by Kailin Gow
Liam’s eyes filled with concern and love, he came to me and took a hold of my hands. “I’ll protect you with my life, Kama. I won’t let you out of my sight. My greatest regret was to ever let you go.”
I smiled and nodded.
When he left to contact his group and get his car keys, I was left staring at Rodin. The creases on his forehead had deepened and his eyes were filled with suspicion. Our thoughts, doubts and fears remained silent as we waited Liam’s return.
And when we finally got in the car and drove off to the outer limits of Arcadia, I heard the message Rodin continually and silently sent out.
Don’t turn your back… on anyone. If things get dire, send word to me immediately.
Chapter 6
“How far do we have to go?” I asked ten minutes after dropping Rodin off at a nearby shelter. His insistence to be brought as close as possible to where Torrid was being kept has jostled Liam’s nerves and I now wondered if Liam hadn’t lied about the distance of our ultimate destination.
“It’s clear on the other side of town.”
“But you told Rodin…”
“I know, but he wouldn’t listen to reason. We can’t afford to have him that close to the Catchers’ Headquarters.”
“Clear on the other side of town, huh? Is that a deliberate and strategic attempt to keep the Coliseum as far as possible from these headquarters?”
“I’d never really looked at it that way. Then again, I’d never really known about the existence of either, so I couldn’t give it much thought, could I?”
His driving was slow and steady, unhurried and careful, methodical and well thought out. It was also excruciating as we inched toward our destination. I didn’t want to push him, but I couldn’t help but wonder if he was deliberately taking as much time as he could.
“Then you were caught in the Coliseum? All this time, I thought you were safe with Torrid…”
I didn’t want to dwell on what I’d been through, but I let him in on what the past days had truly been like. As I told the story, his eyes narrowed and darkened and I saw the tension grow and intensify in his tightening jaw.
As he turned a corner, he glanced at me, his eyes filled with determination and something I’d never seen before; a degree of fear that mingle with intense love. And there was the passion; passion that had always been boyish, pubescent and adolescent. That passion had matured into a man’s passion, which now smoldered in his eyes and in the parting of his lips. Liam had become the man I had always hope he would.
“Liam,” I whispered, my voice husky with uncertainty.
He pulled the car over and silenced the engine. For a long moment he stared at his hands that still gripped the steering wheel. “I thought I’d die of worry when I didn’t hear from you. No one could give me any news about you.”
As he turned to me, he reached out to take my hand. “You know, I remember hearing this story when I was a kid; the old man down the street from us had died suddenly, and though his wife was perfectly healthy and could have lived on for many years, she died six months later. Everyone said she died of a broken heart.”
I swallowed the ball of emotion that had gathered in my throat.
“I thought it was so bogus; a broken heart. You can’t actually die of a broken heart.” He squeezed my hand. “But these past weeks of knowing I no longer had a place in your heart, it was pretty rough. And these past days, not even knowing if you were alive or dead… well, I began to understand how that old woman felt.”
“This was never part of the plan, Liam. I didn’t mean for things to turn out like this.” I felt an overwhelming need to explain and justify.
“I know, Kama, and I don’t blame you. Stuff happens and a lot has been happening to you. I get that. Look, it hasn’t been all bad. I think your leaving me gave me the push I needed to really come out from under my dad’s wing. As hard as these past days have been, I’ve learned a lot about myself; what I’m capable of, what I want and who I want to be with.”
The heat of his fingers bore through my skin, coursed through my veins and touched my heart. The love I’d always had for him bubbled up and the sense of comfort I’d come to take for granted returned, filling me with emotions I couldn’t even describe.
When he leaned into me, I felt my body pull toward him. I knew I loved Torrid and I knew these past days had been concentrated on him, yet… The pull Liam now had on me, lured me closer.
“You’ve changed,” I suddenly said in a voice that had also changed.
“You changed me.” He cupped my cheeks, not with the boyish fingers that could sometimes be clumsy and unsure, but with fingers that knew of love and desire. He gripped me and pulled me closer, kissing my lips with an intensity that left me breathless.
I’d never been so lost in a kiss.
“I love you, Kama. If there’s anything I learned these past days, it’s just how much you mean to me. This isn’t just the puppy love that we grew up with. It’s so much more than that.” His fingers raked through my hair as he pulled me in for another smoldering kiss. It was blissful, sweet, powerful and I was helpless to fight it.
When he pulled back, I leaned into him, hungry for more.
“I’ve always known that I love you, and I’ve never doubted how much I desire you, but I recently realized just how much I need you. I need you, Kama, not just in my life, not just as the woman I love, but I need you if we’re ever to rebuild Arcadia like it deserved to be rebuilt.”
“What about what I am? I’m part djinn, Liam. Can you really live with someone, run Arcadia with someone who is part djinn?”
His fingers ran down the back of my neck, rubbing the tender spot that always made me sigh. A smile came to his eyes, curled his lips and as he touched his nose to mine, he let out a light and loving chuckle. “I wouldn’t want it any other way.”
Surprised and taken aback by my own feelings, my brain went numb as I tried to juggle my feelings for Torrid with these re-emerging emotions for Liam. I pulled back and pressed my head into the headrest.
“I don’t want to push you, Kama. I know these past days have been rough, but…” Biting his lip, he shook his head. “Though it killed me, I was ready to accept your decision. You're in love with another and I couldn’t imagine myself standing in the way of your happiness. But…” He looked pointedly at me, almost stern. “I trusted Torrid to take care of you, to be there for you.”
“Liam, it’s not his fault. He was captured.”
He smashed the palm of his hand on the dashboard and I jumped.
“He was supposed to protect you,” he shouted. “Where was he when you were being thrown to the dogs?”
“Liam. You're not being fair.” I heard how feeble my argument was. “You weren’t there either.”
Glaring at me, he drummed his fingers along the dash. “That’s because I had entrusted you to him.”
“You can think what you want, but I refuse to blame Torrid for my misadventure.”
“Really?” he said with a cock of his brow. “Is that what you're calling it? You were just inches from being torn to shreds.”
I stiffened and sat up straight. “Regardless of what I’m calling it, I want to put an end to this argument. We have to move if we’re going to make it to the headquarters.”
Liam turned to the steering wheel, started the car and put it into drive. “Right. Let’s go save your hapless new boyfriend,” he snarled.
He took to the dark streets, strewn with debris, swerving left and right with less care than he had earlier. With his foot heavier on the pedal we finally arrived at the headquarters.
The moment he stopped the car, I pulled back the door handle, but Liam was quick to reach out and stop me.
“You can’t just go in there like that.”
I glanced down at how I was dressed. My tattered pants and a once white shirt that was now grey.
“That’s not what I mean. For one thing my dad is probably here.”
“I’m surprised
he’s not barricaded himself in the governor’s mansion.”
“Well, turns out it’s safer for him to be here.”
I looked out at the large and imposing building. Black and windowless, it seemed like a bleak place to work in, never mind live.
“Anyway, I’d rather not run into him. The less I’m questioned the easier it’ll be.” He reached into the backseat and grabbed a few garments. “You're going to have to wear this.”
“What is it?”
“A Catcher’s uniform.”
Without thinking I pushed the garments off my lap and onto the car floor. “What do you want me to do with that?”
Amused, he chuckled. “I want you to wear it, silly.” He reached down, gathered the uniform and put it back in my lap. You don’t want anyone to recognize you, do you?”
With disdainful fingers, I picked up the garment and looked at it. “But this thing is tiny. I’ll never fit into it.” Not that I wanted to.
“You’d be surprised just how expandable it is.”
“Wow. They really make you wear this thing?”
Again, the air filled with the sound of his amused chuckle. “Yeah, not exactly fashionable, is it?”
Royal blue, the shimmering uniform was made out of a fabric that was at once soft and malleable, but super strong and resistant. I stretched out the neckline and was surprised by how much the fabric gave.
“Not only will it help you remain unnoticed, but it’ll protect you. Catching Magical Ones can get nasty sometimes and you’d be amazed by how much torture that suit can take.”
“Fine, but where do you propose I squeeze into this thing.”
“I’m afraid your only option is the backseat.”
“You're kidding, right?” I glanced over my shoulder at the cramped backseat.
“I wish I were. I can run into the building there and change while you do your best to manage in here.”
“Great,” I muttered as he opened the door.
Then I thought of Torrid and knew I had to do whatever needed to be done. Hopping into the back seat, I shimmied out of my old pants and tore off my shirt. As I slipped into the Catcher’s uniform, I felt the strength of the fabric caress my skin.
“Ready?” Liam whispered. He popped open the door and peered inside.
“Yeah, but I feel ridiculous.” Feeling more than just ridiculous, I stepped out of the car.
Liam, however, took my hand and twirled me around while his eyes appraised me. “Honey, you have nothing to feel ridiculous about. You look hot. I’ve never seen the Catcher’s uniform look so good.”
I glanced at him and had to admit he looked good too. The royal blue that had glistened to the point of looking tacky was now mat as it hugged his muscles. Flexible armor that was integrated into the uniform squared off his shoulders and molded to his chest.
“You're just like a warrior, Liam. I’d never imagined you could be so…”
Laughing, he echoed my sentiment. “And I never thought I could find this uniform so sexy. Damn, it fits you like a second skin. How am I going to concentrate on the task ahead? I always wanted you, Kama. I couldn’t keep my hands off you when we were together, and when we made love, I swear I can never be with anyone else, Kama. I’ll always still want you. To me, you are the sexiest person alive.”
“How ‘bout if I follow behind you. That way you won’t be distracted by my curves.” I couldn’t help but laugh as the words sounded and I was instantly brought back to all the times we’d teased each other and laughed.
Eager to find Torrid, I was reluctant to admit to myself just how enjoyable it was being with Liam again.
He popped open the trunk and pulled out a large weapon that looked like a machine gun. “You’ll need one of these.”
“Need as in to protect myself, or just for show?”
“Hopefully it’ll just be for show.” He glanced at the building and took a deep breath. “Let’s go.”
As I followed him into the building I felt dwarfed and unsure. Surfaces shined and gleamed; the black floors, the charcoal walls and even the dark blue ceilings.
In sharp contrast to the ancient and dusty walls of the Coliseum, everything here spoke of the advances in architecture, building materials and techniques. But the smell of death, of unhappiness… of torture filled the air just as it had in the Coliseum.
The first corridors we passed were empty and bare. Not a soul walked about and not a sound was heard. Not even the sound of our own footsteps, encased in the cushioned footwear that accompanied the uniform, could be heard.
After a few more steps, I realized I couldn’t hear my breathing, or the pounding of my heart, though I felt it thundering like never before.
We were in a vacuum and I could almost feel the air being sucked out of my lungs.
I swallowed my fear and uncertainty, but felt the first few droplets of sweat form on my forehead despite the slight chill in the air.
“Hold yourself straight,” Liam ordered as we approached two large metal doors. “Look like you belong and don’t avert anyone’s gaze. If anyone looks at you, you look right back at them, nod and move on.” He turned to look at me. “You got that?”
Pulling myself together, I straightened my shoulders, looked him in the eye, my gaze steady and strong, nodded and walked past him.
“Perfect,” he said as he regained the lead and opened the door.
In sharp contrast to the vast and static corridors, the room we entered was alive with activity. Catchers, dressed exactly as we were, milled about, some leading in Magical Ones, others engrossed in heated conversations and others still preparing to go out on the chase.
The few Magical Ones that were being led about appeared lifeless. Their eyes were glued to the floor, their backs rounded and the shoulders slumped in resignation.
As disgusted as I was by the sight, I kept my shoulder straight and strong, look in the eyes of every Catcher I passed and carried on. Liam chatted with a few in passing. When he came to a Catcher who had caught not one but two Magical Ones, a young mother and her child, Liam patted him on the back and told him what a good job he’d done.
I gulped down a ball of rage as I saw the Catcher shove the child along, separating him from his mother. Though I managed to control myself at first, I lost it when the child began to wail. I stopped walking and immediately felt Liam’s hand at my back, pushing me along.
We emerged from the busy room through another set of double doors and were once again a dark but glistening corridor.
“Don’t even think of doing anything about what you see here. This isn’t the time.”
“But that was a child.”
“I know, Kama. I know. Believe me, it kills me to see what’s happening here, but there’s nothing we can do to stop it. Not yet. Not now.”
Inhaling a long deep breath, I took in his words and knew he was right. Making a scene now would serve absolutely no purpose.
“And I’ll warn you, what you just saw is nothing. Please control yourself as we go on, because, I promise you; it’s not going to get any easier.”
“I’ll control myself,” I promised. “Thanks for the warning.”
After another endless corridor we came to a small, narrow door that was almost impossible to see. The same charcoal as the walls, there was no window, no hinges and no doorknob.
I only learned it was a door when Liam put his hand to it and it silently opened.
“Don’t gasp. Don’t be shocked. Don’t panic. And for heaven’s sake, don’t faint.” Liam calmly entered the huge room.
Despite his warning, I couldn’t control the gasp that rose to my throat and the tears that sprung to my eyes.
The ceiling of the large circular room rose several hundred feet above us. The first twenty feet were lined with three rows of Magical Ones, harnessed into place, unable to move, unable to escape. Above them were endless rooms of small bottles, each housing a Magical One.
“This is impossible,” I whispered.
; “If only that were true.”
I kept my gaze hard and unmoved as I scanned my surroundings, but inside I was falling apart. I wanted to gag, to throw up, to scream.
This was the true workings of Arcadia. This was where the created illusion of perfection Pim Seer actually brought to light. Before each Magical One was a small bottle… the obvious threat of imprisonment a constant reminder of what will happen if they don’t comply.
Several Catchers stood on guard, watching the Magical Ones and ensuring they maintained the illusion that was Arcadia. Intent on their prisoners, no one paid attention to us and we roamed free and undisturbed.
But inside, I was disturbed beyond anything I could have imagined and in that moment, I knew I belonged here. I had to stay in Arcadia. I had to team up with Liam and rid Arcadia of all its ugly little secrets.
“They’re all so miserable,” I muttered. “What a bleak existence.”
“It’s hard to swallow the fact that my father is behind all this.”
“Don’t take it so hard, Liam. I’m sure he had a lot of encouragement. I mean, your dad didn’t do this all on his own. He had Sanz, remember?”
“Thanks for trying to make me feel better, but I know what my father is. It may have taken a while for me to figure it out, but now that I know… well, I won’t let him continue with the illusion he created. If Arcadia is ever to be truly perfect, it will be so for everyone.”
“I think it’s great what you want to do, Liam, but you do know the incredible battle you have ahead of you. I mean, between what’s going on here and what I saw at the Coliseum, there’s a lot of ugliness in Arcadia and there are a lot of people who seem happy to have it that way.”
“Was it really that bad… the Coliseum?”
“You know the monsters you conjure up as a kid, or the monsters that invade you dreams at night? None of that compares to what really happens in the Coliseum. And it’s not just what happens in the arena, the ultimate moment of torture for those prisoners, but it’s also the inhuman conditions in which all those prisoners are kept. They’re just barely kept alive in order to put on a show for all those…” I gazed at the Catchers who continued to guard over the poor miserable Magical Ones.