Under The Tent Top (COMPLETED)

Thirty - Four

GRAVEL crunched. 

My body felt heavy. 

Smoke lingered in my lungs. 

I blinked - Seeing the ground above me. 

Cries faded into the distance. 

Small pebbles flicked my cheeks. 

I blinked - Marius walked upside down in front of me. 

I shook my head. "Marius?"

The sky was below me, the dusted ground lingered above. I flayed my arms in a sluggish manner. A bulky body tightened. "Let.. me, go." I whimpered at the creature who held me. 

"It's okay." Marius whispered out to me, his hands bounded behind him. Two men tight at his sides. My breath caught as I gazed at his upside down body. Blood trickled at his temple, dirt scraped against his face. 

Glancing to my right, Rene and Manual were being pushed. Firearm barrels pinned against their back, as they struggled to keep up in pace. 

Samil's face suddenly appeared in my sight line. His lips a faded black, his breath a disgusting musk. "Sami-"

"Shh, shh. My Nightingale, I wish you hadn't fought." He whispered. 

I blinked. 

~*~

"Nalani..." A voice called out. 

My mind felt faded. Heavy. 

"Nalani..."

My body ached. Hidden bruises teased their presence on my hips. 

"Hey, wake up..."

The voice was soft, familiar.

I forced my eyelids open. Marius' face gingerly hovered mine. A soft hand pushed hair from my eyes; Rene's lap rested below my head. 

"Where..."

Manuel from the side whispered. "Odin's,"

I struggled to scan the room. "Shh," Rene gently placed my head back down. "There's nothing to look at."

She wasn't wrong. The room was dark, cold and stuffy. "What happened?"

Rene's lips twitched in a half disappointed curl. "We were just out numbered."

Marius' thumb traced my cheek. "I'm sorry, Nalani."

I reached for his hand. "What now?"

Manuel sat closer. "Samil and Odin had tucked away into the dinning area. It looks like they may be thinking of some sort of rearrangement deal."

"That's enough," Rene whispered. 

I shook my head. "No, I want to know."

Manuel cleared his throat. "Honestly, it doesn't look good for us. A few of his dirty henchmen are perched out the door, and Marius says that it seemed like -"

"Odin must have recruited more men somewhere." Marius finished. 

Rene sighed. "Supplies are running short for trade. Everyone's growing desperate."

I shut my eyes. "No wonder everyone wants the Nightingale dead."

Manuel chuckled in disbelief. "People would be willing to give up what little they had to see a show, and then grow upset at the everyone but themselves, if it didn't go as planned."

"The fire killed people -  I did th-" I stammered. 

Marius squeezed my hand. "No, Odin did that. Samil did that."