Caged In

Chapter 51: Self Reflection

I had lost track of time as I just laid on my back in the forest, and it took my stomach growling in dire need of sustenance for me to snap back to reality. It was dark now, darker than usual because the moon and night sky were currently being obscured by clouds.

I sat up and groaned groaned as I felt a dull ache in my head and let it hang down with my chin to my chest.

Olivier, listen to me.

I'm hearing things again! I growled loudly and threw my fist into the ground. When I brought my hand up, I realized that I'd split three of my knuckles and blood was slowly dribbling from the wounds. I stared at the injury for a moment before running my fingers over it with my other hand to make sure it was really there.

Why doesn't it hurt ?

Olivier. The voice spoke again.

" Shut up! Just shut up, there's no one here!" I hissed.

" Olivier!"

I snapped my head up, " I said be quiet, there isn't -" my mouth hung open when I saw Mia kneeling in front of me with a worried look on her face.

" Mia."

" Yeah, are you okay ?" She asked as her eyes scanned over me to inspect for injury, " You didn't show up for the meeting, so Corine and I got worried and went looking for you. What are you doing out here, it's the middle of winter are you insane ?"

" Oh." Was all I could offer in response.

She gasped and grabbed my hands in her own," Look at your hands, they're practically blue!" She yelled.

So that was why it didn't hurt when I punched the ground this time. I thought. They must've gone numb.

" Come on, let's get you inside, I already told Corine to get some heated blankets ready."

I simply nodded as she carried me back to the castle on her back. She brought me to my room, where Corine was waiting with blankets and warm soup. They'd also started the fire in the fire place in my room.

" What happened to her ?" Corine asked as Mia passed me over to him so he could lay me in bed.

" I don't know, I just found her like that on the ground in the forest near the entrance." Mia said," She's gonna be fine, right ?"

Corine rubbed my hands gently with his own," Yeah."

He turned to me," What were you doing out there ?"

I turned my head to the side on my pillow so I didn't have to look at his face. It only made me feel worse knowing I made them worry so much.

" I don't know." I muttered.

" You can be such an idiot sometimes! You know you're lucky Mia found you when she did, because if you'd stayed out there for an hour longer, you might've gotten frostbite." Corine scolded me.

" Sorry." I managed to reply.

I felt Mia and Corine's stares bore into the side of my head for a few moments before Mia spoke up.

" Are you okay ?"

No.

" Yeah. I was just thinking about something."

" What is it ?"

" It's not really that important." I sighed.

It's not like I can just ask them if what Finn said was true.

" You don't know that, just tell us." Corine said as he rubbed circles on my hand.

I turned my head to face them," You guys wouldn't lie to me, right ?"