I sit on a large rock by the river’s edge and just let the rain keep coming down on me. It’s refreshing, and it feels like it’s washing away all the pain and emptiness I feel. As quickly as the happiness of seeing rain comes, it vanishes. My mind is drawn back to Alexander, and the dream I had. I thought the hole in my heart from my father leaving me was bad. Now it’s grown three times its size with the loss of my mother, Titus, and now Alexander. The thought that Alexander is dead makes my throat tight and this time there’s no hope in trying to keep the tears in. My heart finally snaps and the tears and sobs come in waves, and I let the pouring rain wash them all away.
When it feels as though I couldn’t get any emptier, the tears finally stop, and my breathing starts to even out again. For the longest time, the only sounds are my breathing and the taps of rain on the river; a mix of beautiful sounds that consume me. I’m empty and raw. I’m not sure I could ever be whole again. I don’t think I’ll ever let another person in again, because every time I do they are always ripped away from me. I just sit here, in the rain and let its beautiful sound fill the emptiness inside of me.
The loud sound of a branch snapping pulls me out of my thoughts. I feel my heart beat faster and my blood runs cold. I sit very still and listen. Did I just imagine that? After a couple seconds another snapping branch brings me to my feet. It’s not far, just north of us. Quietly, I move in the direction of the sound. As I go I continue to listen, but I don’t hear anything new. I’ve wandered nearly a mile from camp and haven’t seen anything.
There’s a snap of a small branch behind me. I turn, quick on my feet and draw my sword. I extend my blade and it comes inches for her face. It’s the youngest of the Hounds.
“Stop!” she pleads and puts her hands up. “I’m not tracking you.”
“Then what are you doing here?” I ask and scan the woods around her, looking for the rest of her group.
“We escaped,” she says softly and the two other Hounds who were with her the night I rescued Zavy come out from behind the trees. “The night you killed Codian we got his key and escaped.”
“How’d you do that? Aren’t you being controlled by the King?” I question her, and her eyes seem to grow sadder.
She brings her hand to her neck slowly and pulls out a glowing green necklace. “He can’t control us anymore.” The other two behind her show their necklaces and I lower my sword.
“How’d you get those?” I ask, knowing I’ve only seen the guards wearing them.
“At the battle,” she says and I remember all of the soldiers wearing them. “We took them before Paylon had us retreat.
“That’s why he didn’t know we were at his camp,” I say, understanding how we have gone undetected for this long. “Are you following us?”
“No, I promise. We are just trying to find somewhere to hide.” She seems to relax now that I’ve lowered the sword and her young personality starts to come through.
“You all have a gift of enhanced smell, right?” I ask and they nod. “You should come with us to Libertas,” I say and am about to explain how it’s a place for fleeing gifted but she stops me.
“We know what Libertas is,” her smile is soft as she thinks of the proclaimed safety island. “My sister is still being held captive at the castle. I can’t leave her.”
“You’re going to try and save her?” I ask. She’s practically asking to be killed.
“With these necklaces we might be able to,” she says and her friends nod. She must read my expression and knows I think she’s crazy. “I know what she’s going through.” Her eyes mist over with tears and her voice shakes. “I can’t leave her to endure that torture any longer.”
I scan the three of them, taking in their incredibly thin state. At least in the prison I was left alone. I didn’t get to eat much, but I got to be with my mother and brother. No one was trying to torture or control me.
“Here,” I start to say and I pull off my backpack. I hand them each a couple of my bags of rations. “These are food rations we found in the bunker.” They take them and thank me.
“We should get going,” the youngest says and she falls in line with her friends. “Thank you again, Adaline. Travel safe.”
I watch as the three of them sink further into the woods and I wish they would come with us. I wish there was something more I could do to help them; something more than just giving them dried rations. I make my way back to my sleeping group and go back to the rock by the creek. I sit here and think about how much I hate the King for what he does to people, and what he’s taken from me.
Soon after I return to camp Mio is starting to go around to everyone to wake them up. The sky has just broken into a light grey glow, warning the morning heat will be here soon.
Zavy stretches and walks over to sit next to me. “It feels like I just closed my eyes,” Zavy mumbles as she looks over at me.
I can’t help but let my eyes gaze around the group, wishing Alexander’s face was in the mix. “They got him didn’t they Zavy?” I say with a weak voice.
