Free *Editing*

Chapter 14

The trio spend the rest of the day being aided by Athey and her medical expertise. She gives them pain killers from a tiny glass bottle and re-wraps their wounds. For Barn, she approaches with a futuristic syringe shaped like a gun. A bottle of green liquid is attached to the top and injects into Barns injured arm. He manages to hold back the yell of pain. The young nurse informs him, "This will help the healing process. Usually, an arm would take six weeks to heal. This will cut the time down to a week."

Night approaches, and Dyn comes and greets them. He looks far more weary and troubled sense the last time they met. His short brown hair has grey streaks forming around the hairline and his grey beard has grown out a few inches. He fixes his utility belt and places a hand carelessly on his firearm.

"Back to your cells. I don't want you wasting precious infirmary space."

They don't argue. Birdy whispers to Markus as they stand up and adjust their composure. "I suppose he's not paid?"

"Not by me..."

They are escorted out of the room and into the main hall. They split off. As she walks to her cell, Birdy notices eyes trailing her location as she passes. Stares of wonderment, fear, admiration, jealousy. The prisoners whisper to one another and continue to spread unknown rumours and words.

She enters her cell, and it locks automatically behind her. Ardenia is sleeping in bed, she jolts up concerned, then sees Birdy's face and lets a sweet smile slip. "You're alive?" she whispers. Birdy nods within the darkness. "Barely." Ardenia leans over the side of her bed and tries to examine her under the emergency lights. Birdy's tan face is paler than usual and the bags around her eyes are dark grey. Her cellie looks at the scars on her chest and stands to her feet.

"What are those scars?" She looks appalled. Birdy touches her chest and flinches. "A Dynami dragon, got me good." She can't tell if the blonde woman knows what that is, but it is besides the point. "Your amazing, the fact that you've survived two matches unsponsored...it's unheard of." Her large light brown eyes stare up at her like a child mesmerized by an expensive toy. It throws Birdy off guard. She is not used to being praised, and does not particularly know how to handle it. She opens her mouth to say thank you, but she stops. Ardenia has two fresh cuts across her soft lips and her cheeks are black and blue.

"Ardenia...I wanted to ask-"

A guard passes by their cell and spots them talking. The individual orders them to bed and they silently crawl under their covers. She assumes the conversation is over, but Ardenia's soft sing song voice calls out to her.

"Birdy?"

"Hm?"

"Rumours are circling around the jail." She rolls over. "About me?"

"Barn and Markus to...they question your intentions." She clutches her pillow. "That doesn't make any sense."

"Well, you're clearly not with the king. So what are the three of you fighting for?" It sounds like she is asking for herself. Birdy closes her eyes. "Can I ask you a question first?" Ardenia verbally hesitates. "Y- yes. Sure."

"Why are you here? Really..." Ardenia steadies her suddenly laboured breathing.

"I'm an orphan. My parents lived on the east side, and had another two kids. That's when I found out they couldn't afford to take care of all of us. So they kicked me out, told me to never come back." She chokes.

"Adamants guards captured me and brought me here a day later. They told me they liked how pretty I was and wanted to keep me."

"That's terrible..."