Dangerous Words for Dangerous Times

Five

   Fiyonah was good at putting on a hard surface when her insides were quivering. As she made breakfast, she tried to smile with the kids while also ignoring Zac. What he told her brought up all her inner turmoil she was desperately trying to burry. He was right, she did deserve to know he said that. Telling her those words bonded her to him, making it impossible to be bonded to another man. It was completely binding. Chaining. The same way mother was bonded to father, and can never be bonded to another man again. She should either tell mother now, later, or never gohome. Mother will find out about it eventually, but whenever she does, she will make them pay.

      "What's wrong, Fiy? If it's the pancakes, I think they taste great!" Jakobin was so kind.

"Oh it's nothing, Jake. I'll be alright." She smiled at him. To Zac, it looked more like a grimace.

Zac and Fiyonah looked up when they heard clattering coming from the hall way. Indira and Emersyn came flying through the door way, both leaning on each other for support and gulping down huge gulps of air.

   Indira was the first to regain breath.
"The guards-"

   "They're checking-" Emersyn cut in.

  "Coming from south bound-"

  "Go, Fiy!" Emersyn sounded desperate, and it didn't take long for Fiyonah to take off, knowing full well what their broken sentences meant. If the guards were checking for runaways, and she was caught, it would be the stocks for sure. And mother would have any right to her that she wants.

   Running and hiding would be the best bet for now. She'll have to scale back. There were the tunnels. The guards would probably be checking there. But there were the new ones.

   Dashing through the house to the cellar doors, she prayed she could take the new one south bound. They weren't as good as the ones at Lurinda's, but they will have to do.

   "Jakobin, pass me a lantern. A torch. Anything!"

   "Fiyonah, wait, I'll come with!" Zac started forward with the lantern.

   "No, Zac. If you come and they find you gone, then they will know what's up. You can come after the second sweep."

   "At least take some food, Fiy."

   "No, Zac. I can only take what I started. Anything else, and they will know you sent me off. Throw my plate in the sink. Burry it under last nights, will yah?"

   "Go. We will be praying for you."

   "Not much that'll do until He wakes up. See you in a bit."

    The tunnels were dark, but they are 100% brighter than the dungeons would be without the lantern. They hid extra packs of batteries along the tunnel in hidden cubby holes. The clerks at the market don't ask too many questions about extra battery packs. They may be bought by anyone, but they aren't snitches. They depend on the tunnels to get what they sell.

Right now, she had to focus on getting to the South Gate. The South Gate was where the others were gathered. They could help her and she can help them. The South Gate.

And Zac will find her there.