‘You have always been soul mates. No matter what happens, I know you both love each other. Take it out on me. I’m the traitor here. Seth you can hit me if you like, I deserve it. Just don’t take it out on her. Life’s too short.’
Her voice broke then, and she looked down at her hands submissively, squealing when she felt a hand touch the top of her head. She twisted away.
‘Amber, no-one is going to hurt you, believe it or not.’
‘Babe…’ Nettles, turned round to face Seth. The rest was in whispers as they both moved a little further down. Gestures and whispers followed and increased growling. She turned away, concentrating on her knee; it was the best attempt at privacy she could give them. Although she did peer at them from beneath her fringe, the familiar pangs of jealousy edging their way forward. This side of her life was empty, and it was only her angel that made her feel complete. While she dabbed, she recreated the image of him smiling at her. She liked the way he smiled, and every time he did that, she gave him a little more of herself. The growling between the two of them was starting to make her uncomfortable and she heaved herself further up the ridge grabbing clumps of grass and wishing she could turn back time, and change everything.
When Anna first approached her, she should have told Andrea, warned them. Everything she wished for must have happened for all the right reasons. They were the only family she knew. She heard them following her, pleased that she’d done something right. Whatever happened now, she knew she still had to face Andrea and the thought of it made her lose her footing. Clumps of grass and stones crumbled behind her, and she heard a gasp of breath.
‘Watch it, you idiot!’ Seth growled.
‘Seth!’ Nettles scolded.
‘Take it slow Amber; feel if the rocks are secure first before pulling on it. Do you see the ridge above you? Wait for us there.’ Amber almost screamed with joy at the normality of Nettles’ voice.
‘Okay,’ she called back. She felt a sudden surge of energy pushing towards the small depression and sat down triumphantly, looking in the direction of Seth and Nettles. They were close by and although Nettles didn’t say anything else for a while, she seemed calmer. Roots from the trees at the top spread out teasingly. They were so close.
‘Y’know, this would be a good time to test your totem.’ Nettles whispered to Seth. The words seem to hang in the air, and even Amber looked at her as if she were crazed.
Why did she have to bring that up now?
She heard Seth grunt, and then shake his head.
‘I can’t do it, not yet.’ He peered round Nettles to look pointedly at Amber. ‘It feels tainted.’ Amber reddened at the way he emphasised the last word and instinctively leaned back. At least he wasn’t pushing or threatening to kill me, she thought miserably. In the distance, they could make out the roof of the fortress and, until now, never realised how large and imposing it was.
‘Can you see anything?’ Nettles asked nobody in particular.
‘Nope, just the prison. I don’t get it. Why turn off the alarms?’ He gave them a sideways glance before picking up a rock and tossing it down.
‘I mean, why go to all that trouble of catching us and then not chase us? Jeezus, I’m more confused now than I was in the first place.
Amber breathed out loudly, and they both turned towards her.
‘You okay?’ Nettles frowned. Amber looked pale and even though she nodded, her hands were trembling. Instinct told her Amber was holding something back.
‘What’s wrong? What aren’t you telling us?’ she asked, her voice rising slightly, but enough to make Amber start nibbling at her nails.
‘Amber, no more games. If there’s something we need to know – spit it out.’ Her voice was like iron now. Seth groaned next to her, shaking his head.
‘Jeezus, I told you, didn’t I tell you?’
Nettles dug him in the ribs.
‘Look at me Amber. Is there anything else we should know?’
‘They’re back; those weather things are back.’ Amber blurted pointing back at the fortress.
Nettles shivered. ‘What are those things anyway?’
‘They control the weather. That’s what this has all been about, control.’ Amber shifted her knees up again, wincing as the dried blood on her knee broke.
‘I still don’t get it.’ Seth said, his voice whining. ‘What did that have to do with us?’
‘Nothing’ Amber felt a sense of shame then. She never really understood either. Now, being here in the outside, smelling fresh air, everything was starting to make sense. The snippets of conversation; the whispers when they thought no-one was listening.
Nettles looked at her evenly. ‘Amber, you didn’t answer my question. Is there anything else we need to know?’
Nettles felt like hitting her when she concentrated on her knee again, and breathed deeply.
‘Amber?’
She didn’t look up and Amber gritted her teeth, breathing in loudly. She almost missed the soft voice of Amber.
‘Maybe…it might be nothing but I think I know where Anna has gone with all of us here and no-one there.’ Her voice dropped to a raspy whisper.
