Rebel Rising: A Dystopian Romance (Cage of Lies Book 1)

by Susanne Valenti

  “Get off," he complained, shoving her aside playfully. "Stop playing mother hen."

  “And what about Kaloo? She came flying in here like a bat out of hell, dragging some unconscious stranger behind her and as soon as I cut her free of him she shot back into the forest to find you." The girl crouched down next to the big dog who had collapsed, panting on the ground and checked her for wounds too. Kaloo seemed to enjoy the attention and her tail thumped against the tiles as she rolled over to have her belly tickled.

  "It would take more than a horde of cougars to take down Kaloo," Coal said teasingly, like we hadn’t all just come stupidly close to being eaten. He looked over to where Laurie and I were standing awkwardly in the corner. "I should introduce you. This is Laurie the Warden and Maya the convict." He gestured to us as the girl's big eyes widened to take us in. "Oh and Taylor." He waved a hand at Taylor who had half fallen out of his litter and was sprawled across the floor.

  "From the city?" she asked, looking horrified.

  "Long story," Coal sighed.

  “I'll bet." The girl gazed at us with unconcealed curiosity.

  “Hi," I said shyly, suddenly very aware of the blood and filth that smothered me from head to toe.

  “And this-" Coal indicated the blonde girl, pulling her up from the floor where she was crouched by Kaloo, "-is my sister, Alicia." A knot unfurled in my stomach which I refused to acknowledge and I smiled in greeting.

  “You don't look very alike," I said, taking in Coal's broad ruggedness, dark hair and tanned skin and Alicia's dazzling fairness.

  “Well we were found together as children. Both babies a few days old, left together in one basket so they presumed we were twins," she shrugged. "It's good enough for us."

  “You were found in a basket?" Laurie asked, her lips parting in horror.

  They both laughed at the looks on our faces.

  “I'm not saying the stork delivered us." Alicia shrugged. "I'm sure it's a much darker story than that. It's not that uncommon out here, some people don't like to stay living in towns like we do and they travel from place to place alone or in small groups instead. It's not really a life that lends itself to bringing up children so if a woman finds herself pregnant they often leave babies outside our infirmaries to be cared for. So one way or another, here we are."

  “Here we are," Coal repeated grabbing hold of Alicia and ruffling her hair. She ducked out from under his arm and backhanded him playfully around the head.

  They were so natural together it made my chest tighten to think of Taylor laying unconscious on the floor. I moved over and sank down next to him, rearranging his limbs to make him more comfortable. I pulled his head into my lap and pushed his hair aside. His breathing was steady and he looked peaceful but it wasn’t right for him to be unconscious for this long. There was something seriously wrong with him and the longer it went on, the more concerned I grew for his recovery.

  "It's been two days now." I looked up at Laurie as she moved to stand beside me. "He should have woken up by now."

  “Here, let's give him some water." Alicia slipped into a room that looked like it might be a kitchen and brought us out a glass filled with cold water. It set my dry mouth aching and I licked my parched lips, but resolutely dipped my fingers into it and let the water trickle into Taylor's mouth instead. I repeated the process again and again until most of the water was gone.

  Alicia moved away while I was occupied and returned with another glass of water for me. She handed it over, smiling kindly with a pitying look in her eyes. It made me want to scream and cry all at once. I drained my water instead and handed the empty glass back, thanking her.

  "You look exhausted, I'll show you where you can get cleaned up and sleep," Alicia said to Laurie, obviously not sure what to do with me and looking for an excuse to escape. Laurie squeezed my shoulder on her way past and they both disappeared upstairs.

  I sat and stared at Taylor, my breaths coming raggedly and a few tears managing to escape. I scrubbed the heels of my hands across my cheeks to stop them. Breaking down wouldn't do either of us any good but I just felt so helpless.

  “There are plenty of beds upstairs, I'll carry him up for you. Tomorrow we can get him some help." Coal had appeared behind me whilst my attention had been fixed on Taylor's sleeping face. I didn't know how long he’d been standing there and it made me feel self conscious.

  “Thank you." I let him pull me to my feet and stood before him, looking up into his dark eyes. "Not just for now, I mean for saving us. For saving me. If you hadn't knocked me out of the way back in the trials arena, I don't know what would have happened."

  “You shouldn’t go thinking I’m some great man,” Coal said darkly. “I wouldn’t normally get involved in shit that isn’t my business. In all honesty, I don't know why I helped you. I was only supposed to be stealing some weapons." He shrugged and tried to cover his look of confusion with a smirk.

  "So why did you?" I pressed, refusing to let him brush it off.

  “I didn't intend to, I was just there hiding and I saw you two idiots sneaking along looking like you were lost. I didn't even mean to follow you. But you were standing there, and you turned to look back at something. You looked right towards me. You had blood smeared across your face and your hair was flying in the wind and I just thought not her. I was running towards you before I even decided to do it." His hand brushed along my arm and ran up to my cheek, the skin burning where he touched me.

  I looked up, my gaze meeting his as my heart stuttered beneath his touch.

  “You just looked so fierce and wild and yet so fragile at the same time." He was so close to me that it made my breath catch in my throat.

  We looked at each other for a long moment and my gaze slid to his mouth as my heart pounded.

  Coal took a deep breath and leaned back ever so slightly. "You're welcome anyway, and I'm glad I helped your friends too, for what it's worth."

  “We would all be dead," I whispered.

  My head was spinning with the closeness of him, I reached up and laid my hand over his on my cheek, heat flaring where our flesh met. He held my gaze for a second longer before dropping his hand from my face and stepping back. It was like a wall slid into place behind his eyes and he offered me a cocky smirk.

  "It's kinda nice to play the good guy for once, that's all." Coal stooped and picked Taylor up again.

  "Ladies first," he smiled but there was a false tone to it. The moment between us was over and his self-assured, cocky mask was right back in place.

  There wasn’t really anything else for me to say anyway, so I turned and headed up the stairs as directed.

  "Last on the left," he called from behind me as I trailed down the corridor lined with green carpet.

  I headed to the appropriate door and opened it. There was a large double bed in the room and I pulled the covers back to let Coal place Taylor beneath them.

  “I presume you're staying in here too," he asked in a clipped tone and I looked up at him as I tried to figure out what was bothering him.

  “I'd better be with him in case he wakes up," I replied hesitantly.

  “Sure. There's hot water in the shower if you want to get cleaned up.” He pointed to another door that led off from the bedroom.

  "Thanks." I had to stop myself from groaning in excitement over that. A hot shower sounded like heaven.

  “Okay. Good night.” He turned and left the room, clicking the door firmly shut behind him and I was left in the silence of the unfamiliar space. Coal’s footsteps thudded back down the stairs a few moments later.

  I let the filth, sweat and blood of the last three days disappear slowly down the drain in the shower until I felt human again. The cut I’d gained below my eye wasn't deep but it was angry and red and stung when I touched it. I still had a lingering bruise from where Grey had punched me shadowing the left side of my face.

  Apart from that, I looked almost like I had in the city, though I didn't feel the same at all.

>   When I moved back into the bedroom, I found that someone had left me a fresh set of clothes and removed my filthy ones. I put on the soft tank top and pants and was relieved to find that they fit me well, although they were a little long. But my short ass always struggled with that so I just rolled them up and rocked the look.

  Refreshed and smelling a damn sight better than I had in days, I crept back out onto the landing. The windows in the house were all securely shuttered from the outside and I moved to one at the end of the landing to inspect it.

  I peered through the glass at the thick layer of metal and sighed. It looked like I still wouldn't have a room with a view. There was no way for me to tell the time, but it felt late after my prolonged shower and I didn't want to wake anyone.

  My throat itched with thirst so I slipped down the stairs towards the room I’d guessed was the kitchen, but as I headed past the living room, I heard soft voices talking.

  "It wasn't planned, it was like I was pulled to do it by something outside of myself." I recognised Coal's voice.

  "Well if something outside of yourself told you to do it, that makes sense then,” Alicia replied sarcastically. "I don't get why they went along with you."

  “Most people would choose escape over death," he countered.

  "Precisely, they were saving their own skins not interested in helping us."

  “With what, our cause? Are you sure we're even interested in it? I don't remember getting much choice." There was a pause before Alicia answered.

  "Of course we have a choice, you know that. Besides, what else is there?" she said finally.

  "Who knows, maybe there's more to life than fighting." Coal sounded exhausted and he released a sigh.

  Alicia snorted. "You love a good fight."

  "I do. But that doesn't mean that's all there is."

  "You've been talking like that a lot recently. Sometimes I’m almost tempted to take you seriously,” she replied.

  “Like I said, I’m tired. I feel like I haven’t sat still in years. Just ignore me.”

  “I can’t help worrying about you,” she murmured.

  “I know. But honestly, I’m fine. I just dunno where my heads at, I’ve been making some odd choices recently,” he joked but Alicia didn’t laugh.

  “It this about her? I saw the way you looked at her," she said suddenly.

  "Well if you're so observant you will have also noted her boyfriend," Coal said dismissively.

  "Not particularly, he wasn't exactly friendly."

  Coal laughed at that. "I don't suppose he was."

  I peeked around the corner and saw the two of them sitting on a lumpy couch with their backs to me.

  “Are you sure about these people? Can we trust them?" Alicia asked, turning her head so that I had to duck back out of sight again quickly.

  “As much as we can trust anyone I suppose," he replied.

  “Well, seeing as you don't trust anyone, that doesn't mean much." I heard a noise that sounded like she might have thrown a cushion at him.

  “I trust you," Coal said seriously.

  “I don't count."

  “I trust Hunter," he responded.

  “Wow. Two people, don't go overboard."

  Another long pause before he continued. "You know why that is. And I'm not really a people person, I don't need any more friends."

  “Well, I like making friends."

  “Girls never like you," he pointed out.

  “That's not true. They just don't like that I'm stronger than their boyfriends. These girls are tough like me," Alicia sounded like she was smiling.

  "No one is tough like you. Look, let's just trust that they'll want to help us or at least stay out here with us, more than they’ll want to try their luck back at the city. I don't think that's too much of a stretch of the imagination," he said and I could hear him yawning as he finished.

  "How have you been sleeping?" Alicia asked him suspiciously.

  "Like the dead. Speaking of which, it's late." His tone was low with warning and Alicia sighed.

  "I'm sorry, I'm playing mom again. You know I just worry about you," she said gently.

  “And I worry about you too, stop apologising. I'm fine, I promise."

  “Okay, are you going to bed?"

  “In a minute."

  "I'll see you in the morning then." I heard Alicia climbing off of the sofa and ducked into the kitchen as stealthily as I could manage, hoping that she wasn't thirsty too. Thankfully, I heard her moving up the stairs a moment later.

  I hastily got my glass of water which I drained in one before I filled another and slipped back out into the corridor. I paused for a moment by the door to the living area and saw the back of Coal's head still poking above the sofa.

  I crept on by and put a foot on the first step of the wooden staircase, meaning to head up, but his voice stopped me.

  “What are you up to?" Coal called out.

  I paused, hoping that he might just have been talking to Kaloo.

  “Maya?" he called out again.

  I moved back to the doorway grinning sheepishly.

  “I was thirsty." I brandished my water as evidence.

  “You look... different." His eyes studied my face and I dropped my gaze under his scrutiny.

  “I think what you mean is, I look clean."

  He watched me for a few more moments before looking away.

  He'd had a shower too, his hair was wet and he'd had a shave though dark stubble still lined his jaw. I bit my lip, wondering if I should make an excuse to leave.

  "Are you tired?" Coal asked, reclining back onto the sofa and beckoning me into the room. I almost felt like I was in trouble and I dragged my bare feet across the soft carpet as I moved around to face him.

  "I'm not sure. I'm physically exhausted but I'm so hyped up I'm not convinced I could sleep." I hovered by the arm of the sofa, not sure what to do with myself.

  I glanced about the room, there were pieces of heavy wooden furniture lined with books and a large table to eat around. The walls were painted a dark green but the room was big enough to hold the colour. I noted the fact that there was no TV and wondered what they did for entertainment.

  “I'm not feeling too tired myself yet, do you want company?" He gave me a disarming smile and I chewed on my bottom lip as I considered his invitation. I had no idea what I would say to him and was half tempted to refuse but there was something truly captivating about him which just wouldn’t let me turn away.

  "Sure." I sank onto the far end of the couch but glanced back up at the stairs guiltily as I did so.

  “If you'd rather be with Taylor-"

  I shook my head. "There isn't much point, I just don't like leaving him up there alone, he might wake up and be confused without me there. But he hasn't shown any signs of waking up yet so..."

  “I'm sure he'll wake up soon. We'll get him that help in the morning." Coal shifted in his seat, glancing at me and then away again. "Do you want a real drink?" he asked as he retrieved a large glass bottle filled with a dark brown liquid from the floor.

  "What is it?" I asked, not recognising it.

  “Whiskey," he said, getting up and pulling two round tumblers out of a cupboard on the far wall.

  “What's that?"

  "Alcohol." He stated with a mischievous glint in his eyes.

  I looked at him like he was speaking a foreign language and he laughed.

  "Don't you have this in the city?" He pressed the small, curved glass into my hand and took my water away. The amber liquid inside winked warmly in the light and I could smell a strong but not unpleasant aroma coming from it.

  “Not that I know of," I said as I took a swig from the glass. It burned my throat as I swallowed it in one and I coughed, feeling my eyes prickle. “What the hell is it?" I gasped and Coal barked a laugh.

  "I would have told you to have a sip first rather than sink a whole glass!" He laughed at me and the sound was deep and dark and made my toes curl.

  I
could feel warmth pooling in my stomach which spread slowly to my limbs.

  “Is it drugged?" I asked, narrowing my eyes at him.

  “No, it’ll make you a bit dizzy though and light headed. Here I'll catch you up." He winked and knocked back the contents of his glass before pouring another and knocking that one back too.

  "I think I like it," I said, feeling a grin spread across my face.

  "Me too," he agreed and he dropped down next to me, his side pressed against mine.

  Coal topped up our glasses again and I lifted my glass to drink. He reached out suddenly, placing his hand over the top of it to stop me.

  "It will make you dizzy and you'll enjoy it, but it'll make you sick if you drink too much and that's no fun. Got it?” His breath fluttered over my lips and I found myself nodding.

  “Okay, dizzy but not sick, that's easy enough to remember." I drained my drink and held the glass out again.

  “Sure it is. I'm not gunna hold your hair back if you start puking," he warned as he filled my glass again.

  “Well I won't hold your hair back either." I giggled and nudged him with my elbow as he took another sip of his drink, sloshing some of it over the two of us which made me laugh even louder.

  “Shhh you'll wake everyone up." Coal laughed too as he mopped some of the spilled mess off of us.

  “Except for Taylor," I said, frowning as my amusement died.

  “He'll be okay," Coal said, settling back into his seat.

  “I know. He won't let a little thing like a bullet skimming his skull keep him away from me for long." I smiled but it felt false on my lips.

  "He sounds... like he really cares about you and you about him," Coal said quietly, refilling his drink again.

  “Of course." I nodded. "Like you and Alicia."

  “Right. But he isn't your brother though, is he?"

  “Nope." I shook my head and it made the room spin.

  Coal drummed his fingernails on the rim of his glass and shifted to look at me.