I walk into the bathroom, splash my face with cold water and stare at my reflection in the mirror. Dark circles beneath my eyes look like two large bruises. Scabs cover both my lips because I can’t stop biting them. My face seems hollower than normal, and I’ve definitely lost some weight. I look miserable, scared and weak. I feel an urge to smash the mirror.
I return to bed and force myself to sleep.
***
“Is Jingfay real?” I ask Lady Augusta as she’s brushing my hair.
“It’s hard to tell,” she answers. “They say she lived in Central Settlement long ago. But that was even before I was born.”
Amethyst wanted to find Jingfay and my mother was looking for her as well. I can’t stop thinking about this mythical person.
“Who was she?” I ask.
“People say she was the last of Amazons. Have you ever heard about Amazon warriors?”
I shake my head no. Saying much is still a little hard for me.
“There’s a legend about a group of women who refused to be servants,” Augusta explains. “They were skillful fighters who lived apart from the others. The masters from Central Settlement took over their village and captured them. They all refused to become servants and were killed, all except Jingfay. She became a servant in Central Settlement. But a short time later she killed her master, initiated a riot amongst servants and led them away.”
I listen quietly, imagining Jingfay, a tall blonde girl with sparkling green eyes. I realize I’ve just envisioned Amy.
I ask Augusta about Bastion.
“Bastion is a city in the north,” she says. “It’s as large as Central Settlement and has a strong army. Bastion’s masters would like to take over our land, but it would lead to a brutal war, of course. There’s no telling who’d win.”
I think about the road to Bastion, the Dark Land where roamers kill any trespassers.
“Are the roamers really that dangerous?” I ask.
Augusta shrugs. “I’ve never met one. But I’ve heard they’re merciless killers. I know they killed the previous high master of Central Settlement along with his family.” She sighs. “He was a very kind man.”
I look at Augusta with interest. “Did you know him?”
“Of course I did. Dimitri was his right hand.” Augusta’s eyes become distant. “Master Christopher and his wife were good people, completely unlike Samuel. They were preparing a great reformation, including the emancipation of the servants. Many masters were against it. Dimitri and I had to leave Central Settlement after Christopher and his family were killed.”
So I was right. Augusta and Dimitri are in exile here.
Once left alone, I continue thinking about my future. Should I stay or leave?
I also think about Trent, Dennis, Sandro and Martha. I worry about them. I’m even concerned about Samantha and the other racers. But what could I do to help them? I can’t even take care of myself.
If you killed Gabriel, you can kill his father, an odd thought comes to mind. Samuel murdered your mother. How can you let him go on living?
The next morning I wake feeling restless. I pace the floor, biting my lip and thinking. After much hesitation, I finally come to a decision. I can’t remain locked away inside this mansion any longer. I can’t continue to endanger Augusta’s and Dimitri’s lives. Samuel will kill them if he finds out they’re hiding me here. So I walk to Tanya’s room to tell her that I’m planning to leave.
“I’ll go with you,” Tanya offers.
I don’t try to change her mind. How can I tell her what to do when she’s free now too?
The same evening we approach Lady Augusta and Dimitri and tell them about our plan. I couldn’t just run off, because they have been so kind toward me. They remain silent for a time, thinking over my words.
“Well, we certainly won’t keep you here against your will,” Augusta says with a sad smile.
They bring us warm clothes and hiking boots. They also provide us with a map, matches, food and even a handgun. Dimitri returns Gabriel’s knife to me, which I had dropped while he was carrying me through the underground tunnel. We decide to leave the next night.
Dimitri explains how to get to Bastion, and once it’s dark outside, leads us out of the village. I thank him for everything, fighting back tears.
“Please remember that Augusta and I will be always your friends,” he says, hugging me tightly. “We’ll always be here for you.”
Tanya and I leave, beginning our journey into the unknown. I have no idea where this road might lead. But one thing I do know is that I’ll never forgive Samuel. Sooner or later I’m going to make him pay dearly for my mother’s death.
CHAPTER 19
Tanya and I slowly walk down an old broken road. Dense woods surround us on each side. I hear birds whistling and the bustling about of unseen wild creatures. Everything feels strange because I’ve never before had a chance to walk in the woods.
The air is humid and hot. We’re a little too warm with our jackets and hiking boots. Each of us carry a small backpack filled with food, bottles of water, a change of clothes and other necessities. I still have Gabriel’s knife in my pocket and Tanya proudly carries the gun. We stop every other hour to have a sip of water and check our location on the map. We’re heading to Bastion. It’s far away, so our trip could easily take a few weeks.
I continue worrying about the racers left back in Central Settlement. I don’t believe any of them will survive the Terror Races. So how can I help? How can I stop the killing?
I miss my
