She gifted him with a blank stare.
“You two look alike. Don’t worry, your secret is safe with me. Must be nice to know someone in this hellhole. Too bad he gone up and abandoned you. I guess that means I can be your new daddy.” The smile he flashed made her sick. “Always been wondering how a frail, twig-armed boy like you chose work in a field that could lead to this.” Kallan cupped the bars. “You know they ain’t taking us straight to the slave rings.”
“What do you mean?” Elodie asked.
He grinned. “I’ve been on the other side. No. If we were just slaves, we’d have been sold off by now. No. We’re for something else.”
“Else?” she asked.Do I really want to know?
Kallan reached through the bars and tried to grasp at her but his fingers didn’t even make it halfway. “Maybe your pa has the right of it. But is the risk worth it?” He drew his hand back and shifted away.
She lifted the collar of her work shirt and breathed in the scent of her sweat. It grounded her; although unpleasant, it was better than the reek the rest of the brig often had. Everything, every square inch of flesh and cloth on her body was filthy. Her skin itched, her short hair fell in clumped strands around her face, her nail beds were broken and lined with dirt, sweat stains sported her undershirt, but the worst part about her current state was the extra-tight, double-banded sports bra underneath it all. She’d been wearing it for weeks and Elodie was certain the skin underneath was as desperate as her lungs for fresh air.
She didn’t have large breasts, or really any breasts at all. Elodie couldn’t be sure, not having spent much time in the presence of women, but not being well endowed had saved her a lot of hardship.
The tips of her fingers skated over her pulse. Feeling life under her skin, literally touching it, reminded her how lucky she really was.
“You and your pa plan it?” Kallan’s voice stopped her fingers from trailing under her shirt to itch.
I’m the epitome of stupidity.She streaked her fingers across the scrapes on her knuckles instead, feeling a slight twinge of pain. It helped distract her from her thoughts.
“Plan what?” she asked.
“Him gettin’ recruited and you staying here? You two got a plan?”
Elodie dropped her hand, suddenly tired.
“That’s it, isn’t it? You two got a plan!”
She turned away and lowered to her side.
“You better cue me in before it goes down. Or your being related won’t stay a secret. You listening to me boy-o? They’d find a way to use you two against each other.”
She closed her eyes. It didn’t shut the pain away but it kept her from staring off into her dad’s empty cell. It allowed her to pretend, in short, desperate bursts, that he was still there. That, in some miraculous way, she wasn’t locked up at all and that she had no secrets to hide.
I don’t care if they know he’s my dad.
I care if they find out I’m a girl.
I need a plan.
Slumber teetered out of reach even though Kallan went silent. Elodie curled one arm over her empty stomach and prayed to whoever—whatever—out there that might listen and help get her out of this cell before she could hide no longer. She allowed one single tear to make its way down her cheek. Just one.
