Era of Greed [✔ COMPLETE] (Chrim Chronicles #1)

CHAPTER TWENTY

           

Poppy

Next to the square outline of the grey wall facing me was a box-like black device. I knew its code, but could not tap it. Once again I lunged at the wall, and was thrown back. The sky began to turn dark again. I had been trying to get through since they had dragged Wren away from the black wing, but for a reason unknown to me its barrier was sealed to me. I balled my fists and threw myself at the wall again, and bounced on the floor. With a scream of frustration, I pounded my fists on the wall.

The night fell and I was still throwing myself at the wall, waiting for it to give in and let me through. I had never been one to yield, not even when there was no hope. I did not sleep, I never did. Ghosts did not need any sleep, we were air and our energy was nonexistent and our muscles long decayed in our rotting corpse. We were air, and air could get through anything. A grunt burst out of my throat and I threw myself at the wall. My little niece needs me. A faint yellow ray began to creep upon the wall as I continued lunging at it. This went on, until the door opened.

First Nestor Krol appeared, and my mouth drew a tight line upon seeing him. I knew he was merely doing his job, but I could not help but to hate him at this point. Then a dark skinned girl with blond hair and high cheekbones appeared, Jasmin Girard, followed by the blue and black locks of Farren. I did not step aside as Nestor Krol walked through me, causing him to shiver. He tapped five times into the black device and stepped back. The wall lifted with a rumble, and I ran through it. Before I knew, I lied on my back on the harsh floor. I scrambled myself up and watched them disappear, and tried once again to go inside before the black wall thundered down.

When the wall lifted again, I did step back. As earlier, it was Nestor Krol who appeared first, and I wished he had never let me see past him. A heavy chain dangled between her hands, keeping together the thick metal clasped around her wrists. Her pale face had gotten a sickly grey glow. Wren stared straight ahead as she stumbled, with a dead and numb look in her silver eyes, shadowed by black circles. But she was alive. I blinked away my tears and smiled. Only one had come out alive from the cells before, and his name was whispered among our people like an ancient myth.

"Feel free to use our office," Nestor Krol said with one hand resting on the doorknob. "I'll send someone to bring medicine."

Jasmin watched the door slam shut and led Wren to the couch, and sat beside her. She reached into her shoulder bag and took out a thick and pale yellow file. "You may go, Farren."

Farren dropped on Nestor's chair. "I'm not going anywhere."

This made Jasmin look up with her eyebrow cocked. "I can't have you here. If you want me to do my job, you'll have to leave."

Before she closed the door, Farren asked Wren if she needed anything. Wren looked up and shook her head, and for a quick moment it seemed as if the deadness of her eyes disappeared. It was short lived, she hung her face again and stared ahead with blank eyes and I couldn't say for sure if it had ever been gone. The door closed again, and Jasmin went through Wren's every activity of that day, writing everything down on her clipboard. At what time Wren had woken up, where she had gone then, and after, and eventually where she had been at the time of the murder. With little energy in her voice, Wren answered each question on the same robotic tone.

"Where is Clyde Thorpe right now?"

Wren swallowed. "He said he'd be out of town for a few days."

Jasmin let out a deep breath and rubbed her eyebrow. "Clyde is crucial. He's your only alibi. Does he have a phone number?"

"He does. But I don't own a phone myself, so we couldn't exchange our phone numbers."

For a second, I wondered how on Earth those two had met, before I reminded myself there were more important things to think about. A trial did not mean the same thing as freedom, especially not with our justice system. Getting one was one thing, winning it was a whole other story. But Wren and Jasmin would win, I was sure of it. I frowned at the illusory thought. In truth, I had little hope, but that was something I'd never admit to myself. It was a bad ending I would never allow to play out.