by T. Z. Leigh
“Just let her go, Voklav. She’s innocent. She hasn’t even developed her abilities yet.”
“Quit whining. These kids are the only obstacles in our way. What makes you think we won’t dispose of them as soon as we’re sure they won’t be needed at the time of Xaybor? Besides, you could be lying for all I know.”
Sven’s upper lip twitched. His hatred for Voklav had somehow increased.
“I understand why you would think that. A liar can never really trust anyone, can they?”
“Spare me your pathetic quotes, Sven. I heard enough of them while in the Sewasphere,” he replied, turning to leave.
“How are you able to use your abilities there?” Sven asked. “It’s impossible.”
Voklav stopped mid-step and after a few seconds, faced him again. Seeing the sadistic smirk on Voklav’s face, Sven braced himself for the worst. In a split second, his body felt as if it was being twisted and stretched in different directions in the most inhumane way imaginable. He gritted his teeth together to try and keep himself from getting lost in the illusion.
The Illusion of Torture! It’s not real! It’s not real!
When his limbs were ready to be torn off, and his head was about to be snapped from his neck, a scream ripped from his throat shrill enough to chill the bones of anyone who could hear. He couldn’t bear it any longer and thought he would pass out from the pain, but the illusion stopped abruptly. Shallow breaths were all his lungs could manage as he tried to steady himself back to normality.
“Any more questions, Sven?”
Voklav strode out of the cell as he lay on the floor, panting, curled into a foetal position. He waited to hear the key turn in the lock before allowing a tear to escape his eye.
◆◆◆
"How do you know they’re here, Grandpa?”
“Captives as important as Sven and Ryor’s granddaughter will most definitely have been brought here. This is Irisena’s main headquarters.”
“Their main headquarters is in the Solkateen District?” April queried.
“Yes. Word has it that Irisena originated here. When I was last at home, my cousin was the traitor, giving Irisena access to assassinate me. Of course, my illusions wouldn’t work on him, so I used something more effective.”
“Which was?” Sam asked.
“A bedpost,” he stated, causing Sam and April to laugh a little as they looked at each other.
They had grown used to one another in the week without Jamie. Her absence affected them in an unexpected way; the consequences of losing anyone else was too awful to imagine. In fact, all three had become closer; holding each other a little dearer in their hearts, united with a singular goal of saving Jamie. This was also instilling in them a drive to be faithful to their roots. Saving the world seemed a much higher priority compared to before, especially after hearing Fyzer’s stories about the war. So many had suffered. It was hard being away from their parents. Still, since Jamie had been taken, their focus was mostly on rescuing her. Sadness for the parents they left behind had receded to the back of their minds.
Fyzer continued his tale.
“I knocked him unconscious, so the Dolats who came to kill me were none the wiser. I made him take on my appearance, so he was murdered instead. Afterwards, I followed them and was led here. I’ve been watching them from a distance ever since.”
“How do we get in?” Zachery asked impassively.
Every bad thing that could have happened to Jamie since she’d been taken had replayed over and over in Zachery’s head until he couldn’t stand it any longer. All his life, he had shut people out in one way or another, yet that never stopped him from being human. He’d still had emotions...but now he found himself devoid of any feeling at all. In the last week, he had become cold and calculating. This covert operation they were on, planned in his head with military precision, required a lack of emotion. Rifle shooting lessons that he had paid for a year earlier would surprisingly come in use. At the time, he started going to vent some anger but never thought he’d actually be good at it. Of course, shooting at skryts would be a whole different case, but this was for something important. This was for Jamie. And it couldn’t be much worse than stabbing a former teacher to death.
He stuck his hand in the inside pocket of his jacket and pulled out the gun Fyzer had given him. When he saw it was still fully loaded, he replaced the gun and checked in his other pockets. The extra magazines were still there too. He had done this countless times, but it didn’t stop him from repeating the process. There could be no mistakes.
“Earth to Zach!”
Zachery blinked when Sam’s voice had startled him.
“Yeah, what?”
“You okay, bro? You haven’t spoken all day, and you’ve checked your pockets, like, a hundred times already.”
“Why wouldn’t I be okay?” he answered, his voice as bland as ever.
“Look, I know you’re worried about her, we all are, but we’re going to get her back.”
And if she’s dead? He wanted to scream. But instead, he just nodded.
“Yeah, I’m sure we will.” He turned to Fyzer, “So, you gonna tell us how to get in or what?”
Jamie lay on the floor, looking up at the bare ceiling. No one had come to her cell yet that day, except a guard to give her food. People would say that was a good thing, but she knew better. Yeah, when someone came they would slap her around a little, but it wasn’t as bad as sitting there with nothing to do and nothing to occupy her mind. When they did come, at least she could concentrate on the pain, loathing them afterwards, and planning ways she would seek revenge if she ever got out. Sitting alone in silence for too long made her remember her family, when they were happy. Her heart would ache and her stomach would contract, making her feel sick. Still, she refused to cry.
She willed herself not to think of Zachery, but as usual, the thoughts wormed their way into her mind anyway. They usually started with the memory of him staring into her eyes just before their first kiss. Even though it seemed like years ago, her body heated up, reminiscing how he kissed her so passionately. It would have intimidated her at the time if she hadn’t done the same to him.
Years of longing disappeared in seconds when our lips met. A laugh bubbled inside her. Oh my God, that sounds like something out of one of those crappy love movies. You’ve been trapped in here for too long, Jamie!
When she felt her cheeks getting wet, she sat up and wiped her face with her sleeve. She heard footsteps and quickly stuck her hands in a jug sitting nearby, using the water to wipe away any traces of tears. She looked at the door and realised whoever it was, was running. One set of footsteps turned into many and her stomach lurched into her chest. Expecting a group of skryts to charge in and attack her, she sat in the corner, trying to appear brave. They didn’t enter her cell but ran past it. She heard a shout from the corridor and stood up abruptly.
“Quickly! Intruders in the west wing! Go, go, go!” Then after a pause, another cry. “You! Go guard the prisoner!”
She waited, looking through a barred window in the door, praying that a guard would run to her.
Please let it be me! Please!
A woman ran around the corner and stopped outside her cell.
“Don’t think you’re going to be rescued, little girl. They’ll die before they reach you.”
Jamie turned away from the woman and felt her legs give way under her for the first time in her life. She fell softly to the floor and the room undulated as her vision blurred.
They’re coming for me. They’re here.
Zachery, Sam and April crouched behind a wall. A group of guards had run past a minute earlier, and they waited to make sure any more weren’t joining them. When all was quiet, they silently made their way to the prison area and stopped at a corner. Zachery peered around and saw a woman standing outside a solitary cell, so quickly drew back.
“That must be Jamie’s cell...there’s only one guard. All the other guards must have bought Fyz
er’s illusion on the other side of the building,” he whispered. “Seems he’s as good as he says he is.”
Zachery checked the magazine on his gun. Two bullets left. He made himself known to the guard and shot her twice. She fell to the floor, blood pouring from her head and mid-section, but he kept his eyes on the cell door.
“Jamie!” Zachery called out.
Jamie’s face appeared behind the bars. “Zachery? Is it really you?”
He could tell she had been crying; her face was streaky and her eyes desperate. He grabbed the keys from the dead woman’s belt. The door was opened and the chains were unlocked in a moment. As soon as she was free, Jamie hugged Zachery tight, breathing hard.
“I’ve said this in my dreams so many times, but it feels good to say it when I’m awake...I knew you’d come for me, Zachery.”
He didn’t want to let go of her, scared that this might be a cruel nightmare instead of reality, but he pulled away. His eyes narrowed when he saw bruises on her forehead and cheek.
“We need to go before they realise that we’re here,” April pointed out.
Zachery took hold of Jamie’s hand and led her out of the room. She saw the guard on the floor and gasped.
“Don’t worry about that now,” Zachery told her quietly.
They had followed Fyzer’s orders fully, except that he suggested that they free Sven first, but Zachery wouldn’t have it. If anything went wrong and could only save one of them, it was going to be Jamie. They found Sven’s cell and freed him using the other key on the chain.
“Thank you,” Sven said quietly as he stumbled out of his cell. “Let’s get out of this place.”
Sam led the way and headed down a corridor so narrow they had to run in single file.
“What...” Jamie started.
But Zachery touched her shoulder from behind and put his finger to his lips. When they reached the end, Sam turned to the wall on the right and pressed a random tile that was level to his face. A passage was revealed as a concealed door slid upwards.
Pulses raced as they hurried through the scarcely lit tunnel. As they got further along, they could hear the crashing of waves. The tunnel carried on forward, but they veered left. They emerged onto a cliff-side. The sheer but jagged drop beckoned anyone daring enough to traverse it to fall to their death into the rocky waters below. Sam edged sideways slowly and carefully along a rocky ledge, then April went next, followed by Sven.
Jamie froze. She couldn’t go, she couldn’t. Zachery went in front of her and helped her out. If he wasn’t holding her hand, Jamie would never have been able to walk along it. The wind whipped around them, forming their clothes into parachutes. The ledge was three feet wide, hundreds of feet high, and Jamie feared heights. Before that moment, she had never concentrated on her shoes so intently, but was the only thing preventing her from falling off. The one time she dared to look at the ocean, her vision doubled, then tripled, dizzying her. It seemed inevitable that she would go over.
Zachery must have noticed. He had pulled her firmly back and closer to him. The wind was howling now and even though it was cold outside, beads of sweat were forming on Jamie’s forehead and neck. She wondered how far they had to go until they reached solid ground and chanced a glance at the others. The cliff-side seemed never-ending, but suddenly Sam disappeared, then April and Sven too. Zachery was also swallowed by the rocks, leading her in.
Jamie hadn’t noticed there was a crevice until she was inside it. After a few steps, she had to crawl through as the hole was small. It was pitch black and the rock formation she crawled on hurt and scratched her knees, but she carried on. She shuddered as a gust of wind blew through the crevice. A dim light slowly appeared ahead of them. As she came out and stood up, she saw they were in a small cave. Rocky spikes protruded from the walls and roof and they were at the top of an inclination so steep, they had to descend on their rears. Miniature rock pools were scattered across the slopes, which wet their clothes. She was confident it couldn’t get any worse.
Jamie took a deep breath as they reached the bottom. It felt good to be on flat ground again. She saw a torch stuck into a gap in the rock wall, its magical flame still full and bright in the blustery confined area. Sam and April walked through another tunnel and Jamie stopped.
“Zachery, how much longer until we get out of here?”
“We’re nearly there now. The boat is in the next cave. Just hold out a bit longer,” he replied, almost formally, like a tour guide would.
Her brain briefly malfunctioned.
Why did he just speak to me like a stranger?
She followed his lead through the tunnel into a second, more immense cave and saw the ocean entered there.
“Where were you?” April asked desperately. “Hurry up!”
Fyzer was waiting for them as they boarded a massive boat that looked like a pirate’s ship.
“Jamie, this is my grandfather,” April told her, gesturing to him.
Honestly, Jamie couldn’t be bothered with the pleasantries after everything she had been through. Still, considering he was here rescuing her, she made an effort.
“Nice to meet you,” she said plainly, though she was astonished to see he was alive and standing in front of her.
“Your Highness?” Sven asked sceptically.
“Sven! It’s good to see a familiar face after all this time. Tell me, is Teselda alright?”
“She’s safe with the others.”
“I knew it. Thank you for keeping them safe.”
“It is my duty and my pleasure, Your Highness.”
Fyzer put one arm around Sven and patted his back with his other hand. Jamie was standing close enough to see Sven was smiling, although the smile didn’t reach his eyes. His eyes were still unsure. Fyzer let go and turned quickly to get the boat started. Jamie embraced Sven.
“We’re out,” she whispered. She took a step back and looked at him sadly. “I heard you screaming...I’m so sorry, Sven...I tried to think of a way to help, but...”
“It doesn’t matter,” he told her. “I’ve been through worse and I’d go through it again. You’re okay. That’s what matters.”
“Good to have you back, Sven,” Sam smiled then patted him on the back.
April gave Jamie and Sven awkward hugs, then followed Fyzer below deck. Sensing Zachery and Jamie might want to be alone, Sam took Sven by the elbow, leading him away.
“I’ve been dying to know...where do your wings go when you’re not using them?”
Jamie threw her arms around Zachery. He didn’t return the hug but just stood there, frozen. She still held him but moved her head back to look at him.
“What’s wrong?”
He didn’t answer, only looked at her with steely eyes.
“What’s happened to you? Did something happen while I was away?”
He still didn’t answer, just continued to stare at her. The boat jerked forward and she let go of him to use the side for balance.
“You’re kind of scaring me. Can you just talk to me, please?”
The steely look in his eyes faltered, then he looked away.
“I think I just...need some time,” he said finally.
“Time for what?” she returned, tightening her grip on the boat, hurt and confused.
“I’ll talk to you later,” was all he said, then went to join the others.
She didn’t follow but leaned over the edge of the boat, now peering out across the open ocean. She felt the spray from the water hitting her face, but she didn’t care. If anything, she was glad. For once, she didn’t have to worry about the tears running down her cheeks. So she let them flow, and cried until there were none left.
Chapter Nineteen
They had been sailing for hours. The water was still, the sun was high in the sky...and Jamie hadn’t moved from the spot where Zachery had left her. She heard footsteps and saw April approaching.
“Aren’t you hungry, Jamie? Why don’t you come below and eat something?”
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“I’m not hungry.”
“Do you wanna sleep?”
“I’m not tired right now. Maybe later.”
April stood there patiently with her arms crossed. A few moments passed.
“Ugh, okay!” Jamie moaned, rolling her eyes. “I’ll talk to you.”
Another minute passed. Jamie sucked in a breath.
“What happened while I was in that prison? Last night, Zachery acted like a different person, like there was nothing between us.”
April sighed heavily and leaned over the side, mimicking her. “I can’t tell you what’s going on in his head, but I know you being taken really affected him.”
“It was so bad in that prison. I acted tough, but it was so horrible. I was starving all the time and cold. Sometimes guards came in to bring food, if I can even call it that, and water. But some just decided to punish me for stuff that Grandfather had done.”
“Did any of them...do anything...really bad?”
“No. Thank God, no. Fulgar threatened to send Voklav one time. Ugh! They make me so sick!”
“I feel like kicking the crap out of them and throwing them off the cliff we had to walk along.”
“Hopefully, we’ll get a chance soon. But you know what? The only time I forgot about how bad the situation was, was when I thought about Zachery. It’s so weird, April. We haven’t known each other long, but it feels like we’re meant for each other. The night before I was taken, we spent hours talking. It was crazy. We were so comfortable with each other as if we’ve been together for a while.”
“It sounds like you like each other a lot. The way he was going on was like you’re his long-lost princess and he was gonna die without you.”
Jamie chuckled with emotion. “Really?”
“Yeah. I felt like kicking his ass sometimes, too.”
“Then why is he acting like this? It hurts so much that he isn’t bothered about me at all.”
She looked as if she were about to cry, so April stopped her.
“Listen, girl, all I know is that if he didn’t want you, he would have told you right there and then...but he didn’t. I know he truly cares about you. He was going insane with worry over you. So maybe he just needs to work through some stuff. Give him time like he asked you to. It’ll work out, don’t worry about it.”