Moving Objects

Chapter 23

When I was discharged I made my way over to the Court prison and made my way to the front desk. I noticed a familiar face and wandered over to him.

"Jensen," I croaked, catching the back of his shirt. He turned and I watched his eyes flicker over me quickly before he suddenly wrapped me in a hug. I was startled and awkwardly returned it, patting his back carefully.

"I'm so glad to see that you're ok! When I found you in the snow, I was worried that I was too late," Jensen said as he pulled away. I nodded and gave him a small smile before licking my cracked lips.

"I need...to see...him," I said hoarsely, choking on the dryness in my throat. Jensen looked apprehensive before someone else stepping beside him. Mikhail Tanner.

"Good to see you up," he said while placing a hand on my shoulder. I smiled at him but looked to Jensen again.

"I'm sorry, nobody is allowed to see him," Jensen said. I frowned and looked to my feet before looking up again.

"Please," I begged, "I have to see him."

Jensen opened his mouth, but Mikhail cut him off. "I can get you down there. If we were in opposite roles, you would do the same for me."

I smiled and stepped away with Mikhail, heading down to the cells. We only saw a few people on our way down and when we got the most secured level, Mikhail stopped to speak to the Guardian there quietly. They both looked to me and then to each other before a buzzer went off and the door unlocked.

"You have ten minutes kid. That's all I can give you."

I nodded and hurried through the door before heading down the hall, my worn-out shoes scuffing quietly against the concrete. There was a Guardian standing against the wall across from a cell and he looked at me curiously as I came to a stop in front of him, turning to face the bars. Dimitri sat with his back to me on the bed. The cell was small enough and his mammoth frame made the room look smaller.

I wrapped my fingers around the bars and sighed quietly when Dimitri spoke. "I said I didn't want to see anyone."

"Dimitri," I whispered. His whole body tensed up as though someone has shocked him before he stood up and turned to look at me. I could have wept for joy to see the brown eyes I loved so much looking at me. I gave him a smile and he took a hesitant step towards me. I stuck a hand through the bars, willing him to take it. His fingers brushed mine as a hand clamped on my shoulder yanking me back.

"No touching the prisoner," the Guardian snapped, but the jolt of being yanked back made me cry out in pain. Mikhail and the other Guardian came through the door quickly and were down the hall in a flash, expecting trouble. Dimitri was flush against the bar with his hands gripping the steel between us, his face dark and cold as his eyes pierced the Guardian that grabbed me.

"Don't. Touch. Her." He snarled.

I wiggled out of the Guardians gripe and shrank towards the bars, towards Dimitri.

"She's fine. He won't hurt her," Mikhail said trying to defuse the situation. The three looked at each other and then to me and Dimitri before back to each other. I turned to look at Dimitri and gave him a smile, trying to appear in better condition than I was.

Dimitri gingerly stretched his fingers out and brushed my cheek, and I sighed at the warmth of his touch. It was a shocking comparison to the cold I felt last night, but I didn't want to think about that now. The haunted look in Dimitri's eyes was gone for a moment before they moved down my face to my neck, and his face transformed into anguish. I reached up and touched my neck, flinching as I touched the tender skin. Dimitri started to withdraw but I latched onto his hand, holding it between mine tightly.