Paper Wings

Chapter 11

Tieyan POV

"Yes."

"What?!" I shriek. I shake my head vigorously. "No! How?"

Krystal shrugs. "Blood loss."

I watch the black blood drain from her shoulder. Wait why is her blood black?

I look at the swords that rest by the the knights' feet. Poison. Clever.

Suddenly, something materializes in front of us. Grace pulls out her sword, and I pull my bow.

"Who are you?!" Grace shouts at the creature.

The creature raises its hand and our weapons fall to the floor.

"Relax. I'm not here to cause harm— well not yet anyways," it says.

"Who are you?!" Grace repeats.

I look at Abdullah. She's biting her bottom lip; jaw clenched, pure terror in her eyes. "That's, er, Hedas," She says, then looks to me. "He's the one who wants your dragons.

Sumya POV

"I will break your... defiant spirit. Just you wait." Hedas turns on his heel, and walks out, slamming the door behind him.

I look about the walls. I don't know what I'm looking for. An escape? Maybe. Hope? Maybe. Possibilities? Maybe.

I sit down and lean against a wall, putting my head back and closing my eyes.

Of all people this could happen to, why me? Why? Why?

I look at the pickaxe. Well, I don't have anything better to do— no Sumya! Well, if I don't, I don't eat. If I don't eat, I die. I pick up the pickaxe.

I walk into the mine, and start hacking into the stone. After about an hour, I had a sapphire, a small chunk of alexandrite, and a tiny piece of amethyst. I stick the amethyst in my pocket. What? It's pretty!

I stand back and look at my work. A large hole in the wall. I smile. Maybe I could use the pickaxe to get out of here! I could mine the stone by the door and escape!

No that won't work! There are six guards posted outside! They hear every sound I make; every step I take; every thought I think.

I look from my pickaxe to the door, and back again. Unless I can knock them out...

I smack the door with the pickaxe, loud enough for the guards to hear. They all burst into my room at once.

This can work! I can escape!

Beatriz POV

The world spins. I feel like a wheel on a carriage, forever spinning. I feel Lillia's tears drip onto my cheek.

Why is she crying? She doesn't even know me.

I hear other voices trying to comfort her. I want to reach out and comfort my friend, but I can't. I can't move my limbs. I'm not dead! Please stop crying!

I can hear a few words they are saying. "...poison...dead....why?...how?...blood...
draining...black..."

I can hear at least three voices, maybe four.

"Is she okay?" "No she's dead! And it's all my fault!" "No it's not..." "Yes it is!"

It's not your fault Lillia. It's mine. I was foolish. I didn't see the poison. Now... I'm in an everlasting sleep.

Suddenly, I hear a deep, gruff voice. "Relax...hurt you... worry..." is all I can hear.

Hurt them? What? Who is that?