by Nina Walker
“Wait!” I snapped.
She paused and turned, a smile playing at her lips. My eyes shot to Christopher, who was shaking his head. “Don’t…”
“Just kidding.” I smiled. “I’m only messing with you. Go ahead. Beat him. Beat me. Do your best, but it won’t matter. I’m not telling you anything.”
Crunch. A fist pounded across his face, and he cried out, ragged, as the men delivered punches that fell one upon the other. I flinched, but held my ground. It was what we both wanted. Besides, they could heal him if they needed to.
“Enough,” Faulk said.
The room grew quiet, and she glared at me, her gaze cold and calculated.
“Bring her in.”
The man she introduced as Jose threw open the door, and Jessa stood frozen on the other side. Her face was white as paper. Her eyes widened as she took in the extent of our horrible wounds. We were in huge trouble.
“What have you done to them?” she whispered and wiped at the tears that had immediately sprung to her eyes. They fell down her pale cheeks as she ran toward Dad. Get it together, girl! Jessa was apparently the emotional one in the family, but now was not the time
“They’re traitors,” Faulk replied. Jessa already knew that. Not only was she a part of our Resistance, but she was well aware that her parents and little sister had fled New Colony months ago. My parents and little sister, too.
And she knew who I was. Faulk had already brought her in the first day I’d been locked up in here to rub the news in everyone’s faces.
“They have information we need,” Faulk explained, “and, as you can see, we’ve exhausted our traditional means of extracting that information.”
“And that’s why I’m here?” She questioned, her voice squeaking. “But it could hurt them.”
Red alchemy. How long could we drag this thing out? Would I be able to resist Jessa? I didn’t have access to any color, and I wasn’t able to do anything with white. I wasn’t that talented.
Lucas, on the other hand…if only he were here. Leave it up to the prince to never be in the right place at the right time.
“Think of it this way,” Faulk said. “If you don’t do it, they’ll only be hurt more. If you do what you’re meant to do, what you were just initiated to do, then not only can we all move on with our lives, but we can heal their wounds.”
“And then what?” I asked. “What happens to us then? You’re not just going to let us go. Jessa, think about it.” I turned on her. “Once they have what they need from us, we’re as good as dead.”
She glanced back and forth between us, her eyes somehow even wider than before. She was beautiful and sweet, to be sure, but at that moment, all I saw was weakness and I wanted to slap her for it.
“Don’t do it!” I begged. “Refuse. She can’t make you!”
“Shut up,” Faulk roared. She motioned to her officers once again and this time, the pair separated, one coming at each of us.
The pain was nothing this time. Actually, it was awful, but it was nothing compared to the knowledge that I was right. I closed my eyes as Jose’s fists pummeled me, forcing my mind into silence.
“We. Can. Take. It,” Christopher gasped out between blows. “Sasha is right!”
“You have sworn an oath of loyalty to the royal family over all else!” Faulk yelled at Jessa. “Take this knife and take care of it, immediately!”
The pain kept coming, but Jessa did not. She’d backed up against the far wall, covering her face as she silently cried. Her tall, slender frame shuddered with her sobs as the emotions overtook her.
“Do it!” Faulk walked right up to her and dragged her back to us. Red splotches blossomed across Jessa’s cheeks as she continued to cry. Faulk was right up in her face now, ready to explode.
“No,” Jessa replied, finally ripping her arm free from Faulk’s angry grasp. “I can’t! Not until I have confirmation that you won’t hurt them anymore, that you won’t kill them.”
Faulk laughed, shoulders bouncing, head down, and the sound anything but entertained. “I can’t do that.”
“Then I can’t use red alchemy. I won’t!”
“That’s my girl,” Christopher muttered. The officer that had been beating him responded with a punch to his face so hard that his body went limp. His head tipped, his arms dangled at his sides, the cuffs scraping against the metal chair.
I glared up at the two men, memorizing their faces. One day I would repay them for what they’d done, Faulk being first in line, of course.
Jessa was screaming and had crawled to Dad’s feet. “Stop hurting them!”
“You know what we need. Get it, or we will beat them until they are dead!”
“No you won’t,” I challenged. “You need our information first!”
“I only need one of you,” she replied, “and I’m guessing that one is you. Tell me why I shouldn’t just end this man right now and get it over with?”
“Because”—Jessa jumped up and stood nose-to-nose with Faulk—“because he’s my father. You’re sick! You know that? You’re truly sick to use him against us like this. I’ll help you, okay, I said I’ll help you, but I need a guarantee first.”
“And how would you like me to do that?” Faulk spat.
They were toe-to-toe, wills battling. Faulk had the leverage, but Jessa was the one with the power. They needed her, and if she refused, what could they really do?
“Get Richard,” I interjected. “Get him to agree to it.”
Another fist slammed against the side of my face, followed by a ringing penetrating my head. I fought to regain control, to keep present in the moment.
To keep fighting.
Jessa stepped back from Faulk. “Sounds good to me. Let’s get the king. You know he’s my future father-in-law, right?”
Did I hear that right? I shook my head, trying to follow.
Faulk’s cool exterior had cracked. She huffed before grabbing Jessa by the arm and dragging her from the room. I caught Jessa’s determined expression and knew this wasn’t over. The two officers followed like trained dogs. The door slammed, the lights cut out, and I was left to catch stilted breaths.
The ambush came masquerading as mercy.
A light tugging on my hair caused the pain to heighten. I blinked, willing the exhaustion away. Something warm and wet slid across my face.
“Careful—” I sputtered, before she hushed me with the gentle press of her finger to my swollen lips.
“Hold still, we’re going to get you cleaned up and healed in no time,” Jessa said. Her voice was soft as comfort, like a mountain breeze. Just the thought made me long for home, for the pine scent and the stillness of the air.
Wait…
“What happened?” I forced myself back into the moment. I’d been dozing off when Jessa and another girl dressed as an alchemist shuffled into the cramped room. They had kneeled down before Christopher and me, warm rags in their hands. Rags now soaked through with blood.
“Shhh,” Jessa said. “We’re here to take care of you.”
“Did I talk?” I asked. “Did something happen? Why are you here?”
It had to be. I must have been victimized by red alchemy and ordered to forget the whole thing ever happened. Why else would these two be in here helping us after the way Faulk had dragged Jessa out earlier?
Oh, no. All those people…
“Maybe we should heal them first and then we’ll finish cleaning them off.” The girl spoke with a gentle meekness that was unusual for a guardian. Her blonde, curly hair caught the light, creating a halo effect around her heart-shaped face. She wore thick-rimmed glasses that glinted as she turned a tentative smile my way. A familiar knowing flickered between us. She was one of the nicer teen alchemists I’d met during my recent time at the palace. Her name was lost to me now.
“Good idea.” Jessa nodded, and the two girls hauled a potted plant over to us. It landed with a thud between Christopher and me. I longed to reach out to the green for relief
. But, as I tried to lift my arm, the sharp pain in my shoulder felt like a million knives ripping it apart. Christopher was still unconscious, slumped in his chair, battered and beaten to someone now unrecognizable as my father.
“And after we get you out of here,” Jessa said, putting one hand on the plant and reaching out to rest the other gently on my shoulder, “we’ll get you changed and you can take a proper shower. I bet you’re starving, huh? And when was the last time they took you to the bathroom?”
I shook my head. I had no idea but that didn’t matter right now.
“Jessa,” I begged as the magic worked its way into my body, filling me with healing energy. It was warm, wandering through my veins and calming all the hurt places. “Why are you allowed in here? What did I do? Did I talk?”
She paused then whispered low, “You didn’t talk. No, it’s not that. It’s King Richard. He wants all the new alchemists down here in the prison to come up and meet him.”
A glance passed between her and her friend, who was now busy taking care of our father’s wounds and subsequent healing. I had to assume the girl didn’t know the full extent of what was happening here, even though she could probably make an educated guess. I mean, she knew I had pretended to be someone I wasn’t, everyone did by now. Jessa raised her eyebrows at me, her blue eyes bugging out. She didn’t want us to say more in front of the girl. It would have to be enough for now. At least I hadn’t talked.
I think. Maybe? Ugh, this is all getting to be too much.
Christopher stirred, and Jessa turned her attention on him. They hugged and talked quietly between each other while we waited.
A few minutes later, the four of us were escorted out of the prison and up into one of the finer areas of the palace. Armed guards swarmed us. In fact, they seemed to be everywhere, more than I’d ever seen here before. They normally blended in with the shadows, eyes always watching. But now they were patrolling, walking up and down the halls, guns at the ready.
Jessa, Dad, and I were brought into a generic but tastefully decorated suite, and dumped behind a locked door.
“Now what?” I asked, turning on Jessa.
“Now you two need to hurry and shower, eat, and get ready to meet with the king,” she replied simply.
My chest hurt even considering the idea of facing Richard again, especially with Christopher here. But my stomach far outweighed that. The scent of cheese caught my nostrils and I dug into the tray of food while Dad took the shower first.
Chewing on a few raisins, I moved to stand by the window and stared out. It felt wonderful to see the sun, to have the pain gone and my belly full. But the undercurrent of fear threatened to take all that away any second.
The worry plagued me as I showered and dressed in the familiar black guardian outfit. Richard was up to something. Whatever it was, it couldn’t be good.
The three of us left together, ready or not, to find out what that something was.
The second we stepped from the sanctuary of the room, we were met with opposition. “You can wait back here, please Sir,” an officer said to Christopher. I recognized him as Jose, a man who’s fists I knew sickeningly well. “You’re not an alchemist.” To know he’d beaten us only hours earlier, and was now tasked to guard my father, angered me completely. A shrill scream of anger threatened to escape me. More than anything, I wanted to beat this idiot down to a bloody mess.
“But if it concerns my daughters, it concerns me,” Christopher challenged, his lips set in a grim line.
“No, sir, you are, under no circumstances, permitted to meet with the king today,” the officer replied, stepping to stand in front of Christopher and block his path down the palace hallway. The two men glared at each other. Similar in stature, neither was about to back down. One had a gun, but the other had two magical, badass daughters. So really, if anyone asked me, there was no contest.
“It’s okay, Dad,” Jessa said, her voice calm and collected. “I’d rather you weren’t there for this, whatever this is. I’ll come find you afterward.”
He gave her a stiff nod and sauntered back into the suite.
As Jessa and I walked down the hallway, escorted again by a pair of armed officers, I picked out other alchemists who were also being escorted by officers. They were the ones who had trained with me back at camp and joined in on the attack. Not all of them had been captured, but there were enough to leave me feeling ashamed. They avoided eye contact with me, their pace steady as they walked ahead. At least they looked clean and healthy. Hopefully, they’d been spared the pain I’d endured these past few days. These people were innocent and knew nothing that could help Faulk.
But that didn’t mean she wouldn’t punish them, or that Richard wouldn’t ruin their lives. They’d stood against New Colony, and there would be a price to pay.
We were herded to the back of a ballroom. It was different from where we’d been arrested. It was much smaller, probably meant for more intimate gatherings. Just as decadent as the rest of the palace, with a gold chandelier that immediately caught the eye. It centered the room and dripped in gaudy crystals that reflected against the white marble floors. Gilded mirrors lined the walls, giving the room an endless look. I peered at the familiar faces, counting seven of us dressed in black, not including Jessa.
A pang of guilt gripped me as I locked gazes with the young Sam. Her black hair blended in with her clothing. She held her small frame in the same haughty stance, and her eyes pinned me down with a mixture of equal parts distrust and hope. Part of her still saw me as a leader. But most of her knew I wasn’t even close to holding that title anymore.
The energy in the room stilled as two guards opened a large set of doors with a soft swish. Richard strode in, his steps purposeful, his dark eyes set on our group. Lucas followed a few steps behind, his head bowed, but his broad shoulders confident. He glanced up and looked directly at Jessa. Oh, yes, he was the same gorgeous guy I remembered, but he looked different somehow. Harder. Sadder.
Definitely sadder.
Wait, hadn’t Jessa said something to Faulk about being engaged to Lucas right before I’d passed out? I made a mental note to ask Jessa about the status of their relationship as soon as I got the chance.
“It’s been a long day and I’m tired of playing games, so I’m only going to say this once.” Richard stood tall. “The sole reason you’re still alive after attacking my family in my own home, is because you are alchemists. Perhaps, in West America, you were forced to endure savagery. Perhaps, they forced you to come after New Colony as if you were their child slaves.”
There was a long pause as his words sunk into the group.
His lip curled into a smile and he continued. “In my kingdom we treat alchemists with nothing but respect.”
Jessa had inched closer to me. She reached out and squeezed my hand. I waited. The urge to speak out and correct him burned inside, but Jessa tempered it with her steady grip. She was right. Play it cool. I didn’t want to get kicked out before Richard got to the point of this showy speech.
“In New Colony, our citizens are well taken care of. We’re prosperous, happy, and we’re stable.” Richard brushed off the collar of his velvet jacket, the gold buttons catching in the light as he began to step closer to us.
The room stirred, curiosity buzzing.
“I’m inviting you to choose one of two options,” he continued. “You can join us, train with us, and pledge your loyalty to New Colony. If you choose that option, you’ll renounce any and all affiliation with West America. And you will never want for anything again. You will live in our palace and enjoy your magical gifts the way God intended.”
Oh, what does this man know about God? I dug my heels into the floor.
“What’s the other option?” someone called from the back. The group stirred uncomfortably as the King frowned.
“The other option is you remain a prisoner of war.”
Silence. I squeezed Jessa’s hand so hard she had to pull it from my grip.
“Oh, Frankie.” Richard replied, casually walking forward to meet me, “how I’ve missed you. Though I must admit I could do without the sass. It’s too bad you never grew out of that. I was so angry at myself for not realizing who you were the first time you came back to us.” His eyes traveled the length of my body, and my stomach churned. “But you really have changed, haven’t you? All grown up and as feisty as ever. No worries, we’ll wear that out of you eventually.”
“Tell them what you did to me,” I said, motioning to the group. “Tell them how you took me from my family as a child, how you forced me to work for you, to manipulate and kill for you.”
“Oh, are you talking about that poor boy that you pushed off the roof?” He asked with a tilt of his head.
A wave of prickling guilt washed over me. “I didn’t push him.”
“Oh, right,” he replied, “semantics.”
The memory of the officer in training who’d jumped to his death the day I got away was something I’d never been able to get over. He’d tried to stop us and was willing to do anything to make that happen. My red alchemy had been too strong, and I’d accidently killed him.
“You were untrained and powerful,” Richard sighed with sympathy. “Your training was for your own good. And those deaths, they were an accident, an unfortunate result of an unknown alchemy.” He smiled again. “Let’s put the past behind us, shall we?”
“Never,” I replied.
“Very well. Anyone else want to join her in the prison again?”
I spun around. “You can’t trust him. He’ll ruin your life.”
But the sea of faces were awash with pale fear, and even some indignant anger. Nobody moved. “Seriously,” I cried, “he’s evil. You can’t agree to work for him. He’ll use you to kill innocent people. He did it to me!”
“Get her out of here,” Richard ordered, and within seconds I was yanked from the room. Jessa’s sorry blue eyes were the last things I saw as the doors slammed behind me. Dressed in black, and with no color near, I was dragged back through the palace and into the stale prison below.
