“Who are you and what have you done with Adaline?” Zavy jokes. She approaches me to see my transformation.
“They’re a lot more comfortable,” I say, gesturing to the clothes.
“Toby,” Zavy calls and her little brother joins her at her side. “Let’s go see if we can find some new clothes.” The two of them head to the bunker and I join Alexander by the fire.
“Didn’t like our makeshift scraps?” Alexander asks and I laugh.
“We didn’t do a good enough job to have them last more than today,” I explain. “Are you going to change?” I ask and Alexander nods.
“I figured I’d give Zavy and Toby a chance to find something and I’ll take what’s left,” he says and continues to place the firewood.
“Are we eating soon?” I ask, my stomach making me unable to think of anything else.
“When it’s dark,” Alexander says and I nod, agreeing it’s safer to conceal the smoke. Zavy and Toby emerge from the bunker just as transformed as I am. They both have found dark green shirts and black shorts to wear. Alexander goes to take his turn and Zavy takes his seat by the unlit fire while Toby continues to sort the ray berries.
“He wanted to twin,” Zavy says in a hushed voice and rolls her eyes.
I smile and say, “That’s cute Zavy. He really looks up to you.”
“Did you find out what gift Alexander has?” Zavy asks, changing the conversation suddenly.
“No, I’m not just going to ask him,” I say and look to her. “I want to keep mine a secret,” I add, but she shakes her head disappointingly.
“I won’t tell him, but it doesn’t seem like the best idea. We’re supposed to be a team. You should be able to trust him,” Zavy lectures.
“At the end of the day, he’s still one of King Renon’s guards. Someone at ten-years-old is a lot different when they’re seventeen-years-old,” I shoot, cutting her off. It’s about Alexander, but if I had my way Zavy wouldn’t know either. Yes, we were all friends when we were younger, but a lot of time has passed. I know I’ve changed.
Alexander emerges from the bunker and Zavy and I turn away from each other. He approaches us wearing a dark brown t-shirt that is tight across his chest and black long shorts. I’m reminded again just how different Alexander is. Not only is he one of King Renon’s guards, but he has been fed and trained like a soldier. I don’t think he’s ever missed a meal. What little turkey meat and berries we have tonight will probably leave him starving. I’m a scrawny prisoner and he’s a trained warrior.
Toby brings us each a pile of ray berries to snack on while we wait for night to fall. We all sit in a circle around our unlit fire and Toby is glued to Zavy’s side at all times, like usual.
“So what are our official plans as a group?” I ask.
“Well, Toby and I have never had official plans of moving to safety. Just to survive. It’s been a struggle,” Zavy says and I can see the sadness in her eyes as I’m sure the first days after her parents were taken were miserable.
She gently runs her fingers through her brother’s hair. I thought my job was hard, keeping my mother and brother alive in the cell, I could never imagine what Zavy has gone through. At least we were given the food and shelter we needed to survive. She’s had to do it all on her own.
For the first time in as long as I’ve known Zavy, I feel like I can actually see her. She isn’t being the sarcastic girl who makes everything out to be a joke. Her guard has fallen and I can see her, as a real person who has gone through something tragic.
But as quickly as her stiff guard falls it returns and she continues, “But after seven years out here we’ve pretty much got the hang of it. We try to move camp around as often as we can so we are harder to track if anyone were looking for us. What about you guys? You two seemed like you were heading somewhere specific,” Zavy asks
“Alexander and I were thinking we could head to Libertas. It’s an island that isn’t too far from Dather. We’d need to get a boat,” I start to say.
“Or steal one,” Zavy offers.
“Or the bunker could be our home,” Toby’s soft voice offers. Zavy nods her head, liking the idea. Alexander glances at me and I can see he likes the idea of staying too.
“We can stay for now,” Alexander offers as a medium. “Hiding in a hole in the ground isn’t much of a life, but at least it’s somewhere safe.” I feel my stomach drop, but I remind myself it’s just for now. We’ll start moving again soon. Darkness starts to engulf the area so Alexander lights the fire and he puts some of the meat from the earlier catch, which was neatly cut and cleaned, onto the hot stones.
“So, Alexander,” Zavy begins, “did you ever see Paylon when you were a guard at the castle? He is sort of famous.”
“Yes, I actually did, quite a lot,” he says.
“What was it like? Do you have any good secrets on him? You know everyone has a good secret,” Zavy says, emphasizing everyone, meaning that I have yet to tell anyone else about my gift. Her emerald eyes glance my way.
“Well, it was definitely interesting. I actually never worked for him, but more so hung out with him and I’m extremely grateful. Turns out Paylon has the gift. No surprise really. King Renon has to have nearly every person with
