They exchange a look, and Axel sucks on his teeth, “then they’ll have to portal Felix here as your regent and have him confirm.”
“When did you become so intelligent?”
“Well, I know you just saw me as eye candy and a means to an end of getting your favorite cakes on demand, but I do actually hold some valuable knowledge up in here.” He taps his temple for emphasis, a dopey grin inching its way up his cheeks.
My eyes roll back, and I try again – a little more carefully this time – to saw off the shackle. The two of them keep me company as I fail at that endeavor, and by the time my eyelids fall heavy, they’re gone.
When sleep finally takes me over, I am met again with two very familiar hazel eyes and the words of strangers,
“AllIheard is that whatever killed them was brutal, eyes were bloodshot, and the veins under their skin – burst!”
“What would cause that?”
“The only time I’ve known something like that to happen was during the raids – a result of the poison some rebels used.”
“Ouch. Ouch, stop kicking me, Axel.”I snap, throwing an arm over my eyes to try and ignore his incessant kicking and the light streaming in.
There are muffled voices I can hear outside, and I’m sure it’s Armond and Felix deciding who will have to break in and wake the two of us up. But sleep does not want to let go of me yet. Or maybe I don’t want to let go of sleep yet. Hard to tell.
Axel’s foot lands a kick right into my ankle bone, and I nearly leap out of my skin, “AXEL–” I start to shout, my eyes flying open.
Much to my horror – I’m not in my room, Axel isnotkicking me, but someone definitely is.
“Holy shit.” The kicking culprit exhales as I scramble up from lying on the dirty floor, flattening myself against the wall. “Well, at least now we know you aren’t dead.” He says, flatly.
The other one narrows his dark eyes at me, expression guarded. “How did you get in here?”
I scoff, “here? As in the abandoned building, here?”
“It’s not abandoned.” He interrupts.
I look exaggeratedly around the room. “Oh, I’m so sorry – love what you’ve done with the place.” The kicker smothers a laugh under his palm, earning himself an exasperated look from his companion. “The door was open.” I gripe, folding my arms across my chest.
“What are those?” The man to my right asks, his finger jerking forward. I tuck my hands and wrists even tighter underneath my arms, hoping that will deter his attention from them.
“What?” The shorter one asks.
“Those. The things on her wrists – what are they?”
I shrug. “I’ve overstayed my welcome in your… whatever you would call this. I’ll go.” Before I can move, he throws an arm out, blocking my path.
“Caz.” The man,Caz, doesn’t move. “What are you doing?” His companion hisses.
“She could be a criminal. We turn her in to the Council, we might get something out of it.” He replies firmly.
His friend’s eyes bulge out, and Axel’s words about the Consulate summoning Felix cross my mind. “And… she couldnotbe a criminal.”
Caz turns to look down at him, a hand jerking back towards my wrists. “She has shackles. She could be on the run from them. If we get caught housing a known criminal, the Council will throw us in the cells right along with her.”
The one on my left flicks his stare nervously to my wrists.Fucking Helys.
I groan, not wanting or caring to listen to them argue anymore. “I’m not a criminal.”
“See?” He says, relieved, placing a hand on Caz’s shoulder.
“But I am running from someone.”
The two of them tense back up, and I let that revelation hang in the air a minute before Caz’s companion drags him away from me. He murmurs for me to wait where I am, the two of them disappearing into the shadowy alcove of this… place.
