My knees bend, and I search through his pockets until my fingers brush a metal chain. I remove the jewellery from him and stare back at the necklace my mother left me. Tears burn in my eyes. I clutch the necklace in my palm before placing it back over my head.
I tilt my gaze upwards to find Carson staring back at me in terror.
“Caleb!” Lula screams from the other side of the room.
The second I break eye contact, he darts for the door, scrambling away like a coward. My first instinct is to go after him and make him pay for stabbing me in the back, but Lula and Fi are my priority right now.
I drag my heavy body towards Lula as tears and saliva cover her face. Fi lies in her arms, not moving.
“Caleb,” she sobs. “Please do something. S-she can’t die. Please.Please.”
My hand slides beneath Fi’s head.
“Come on, Fi,” I murmur as I press my fingers to her neck, feeling the tiniest pulse. “Hold on. It’s done. He’s gone. You’re free.”
Lula releases an almighty cry. “Please, please,” she screams out. “I can’t lose her. I can’t.”
“Hey,” I whisper as I grab her wrist. “Look at me.”
Her dark, puffy eyes blink through a fresh batch of tears, finally glancing in my direction.
“It’s going to be okay.”
“B-but she’s not breathing.”
“She is,” I reassure her. “Just weakly. Okay?”
Lula hiccups. “Mum? Please open your eyes. I’m right here.”
“Come on, Fi,” I rasp again. “Don’t give up. You have the rest of your lives to live.”
After a few moments, she releases a gargled sound from the back of her throat, and her eyes crack open a fraction.
“Mum.” Lula reaches for her. “Oh, Goddess, you’re okay. I thought I lost you.”
I lean back and watch the encounter, my heart weeping for them.
Fi’s eyes flick to her daughters as she hugs her weakly. “Sorry f-for scaring you,” she murmurs under her breath.
“We’re free,” Lula whispers into her chest. “He’s dead. Caleb did it.”
My eyes lock on Fi’s, and her lips tremble.
“We can go home?” she croaks.
I nod and fail at keeping my tears in my eyes. “We can all go home.”
“The rest of the prisoners,” she pants. “We need to set them free.”
I stroke back her hair delicately. “I’m on it.”
62
CALEB
After a heartfelt farewell with Fi and Lula, we promise to see one another again when we’ve adapted to normal life. I set the other prisoners free and let them on their way. I take a minute to hover over Dominic’s body before bending down and pressing my fingers to his eyes so they remain closed, and he can rest.
“Your bravery didn’t go unnoticed,” I whisper. “I’m sorry it had to end this way.”
