Broken Skies

“You.” The word comes out in a snarl.

“Save the theatrics for someone who cares Miss Mitchell,” he says. “You may have caught the attention of the Vestra family, but their allegiance is fickle as is their power here. Stellan may be swayed by his wife for now, but without results we will just have to go back to the way things were.”

Vira did something for me. At least she bought me time.

“I don’t know what you expect me to do. I don’t know what you want from me,” I say.

“Yes. You do. You just refuse to help us.” He stops my retort by raising his hand. “At least that is the report I will present to the rest of the Council. How quickly do you think the people will turn on the Vestras when they find out that Steliro has bonded with a halfbreed spy who tricked her way into our city in order to get information on our defenses? Perhaps she even assisted her brother in the murder of my dear, dear daughter’s bondmate.” He makes an exaggerated swipe below his eye with one finger and raises his eyebrows.

My next words catch in my throat. Vira was right. Vitrad is using this as an opportunity for a takeover. The level of deception and lies twisting and turning together leave my mind spi

He continues. “Both you and your brother have managed to keep us out of your heads, but you can only imagine how fascinated I was to learn that there really is some truth to the rumors that you are capable of something special, at least according to your brother’s pleas to keep that information from us. There is a weapon inside you Miss Mitchell and I want it.” The cold smile that slithers across Vitrad’s face sends ice through my veins. He laughs, a hard sound that screeches in my ears. “I can see the realization forming on your face. Yes, Steliro gave me this information. Did no one tell you that you ca

Freezing Tendrils of dread and betrayal twist through me, twining around my stomach. Lir let him into my head? There’s no other way Vitrad could have known…

“Such a passionate boy. So easily lead into hatred for the humans. Did you perhaps think Steliro was out there by accident? Mechanical problems? And such luck to come across your brother…” He lets out a mocking chuckle.

Further conversation stops as a rumble works its way to my ears and the room shakes. The light flickers and in the stuttering darkness Vitrad’s brow furrows and he almost looks worried. The expression is gone quickly, replaced with a hard resolve.

“This was not supposed to happen yet. Seems the humans have arrived sooner than expected.” He says the words under his breath, more to himself than to me. Then his full attention turns back to me and a cold smile crawls across his face to match the icy look in his eyes. “I look forward to continuing our conversation.”

He spins on his heel and strides to the door. The sound of his voice shouting orders drifts in through the closing door, but it’s cut off as soon as the door slides shut.

He didn’t put my restraints back in place. I’m alone and I somehow doubt that there’s anyone behind that mirror watching me when there’s much more important things going on out there. This is my chance.

* * * * * * *

It’s ten steps from one side of the room to the other. I’ve counted the 133 tiles on the floor at least five times…really slowly.

After sitting up and swinging my legs over the side of the bed, it took me a while to gather enough strength to rise to my feet. I promptly crashed back down on the bed. Stretching helped and so did flexing my muscles and rolling my ankles, at least enough that I was finally able to stand without my legs shaking out from under me. I don’t even know how long it took until I could take a few faltering steps. Gradually, I worked my way across the room once, and then again until my steps evened out and my legs stopped protesting at holding me up. It’s not like I had anything better to do.

Now, it’s been hours and no one has even come to check on me. There hasn’t been anymore rumbling or shaking and it’s almost too quiet. Thoughts of Lir slip in and I push them away. I can’t deal with that right now. I finally have a hope of escaping and I’m stuck in this room pacing back and forth. It’s boring and monotonous, but at least if the door opens I’ll be able to run. Of course, there will probably be someone on the other side of the door trying to keep me in. What I really need is a weapon.

The titles are all glued down, not even a broken corner to allow me to wiggle one loose. Smooth walls, unbreakable mirror….the bed frame is plastic. I make another circuit of the room. The light is too high. Unless… I shove the bed into the center of the room and stand on top of it, reaching for the fixture. Dammit. Still out of reach.

Lying down on the bed, I let out a sigh of frustration and throw my arms out to the side. A sharp pain in one wrist brings my eyes to the restraint on my left. I focus on the large metal buckle and smile. It’s not much and it certainly wouldn’t be fatal, but if I pull the restraints off the bed and bundle them together somehow with the buckles on the outside, I might be able to cause enough pain to distract someone.

I’m putting the final touches on my buckle bludgeon, three restraints balled up at the top with the fourth providing me a method of swinging it, when I hear a thud outside the door. I slink closer and press myself against the wall next to the door. There’s no way for me to hide in here, but I should be able to escape notice long enough to surprise whoever comes in.

The hiss of the door opening is nearly drowned out by the pounding of my heart. This is it.

He enters slowly— black boots, gray uniform, clearly E’rikon— and my arm swings forward. Just before my makeshift weapon makes contact with his head, he shifts sideways and the buckles fly by only inches from his temple.

“Blazes, Jax,” says Rym. “I’m here to help.” I narrow my eyes and wind up for another swing. Rym puts his hands up and takes a step back. “Vira sent me. Well, really she told me you were down here and implied very strongly that I should come get you.” He eyes the protruding buckle prongs and then glances at me. “Resourceful aren’t you? That looks like it might be painful.”

I nod and step closer, letting the warm coils of fury expand in my body.

“I won’t hurt you. I’m not even armed.” He holds out his empty hands palms up. “There isn’t much time….I know where they’re keeping your brother. I can take you to him.”

I clear my throat. “Why should I believe you? Maybe this is all part of the plan?” Buried anger bubbles up and heats my words. “He twisted the bond, used it against me. He let that thing into my head!” I swing, he dodges and circles around. “He lied to me. He manipulated me. All to get me here.” Another swing, another dodge. “To use me.” Swing. “To break me because my brother is too strong.” Swing. “Joke’s on you guys, I was already broken!” My voice has risen to a screech and my arm swipes erratically through the air. The burn behind my eyes gives way to tears that blur my vision. Just one hit. I just want to land one.

As if he understands, Rym stops moving and lets the buckle hit his chest. He flinches, but doesn’t back up even when I raise my arm again. “Lir didn’t understand what he was doing.” He peeks at me through one eye. I drop my arm and he continues. “He was sucked into my father’s delusions after Kov’s death and never even thought to question the reasoning behind my father’s plans. Yes, it started as a vendetta, but things changed. Lir changed. He’s done nothing but fight for your release… well, he did until he was locked up down here too.”

“Then what was the agreement he made with Vitrad? What was he talking about at the meeting?”

“He agreed to bring you before the Council so the request for your brother’s release could be made formally. Nothing more. Lir thought he was helping.” His shoulders relax and he steps forward, his eyes glued to mine. “What they’ve done to you… It wouldn’t be condoned if people knew. This is not what we are, this,” he gestures to the room around us and the restraints in my hand, “is what my father has twisted us into. I’m not asking you to forgive any of it, just let me help you.”