Dionne nudged Scarlen’s arm. ‘I don’t want any extra time added to my sentence. I need to be on the straight and narrow for my brother, so when it starts, I’m going to try to get to my cell.’
‘Where will it start?’ whispered Scarlen, eyes wide, stomach already churning.
‘Canteen,’ replied Temple. ‘But the ones fighting will move to the corridors as quickly as possible before the screws restrict their movement.’ He glanced around the yard before returning to Scarlen. ‘This won’t be small. They plan to steal keys, break into the supply rooms to use things like mops and brooms as weapons. Some have already made shanks. I don’t rate Binnow or Jontson’s chances much.’
‘Won’t Jesserlie do something?’ asked Scarlen, thinking the prison witch held the most magick in the building. Surely if the guards were unable to control the situation, she would step in with her power.
Temple shrugged. ‘Probably, but a lot of damage will be done by that time.’
‘Everyone is so pissed off with Horstal.’ Dionne huffed. ‘You can only treat people badly for so long before they take action against you.’
Temple huddled closer. ‘Keep your wits about you at all times. Just because it’s us against them tonight doesn’t mean inmates won’t fight each other.’ His attention was on Scarlen. ‘If someone has it in for you, they could use the opportunity to get to you.’
‘I don’t like the way you aimed that at me.’ Scarlen was more nervous than before now.
‘Just watch your back, Smithson.’
She looked over at Amber yard and noticed Bear with Raven. Perhaps he wouldn’t speak to her, but she had to try. ‘Be right back,’ she told her friends as she got up.
Bear was watching her approach the dividing fence, and he whispered something to Raven that had Raven walk away.
‘What’s wrong, Bear?’ Scarlen asked quietly.
‘I can’t talk to you right now.’
Miss Harnish patrolled the pathway between them, offering Scarlen a small smile as she passed, both Scarlen and Bear remaining quiet until she was out of earshot.
‘Were you lying to me in the family room?’ Scarlen asked, fingers gripping the fence.
Bear scoffed, eyebrows raised as high as possible. ‘WasIlying?’
‘It seems you got what you wanted from me and now you’re no longer interested.’
He pressed closer to his fence, a snarl coming and going all in a flash. ‘It wasn’t a lie.’ He lowered his voice. ‘What’s between us is real.’
‘Then why are you acting weird?’
He looked to have many replies, but nothing was said.
‘Bear, I miss you already,’ she whispered, mentally kicking herself for sounding so pathetic, but so much of her wanted to be honest with him, and seeing how she couldn’t tell him all her truth, she could give him that.
His jaw tensed as his knuckles whitened on the fence, then he locked eyes with her. ‘I’ll come for you later,’ he mouthed.
‘During the …’ She didn’t think it wise to add any more, as she couldn’t huddle with him or whisper in his ear.
‘Take you somewhere safe.’
She figured he meant his cell so nodded her approval.
‘You have to trust me, okay, Scars?’
It felt like she was missing something, but nodded once more anyway, believing that whatever he had planned, he would protect her. No doubt he was worried about Judd finding her. She was too.
‘Have to take care of my girl, right?’ He added a small smile, then walked away, and even though that line usually had her rolling her eyes or warmed her a little, all it achieved was anxiety that something important had been left unsaid.
25
Rain splattered the courtyard outside the canteen, the darkness of evening shadowing the empty pillory, the noise inside the prison hushed, the inmates barely touching their dinner.
