Burning Castles | ✓

Chapter 2 - Capture

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∞ | Chapter 2 - Capture | ∞

Town Centre, Vonsworth

Valia watched as people were hustled about in preparation for the likely event that the rebellion will attack. She could also see some of the Valiant bullying some of the Destitutes begging on the street.

Curling her fingers into vengeful fists, she resisted the urge to put a stop to it. She knew how it felt, afterall, she and Vyctor had been in that position when they were slaves as children before they joined the Medial owned circus after escaping.

They had been orphans begging on the streets until they were sold into slavery. Life had been cruel, no one cared about two orphans who didn't mean anything to anyone. When they were thirteen, they escaped due to the negligence of one of the slave owners and after being on their own for a while, they were taken in by a Medial owned circus.

Yes, life had improved since, but it still had been harsh.

Vyctor had looked out for her as he always did. Both of them only had each other since young and till now. She certainly had no idea what to do if he was gone. The telltale sting in the back of her eyes made her angrily wipe the tears away.

Her twin brother was dying. Every minute that passed, he was closer to the door that led a person away from earth. He had been injured by an arrow that was laced with the poison of the deadly Bloodberries.

The worst part was that the arrow was meant for her. Vyctor had shoved her out of the way and she could only watch as the person who meant more to her than life itself got pierced by an arrow through his shoulder.

The guilt and anguish were eating her alive.

"Vyctor will be fine."

She turned to see Jarek watching her with concern in his eyes but it only made her feel worse. She knew it was a lie. The poison of the Bloodberries was fatal when injected or ingested into the body.

More guilt filled her once she had finally noticed that Jarek was all tense and his features were hard. Valia certainly wasn't making things better. Jarek was suffering. How could she forget? His soul mate had died right here in Vonsworth while trying to protect him. She didn't need to burden Jarek with her problems and grief.

"How are you?" she asked quietly as the stoic man remained still.

"I'm okay. It's been a decade but I'm okay," Jarek said, his gaze fixed on his shoes.

Valia didn't respond. They both knew it was a lie.

However, she couldn't help but notice that the familiar shadow of her brother wasn't beside her. Vyctor had been struck by the arrow here in Vonsworth a few days ago when Valia's cover had been blown. Fortunately, instinct kicked in and she had gone after the two members of the Valiant who had shot the arrow.

After getting rid of the bodies and thank fuck that no one else saw the skirmish, she had managed to bring Vyctor back to the rebellion camp where he still was. She knew that he was going to die and it was killing her to know that there wasn't anything she could do.

Biting her lip, she forced those worries away for now. It wouldn't do her good if she got distracted. Tonight was the night that the rebellion would strike Vonsworth, one of the Five Great Cities of Mosmagna.

Or maybe the Four Great Cities of Mosmagna, considering the fact that Deserra had fallen to the rebellion about a month ago.

"About a minute more and the signal would appear," Jarek whispered inconspicuously under his breath as they walked down the street.