“What are you talking about?”
“Mikal, your brother. They… moved him. I went to check after you left for the feast,” she says. “Everything is awful, but the others are waiting for us. We have to go. It wasn’t easy for them to escape—more warriors will be after them soon.”
My brain can’t comprehend what is happening.
“No.” I shake my head. I lost him once before. I watched the giants take him from Enduvida. I had a dream that he was here. He was safe. “NO!” I shout at her when she tries to reach me.
My breath is coming out in shallow pants in the cold air, and my head squeezes. I can’t feel my legs.
“Go,”a voice from deep within urges. “She speaks the truth.”
The Fuegorra in my chest heats as a new vision blossoms before my eyes. Mikal’s body lies in the back of a cart. He is thin, dirty, and bruised. One of his eyes is completely swollen shut.
Before the surroundings come into view, the vision fades.
My hands tremble as the weight of the world crashes in. I try to step forward.“We have to?—”
Melisa grabs onto me, and covers my mouth.
“Estela, we have to go now—before someone finds us. I truly am so completely sorry, but I did bring your things. Please. Come on,” she begs, dragging me.
It takes a few feet but I start running with her, only half conscious of what is happening.
The palace blurs around me, and the further away we get, the more I hear the shouting. I cansmellthe blood that soaks the air as they try to heal whatever awful thing is happening inside.
Wind blows back my black cloak, chilling my body to the bone as we run to the meeting place. Thick patches of trees hold cloaked bodies. Not a single guard is anywhere in sight, but I see the huddle of people from here. Not one or two—at least thirty.
I slow down.
“Mierda.”
?1Melisa slows as well, looking at me.
“You told her that she could bring friends.” Her tone is careful like she expects me to say no. To turn her away.
As we near the group, Abi and Paoli wait for us. Abi smiles so brightly that it makes my heart hurt for another loss of Mikal.
“Rholker had sent these women to the breeding pens recently,” Abi starts.
I notice the blood across her neck and face.
“What happened?” I step forward, grabbing her.
She swallows. “We had to kill the watchers.”
“Are you okay?” I demand.
Her eyes dim.
“I—We—We got enough out.”
There are so many questions rumbling around in my skull, and I think of what Rholker had said about wanting to increase the production of humans.
I look back at the women. “Were you followed?”
She shakes her head.
“No, many guards were called away to the great hall.” She looks behind me, and an explosion breaks the glass on the front window.
