by Cait Marie
Like each night that week, Shane used the secret tunnels to sneak out of the castle. He had explored them more and thought he knew almost every route. Pulling his hood farther over his head, he walked to one of the entrances that led to the hidden courtyard near the church. They had finally revealed the different locations and passwords, trusting him with their secrets.
Down in one of the sublevels, far from the listening ears of the streets, he walked into the room holding Viktor. Shane was surprised to see him already tied to a chair in the center of the room. When not being questioned, they chained him to the wall near a small cot. Someone had already started, but the room was otherwise empty.
Shane checked the man’s manacles before heading back to the hall. Two guards always stood outside the door—they couldn’t afford the possibility of him escaping.
“Who was down here?” Shane asked as he shut the door.
They glanced at each other. Their hesitation worried Shane. One of them finally looked to him, his voice coated with sadness as he said, “Gwyn was questioning him, but Marley came to bring her back upstairs.”
“What happened?” Shane asked.
“You should go to them,” the second man said. “They’re in William’s apartment.”
Shane didn’t wait for more information. He took off, running through the halls and up the stairs. At their door, he stopped. When no one answered his knock, he slowly pushed it open.
“Gwyn?” he called out. “William?”
“In here,” William’s raspy voice replied.
They were in the bedroom, much like when they first escaped the castle. William lay in the bed with Gwyn kneeling on the floor beside him. She patted at his head with a damp cloth. Shane stepped forward, unsure of what he was seeing. When Gwyn looked up at him, he could see the despair in her eyes, and he knew. Without saying anything, he dropped to his knees beside her and the sick man.
“I didn’t want to worry anyone if it ended up being nothing,” William answered the unasked question. “I didn’t know what he injected me with.”
Gwyn trembled with silent sobs beside Shane, who shook his head in disbelief.
“It’s true then,” he whispered as if saying it aloud made it more real. “All of it—your theory. They didn’t just bring it back, they’re spreading it. My father is…”
His words trailed off, unable to finish the thought. He covered his mouth with one hand while his other went to Gwyn’s shoulder. They sat for another minute in silence before she pushed to her feet. The tears stopped, and in their place, anger poured through her. Shane stood, but she had already stormed away.
“Gwyn,” Shane called, following her out the door. Marley appeared in the small kitchen. After she assured him she’d look over William, he caught up with Gwyn in the dim hallway. “What are you doing?”
“We need that cure.”
His jaw clenched, knowing where they were heading. He didn’t stop her. Outside the door, she demanded the guards not let anyone else in, but they didn’t stop Shane as he followed her into the makeshift cell.
As he turned around, he saw Gwyn reach the man in two strides and backhand him with all her strength. Viktor’s head swung to the side as he nearly toppled from the chair. Shane didn’t move. He leaned against the door with his arms crossed over his chest, watching.
“Tell us where the cure is.” She ripped the gag from Viktor’s mouth. At his silence, she slammed a fist into his gut. He wheezed out a grunt but still didn’t talk.
Gwyn’s face turned red as she began pummeling the man. She yelled at him, demanding the cure, raging like a crazed person. Shane let her go on for several minutes before stepping forward. Viktor’s head lolled to the side as Gwyn punched him in the jaw.
“Enough,” Shane said. When she moved to strike again, he grabbed her around the arms and pulled her back. She flailed about, screaming at him to let go. “Gwyn, enough!”
The man looked up at them with a bloody grin. He spit crimson on the floor and watched Shane struggle for control. Shane turned Gwyn around to face him, grimacing as a boot met his shin.
“Gwyn, stop,” he begged quieter than before. Tears rolled down her cheeks once more. He leaned close so only she could hear. “We need him alive and able to speak.”
She stopped fighting. Her heaving breath the only sound in the room. When she looked up at him, he wiped away the tears and whispered, “That’s enough.”
She nodded, and he let go. As she looked around the room, Shane wondered what she searched for until her hand flung down to the blade at her side. In one swift move, she had it unsheathed and stuck in the man’s thigh. He screamed in agony.
“Tell me where the cure is,” Gwyn hissed through her teeth.
Shane sighed, yet he couldn’t help but admire her determination. The man cursed her under his breath before spitting another mouthful of blood at her feet. She twisted the knife slightly, and he yelled again.
They went back and forth for what felt like hours. Shane watched as Gwyn ruthlessly went from one leg to the other, then to a hand. As she began digging the blade into the back of his wrist, he finally yelled out, “There is no cure!”
It was the first thing Viktor said apart from the foul name calling between screams. Shane knew Gwyn’s look of disbelieving horror matched his own. Her hands fell to her sides.
Shane took her spot and yanked the blade from the man’s hand, then held it to his throat. “What do you mean there is no cure?”
The man sputtered, breathing hard, and repeated the words. Blood dripped from the corner of his mouth, as well as other areas along his body. “Not so different from your father after all, are you, Prince?”
With horror, Shane stepped back. The dagger clattered to the floor. Despite the situation, he couldn’t bring himself to do it. He’d heard the screams of the tortured down in the castle dungeons and vowed to never cause such harm.
Gwyn turned and picked up her weapon. She cleaned it off, stuck it back in the sheath hanging from her belt, and gagged the man once more before grabbing Shane’s hand and pulling him from the room. She didn’t give an explanation to the men standing guard, and they didn’t ask questions about her blood-stained clothes—they’d heard the yelling.
She didn’t release him until they made it upstairs to another apartment Shane assumed belonged to her. It was near William’s and set up in a similar fashion. The sparse colorful furniture added a more feminine touch to the decor. Paintings of bright yellow flowers hung on the walls, and Shane observed them while Gwyn cleaned up in the bedroom. A vase of sunflowers stood in the center of the sole table. He reached out a hand and touched the soft petals. With a quiet chuckle, he shook his head.
“What?” Gwyn asked, emerging from the room. She had changed into a loose white blouse with dark pants beneath—the normal fighting attire he had grown used to seeing her wear. He wondered briefly if she ever had a moment to not worry about such things.
“Nothing,” Shane said. “I just didn’t picture you as someone who liked flowers.”
She rolled her eyes and moved to stand beside him. “I can like flowers and still kick your ass.”
He laughed harder, agreeing. “You sound like my sister.”
“Smart girl.” She grinned. “When I was little, there were rumors around the villages of a rare yellow flower with the ability to heal called the Heulwen. The paintings remind me of them—of home.” At his confusion, she added, “I was born in Rayerna. William and his late wife adopted me as a child.”
That explained why Shane didn’t see any family resemblance between them. As well as the slight accent that emerged when she was angry. They stood for a moment, neither saying anything while they stared at the bright yellow plants.
“He was wrong,” Gwyn whispered.
Shane tried to contain his emotions, but his hands shook. He clenched them into fists at his side. She seemed to sense his unease and turned toward him. With a hand on his arm, she said, “You are nothing like your fa
ther.”
“You don’t know,” Shane said, unable to meet her gaze.
“I was the one—”
“While I just stood and watched,” he interrupted. With a thud, he sat in one of the chairs and held his head in his hands.
Gwyn knelt in front of him. She pulled his hands away and tilted his chin up to look at her. “You also stepped in to stop me. You are fighting for your people, Shane. You’re not like the king.”
He’d opened his mouth to respond when Marley entered the apartment. Gwyn pulled away and stood to face her friend. “How is he?”
“There isn’t much we can do other than make him comfortable. I’ve sent someone into town for more supplies. There are a few tonics that will help keep the symptoms at bay but not forever.” She came farther into the room and sat across from Shane. “Did you find anything out yet?”
“He says there is no cure,” Shane said. Gwyn leaned back against the table, rubbing her temple. He reached out and squeezed her free hand. “We’ll keep trying. I’ll go back to the lab and look for anything we might have missed.”
Gwyn nodded, then Marley excused herself to go sit with William again. Shane watched her leave and sighed when the door clicked shut. He pulled a hand through his hair.
“I never got a chance to really say thank you.” When he looked up, Gwyn added, “For coming for us and carrying me out of there.”
Shane shook his head. “There’s no need for that, really. I’m just glad I could help.”
“I didn’t think we’d get out.” She turned and stared at the flowers. “I thought I was going to die in that cell like…”
He didn’t press for more when she trailed off. She was deep in thought, and he could tell it was a subject she wasn’t ready to talk about. Perhaps her parents. Maybe it had to do with her being adopted in Detmarya. Regardless, he didn’t push her for more.
As he walked back through the quiet streets and back into the castle, Shane thought about Gwyn’s words. He wondered how she got involved with that group. Everyone else was from Detmarya and had family or friends suffering from the Kald. They had a clear place among their group. He wondered who had been locked up. Who she lost.
It took a couple days to reach their next destination. In that time, Ada helped the crew, introducing Phillip as they went. He picked up quickly on their names and duties. With clear skies and a steady breeze, they made good time. She could see the greenery in the distance as a small island drifted into view.
“You’re really good at all this,” Phillip commented, helping Ada tie off a rope to one of the sails.
“Yes, she is,” Brienne said from behind. Ada turned to see her elbowing Lee in the side as they approached.
“She is,” he agreed. Their eyes met, and Ada bit her lip to keep from smiling. As much as she hated it, and she’d never admit it out loud, she liked having his praise.
“So, Phillip,” Brienne said, startling Ada out of watching the captain. “Have you done much sailing?”
“A little but not much,” he replied. Brienne walked past Ada, looped an arm through his, and led him toward the front of the ship as he continued, “I grew up with Ada and her brother, so I went along with them occasionally. With her fear of the ocean though, we didn’t go very often. Mostly just back and forth to Rayerna.”
“Hi,” Lee whispered. He walked close to Ada as they followed the other two. His hand brushed hers at her side. She glanced sideways at him and crossed her arms.
“I’m not doing this,” she hissed. “One minute you’re trying to kiss me, the next you want nothing to do with me.”
“Ada—“
“No.” She stormed ahead, catching up to Phillip and Brienne. The former draped an arm around her shoulders, and she ignored the glare from behind.
Ada watched the island as the outline of small houses became visible. Phillip and Brienne continued to talk, but she couldn’t focus on their words. Footsteps stomped toward them.
“I’ll need help moving the supplies up.” Lee’s voice was almost a growl.
The other two turned and headed below deck while she stared at the village getting closer. From what she could see, it was different from the other islands they’d visited. It was much smaller, and most of it appeared to be very poor, like the worst slums of Detmarya. The whole village looked gray, lifeless. She’d never been to Obaith before. She’d never even noticed it on a map until Brienne told her where they were going.
“Ada,” Lee barked, and she whirled around with a glare. “Help us down below?”
She nodded and moved forward. As she passed him, he spoke again. “It’ll be a lot of carrying up boxes. I wasn’t sure if that would be asking too much of the princess.”
“What the hell is wrong with you now?” She turned around to face him. “You’re pissy because I walked away from you? I haven’t complained once about helping out around here, so stop.”
He grabbed her wrist after she’d jabbed a finger at his chest with each word and stepped closer. “This is an important stop. I don’t want you screwing anything up.”
“Seriously?” She sighed, frustrated and sick of arguing. “I get it. You need to sell these supplies. Though, I don’t know how you expect to sell them here of all places. I don’t support it, but I won’t stand in your way.”
“Good.” His breath was warm against her lips as she looked up at him, and he leaned forward, almost as if he’d kiss her again. As much as she knew she should, she couldn’t move. Lee shook his head, then stepped around her.
Almost all the medical supplies had been brought on deck by the time they docked. A large portion of food sat among the crates as well. Ada looked at it in confusion, then to Brienne who just smiled with a shrug. Together, the crew carried everything into the village.
“Stay with us,” Brienne told Ada and Phillip.
Phillip and Lee grabbed opposite ends of a large crate with a couple smaller boxes balanced on top. Brienne had Ada carry a sack of grain, and they walked down the dirt roads, following the others.
The village was worse off than she’d expected. Houses sat with caved-in roofs and shattered windows. The walls seemed to sag, reflecting the few people littering the streets in dirty rags. The four of them walked to the end of the main road to a small, dingy building. Ada followed inside and froze. Her stomach churned.
As soon as she crossed the threshold, she could smell the sickness. Over a dozen children lay around the large room. Most on thin blankets and cots. Her eyes prickled, and she nearly dropped the bag to cover her mouth in shock.
An older couple came out of a back room as Lee and Phillip placed the supplies on the floor. The woman pulled Phillip into a hug while the man clapped Lee on the shoulder, greeting him like an old friend. They opened the crate and pulled out dozens of small vials filled with a deep purple liquid. Brienne told Ada they ran the orphanage, then opened a sack and handed her a smaller bag from inside with fruit and bread. She steered her toward Lee, where he sat between two cots.
Ada knelt beside him. A little boy sat up with eager eyes. Lee held up the vial, but the boy shook his head. His blond hair fell into his eyes as he pointed to Ada’s bag.
“Drink this, and you can have whatever you want out of the bag, Kal,” Lee told the boy with a smile.
The boy debated for a second before nodding. Lee uncorked the small bottle and handed it to him. He guided his hand, making sure it didn’t spill. The boy scrunched up his face as he swallowed the medicine but drank every drop. Ada moved closer so he could reach the bag. When he pulled out an apple and some bread, he looked to Lee.
“You can have both,” Lee said.
The boy’s face lit up. He launched himself toward the captain, flinging his arms around his neck. “Thanks, Captain Lee!”
Lee didn’t hesitate to hug the boy back. He held him for a long moment, causing Ada’s eyes to burn. Sorrow and guilt flooded through her.
“Eat your food, then get some rest,” he said, ruffling the boy’s ha
ir. “You’ll feel better soon.”
“What about Kasy?” The little boy grew quiet as he looked to the cot across from his. He held the apple out in the direction of the small girl. Her eyes were closed, and she didn’t stir with all the commotion happening in the room.
Brienne walked over and handed Ada two cups of water. She gave one to Kal, who took it graciously.
“My friend, Ada, and I are going to help your sister.” Lee pushed the apple back to him. Kal’s eyes widened and looked to his sister. The concern in someone so young broke Ada’s heart. Lee told him, “That’s yours to eat. We’ll leave more for her, don’t worry. She’s going to be fine.”
Lee finally looked to Ada, who nodded slightly. They turned to the little girl. Two thin blankets covered her small body, and Ada realized one probably belonged to Kal. She swallowed past the lump in her throat.
“Help me sit her up?” Lee asked, his tone had softened since leaving the ship.
Ada moved to his other side, to the head of the cot. She put the bag of food and cup of water on the ground, then placed the back of her hand on the girl’s forehead. An alarming amount of heat emanated from her. With slow movements, she slid an arm beneath Kasy’s over-pronounced shoulders. She moved closer, sitting on the edge of the cot and cradled the girl against her.
“Kasy?” Ada whispered.
Her eyes fluttered, barely able to stay open. Ada picked up the cup with her free hand and brought it to the young girl’s mouth.
“Good girl,” Ada cooed as Kasy sipped the water. She couldn’t have been more than five years old, but her malnourished body was small even for that age. Lee watched Ada with a sad smile. He opened another vial and handed it to her. She held it to Kasy’s lips. “One more, sweetheart. This will make it all better.”
Though she couldn’t keep her eyes open, the girl seemed to be aware of her surroundings. She drank the medicine, moaning at the bitterness Ada could smell. Once finished, she gave her more water to wash it down.
“Do you think she can eat?” Ada asked.
“They have broth for her.” Lee pointed a thumb behind him to the elderly couple. “But we can leave her something for when she can swallow solid food.”
