Torn Mind

Chapter 18: Evangeline

Guilt piles onto my chest. I should have been able to save Farley. Before I could even think of a way to save us, Farley sacrificed herself for the rest of us. There was not a single shred of doubt in her eyes. Meanwhile, Mare was close to meeting the same fate, though at least I was able to drag her away in time. However, I wasn't quick enough to save her completely; if I don't find a healer soon enough she might bleed out. On top of it all, Clara is unconscious, knocked out by the explosions, but other than that she is mostly fine because Mare shielded Clara with her own body. Yet, here I am, without a single scratch. Clara lost a mother, the best one I have ever met. I didn't know Farley well but I would trade places with her in an instant if I could. I never had a genuinely loving mother and now this poor child lost hers.

Up ahead, I hear voices and I follow the sound until I reach one of the ball rooms that is now packed with the wounded along with Healers running about. Every single one seems preoccupied but my matter is urgent so I get a hold of one who doesn't seem to be working on a fatal wound.

"I need someone to heal this baby and I need you to come with me, there is a girl I left behind who is slowly bleeding out."

She quickly finishes up healing a girl with bright blue hair and calls over another Healer to take care of Clara. If it had been anyone besides Sara Skonos, I would hesitate leaving Clara with her. I hand Clara over to Sara so she can begin healing and she looks around to find her mother, but after a quick glance around, she realizes the situation and assures me she will take care of Clara. I don't have much time to thank Sara so I leave her behind and lead the other Healer to Mare. We try to exit the room but at this point it is so crowded with hundreds of people that it has basically become a human maze. We are almost out when someone grabs my shoulder and stops me in my tracks. Their hand is piercing hot and I immediately recognize Calore.

"Do you know where Mare is?" He seems frantic and lost, I almost pity him.

"Come with me, I left her behind to get a Healer for her."

He follows me like a lost puppy and the Healer trails not too far behind us. I retrace my steps back to the hallway and hope Mare isn't in too much pain. My bandaging job didn't do much but it was better than nothing. We finally reach her and she looks a lot worse than I remember. Cal rushes to her side and holds her face in his hands while the healer starts working. She groans in agony but after a few minutes I can tell the pain is starting to dissipate. When the Healer finishes up, we thank her and she quickly heads back to the main room so she can assist the other wounded.

"Where's Clara?" Mare asks, trying to wipe blood off her arms. All she succeeds in doing is smearing it some more.

"Sara is taking care of her." This then brings up the question of custody. "Mare, who's going to look after her?"

"I will, for now. I will travel back to Montfort as soon as possible and my parents will gladly take her in. It is clearly no longer safe here and I made a promise."

"Wait, am I missing something?" Cal seems confused and I momentarily forget that we haven't told him everything that happened just a few minutes ago. Mare beats me to the explanation.

"Farley and Eve found me in a corridor with Clara and we were all going to escape when the ticking of a bomb started. Farley registered what was happening before any of us, found the bomb, took it, and ran in the opposite direction to save the rest of us."

Cal is speechless and a sorrow expression grows on his face. He and Farley grew close in the past few months and I can only imagine how heartbroken he is to have lost such a great friend.

"We should go back, I don't want to leave Clara out of my sight until I know she is perfectly safe in Montfort." Mare gets up as if her legs weren't bleeding out just moments ago.

"Alright." Cal says while they share a deep look that makes me feel as if I am intruding on something private. I want to chastise them for being such lovebirds but come to the conclusion that now is not the best time for teasing. I walk ahead of them and they finally break their stare and join me to the makeshift hospital.

Once we get there, I can't spot Sara so we split up in order to find her faster. I go around asking every Healer and soldier where they last saw Sara and I am sent on a goose chase that leads me nowhere. Finally, Mare comes running towards me with Cal not far behind her and I can tell by her expression that whatever news she brings will not be good. I can't imagine how much worse our situation could possibly get.

"What, what is it?"

She simply stares, a hopeless appearance plaguing her face and I search her eyes for any indication of a reply. When she gives it to me, I wish she hadn't.

"Clara is gone."