Carmine (Completed)

Chapter 32

Escaping this place was harder than we thought. Five was good, but he could not make a miracle out of that situation.

Janilla accidentally alerted us to a guard and wasted all of Five's good effort getting us as far as the bailey of the castle.

A senior guard came to us and before we knew it, Canus approached us looking quite dark in his features.

There were bloodshot eyes from recent crying, but he looked quite troubled. "What are you doing out here Carmine, thank Benedict you did not wake the whole keep, but why are you leaving?"

This looked bad, but I was in the mood for revenge. "I was thinking on what you said and have decided to leave as Acomn ordered me to."

"He did? But why?" Canus asked.

I looked away. "Terrible things chase me, I do not want you to be placed in danger because of me. Besides, the walls have ears. The family said no to our possible engagement, no? Then we have no reason to be torturing ourselves here."

Canus blinked his eyes at me, but his face softened as he waved to the guards. They left. Canus said, "No, you will stay. You may not be able to marry me, but you can live here."

"I am hated here."

"Not by me."

I looked up and felt good to hear that. Grabbing both elbows with opposing hands, I rocked.

He motioned beyond me. "Out there is dangerous right now. Just stay the night, please. Look, how about I reach out to someone in Ascus? Will that do?"

I fidgeted. The possibility came to me. I looked out at the dead night. The shapes, I could barely make out anything in the moonless night.

A few fires burned here and there. I shivered. It would be hard to ride in this darkness. I wanted a safe bet into Ascus if I could manage.

Plus where would I go? I never wanted to sleep in the wild. A terrible experience I wanted to avoid.

I sighed. "Fine."

He clapped his hands. "Great."

***

"Carmine?"

Why was everything black?

"Carmine?"

Who was calling my name? That voice… Where—

"Carmine?"

My body quivered as I tried to move, but could not. What was this?

Move, move, damn it!

A hand brushed against my shoulder.

"Car—"

I ripped myself up and looked around to see Five on one side and Janilla on the other. Janilla, closer, yet she looked at me with concern. Her hand moving back as if afraid of me.

I leaned up and allowed the sheet to roll off my chest and arms, it slumped into a heap on my lap. My head shook off the confusion. "Another one."

"Nightmare?" Janilla asked.

I glanced at Five.

Five tilted his head. "I sensed no presence. Only your distress, your fear was—high."

Fear huh?

I napped for a while more and was invited outside by Canus which was good, I needed the fresh air and was terrible at beating Janilla at Boomon. My desire to sign up was high as well. I brought the arrow gun though, because I still needed practice I just needed some private place to do it. The spear was given back to me, much to Acomn’s chagrin.