted walls. The soft hum of a pulsating machine added to the effect. He had exhausted his power and energy protecting the lab against the Caste's attack.

Corvus remembered the expression on Ardelia's face; anger, confusion, and fear. He should have told her the truth before she had to see it for herself. At least she would know what he might have to do to protect them, and the danger being his friend could bring.

He heard Ardelia's voice next to him. "Hmmm hmm hmm... kill me... hmm hmmm hmmm..." She was singing a song that sounded familiar.

"How long have I been out?" Corvus asked, shielding his eyes from the light with his hand.

Ardelia sat on the bed next to him, her back to the headboard, her elbow leaning against a pillow next to his. She had reclined, making herself comfortable. The soles of her brown boots made a hard thud as she rocked back and forth, dancing next to him in his bed. The thudding sounds of her boots against the metal of the bed made his head pulsate with pain. Each time her boot met the end of the bed, it felt like a hammer falling against his skull.

"To be exact? Six days, eighteen hours, twenty-seven minutes and thirty... Thirty-one.... Thirty-two seconds."

"Hey, is that my music player?" Corvus turned his head, noticing his music player in her hands.

"Yep, I didn't think you would mind if I borrowed it while you were out." She smiled, sucking her lip ring into her mouth.

"No, why would I mind? You searched my corpse thinking I was dead. You went through my pockets to get that."

"Oh the irony, the thief annoyed by being thieved... Of course, I didn't think you were dead. You were still breathing... although; I am really questioning your taste in music. Where did you get this thing, anyway?"

"Nothing wrong with my music, Ardelia. Just because mine doesn't talk about being psycho or social or being a creature that puts his fingers into his eyes..." Corvus sat up snatching his music player out of her hands. He fell back down to the bed with a heavy thump; his head couldn't handle sitting upright.

"Wow, you are touchy when you first wake up." Ardelia swung her legs off the bed. "I will have you know, there is nothing wrong with Slipknot, thank you very much."

"My mother gave it to me; it's all I have left of her." Corvus slung his arm back across his eyes, trying to block out the light.

"What happened to your mother? You never talk about anything before you came to the Joe. I kinda want to know how you got that scar." Ardelia leaned down, tracing the white line that ran across the top and bottom of the left side of Corvus' mouth with her fingertip.

Corvus grabbed her hand, moving it away from him. "I don't want to talk about it."

"OK, whatever seems there is a lot of things about you that you don't like to share with others."

"No different from you neglecting to tell me about Camlin's lab."

"Oh yes it is, this lab saves people. You are a mage, you get people around you killed, and you didn't even bother to warn anyone."

"I told no one because I didn't want to get anyone including myself killed. If no one knew, no one could report it."

"Sorry, it's too late to make excuses. They killed everyone in our slum looking for you, ass hat."

"Everyone?" A lump built up in Corvus' throat.

"Yep, everyone, only those of us who were in the lab are still alive that we know of. We really haven't gone outside to check and find out. Segna scanned for life and found nothing non-robotic living in our slum."