Game Of Lightning

Chapter Twenty-Two

Ember's POV-

I slump against the bars of my prison, exhausted. Aralynn barely feeds Rafi and me, and the hard ground doesn't help when I want to sleep. The dress from the festival was dirty and heavy. I have no idea what day it is, what time it is, or if my mother is still alive.

"Oh Ember!" Aralynn calls. "Are you tired? Too bad! We have to leave right now."

"Where are we going?" Rafi asks, standing up.

"Oh, you'll see when we get there," she says, grinning, even though there was no light in her eyes. "Kade!" she snaps. He lifts his head from where she tied him up so he would run away. She snaps her fingers and the chains fall off of him. "Get things ready so we can leave."

"Okay," he says, glaring at her.

"Just okay? Its yes ma'am to you," she says sternly. "Now go on. Take Rafi with you. I have to speak with my dear Ember for a couple minutes."

Kade unlocks the cage and drags Rafi away, leaving me alone. "What do you need?" I ask her.

"I need that spell," she hisses. "You face call Annie and ask her if she can get here or not."

"And if I don't?" I ask, not caring if she hurts me.

"I kill you and everyone you love."

I look down at the floor. I have to do it. "I'll do it," I whisper, still looking at the ground. She goes and gets the Future FaceTimer, handing it to me. I take it, and call Annie. After a few moments, her face comes up.

"Hey Annie," I say, smiling uncertainly. "Are you able to come to Didian with the potion?"

"I have to practice still," she says, frowning. "Are you okay?"

"Um, yeah," I say. "When will you be able to come?"

"Soon," she says.

"Good," I say. "Please don't tell Damien about this conversation. Don't tell anyone."

"Um, okay," she says. "Are you sure you are okay?"

"Yup," I say, nodding. "Got to go." And with that, I end the call.

"She better come today, or there will be trouble," Aralynn says, shaking her head. "Now, get off your lazy butt 'cause we're leaving."

"Fine," I say, standing up. She presses a tip of something sharp in my back.

"This will keep you in line," she says. "And wouldn't it be funny to be killed by your own sword?"

"Very funny," I say drily. She pushes me forward, toward the door. I pass by Kade as he stands near the door with Rafi. He smiles grimly at me as Kade pushes him out the door. We get forcefully pushed to the Zodiac, climbing up the ladder. "Where will you put us?"

I stand up on deck and Aralynn points to the lower chambers. "Down there. I'll lock all of y'all down there so I can steer the ship alone," she says. She walks us down there. "Don't hurt each other. And I don't want to hear talking, got it?"

"Yes ma'am," we all say. She closes the door, locking it from the outside.

"How-" I start to say, but get interrupted.

"I said no talking, did I not?" Aralynn says from outside. "If anyone talks, there will be consequences. Severe consequences."

I look around at the Zodiac. We all were on here once, best of friends. Now its just Aralynn and me, and she's holding me hostage. I hear the stairs creak, meaning she walked upstairs. "How can we break free?" I whisper to Kade and Rafi.