𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝑩𝒍𝒂𝒅𝒆 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝑩𝒂𝒔𝒕𝒂𝒓𝒅 || 𝐊𝐚𝐳 𝐁𝐫𝐞𝐤𝐤𝐞𝐫 𝐗 𝐎𝐂

𝑶𝒅𝒅

The wagon seems to fade away as the ropes seem to gnaw away at my neck and wrists. My chest begins to shake with each breath as my throat closes. My chest burns as I tug at the ropes. In the darkness, a man appears.

I blink rapidly as the man comes closer. His fingers grab my chin and bring me to look at him. His green eyes haunt my dreams. Hot tears stream down my cheek. Wood surrounds me. I'm back on the ship. I begin to thrash and I feel invisible bodies around. Coldwater Lapps at my ankles and I struggle to climb up, away from the water. The man laughs as he canters off up the stairs and makes a show of locking the hatch.

"No, please," I beg. The water rapidly rises and it begins to fill my lungs, my eyes, my nose. My whole body seems to be filled with vile liquid. Soon the water turns to thick hot blood. A scream and bubbles slowly find their way to the surface. I close my eyes and a face overwhelms my senses. Kaz. I groan. Kaz's eyes cry blood and his face is unrecognizable. Bruises bloom Over his skin and welts cover his eyelids and his brow. I whimper as I blind and Inej replaces Kaz. The same with Jesper, and Wylan, Nina, Matthias. I feel a bump on my thigh.

When my eyes open. My vision is sharp and the potato sack covers my eyes. I take a deep breath as the ropes fade from my mind as a limp leg bumps mine. Kaz. I nudge the limp limb.

"Kaz," I whisper. "Kaz," I repeat.

After a few kicks. The leg stumbles before standing. I press deeper into the swarm of bodies, hoping to provide space. I hear a sigh of release mixed with the steady breathing of those behind me. I focus on helping Kaz so I don't panic again.

His breathing is rapid pants. I understand his distress, sweat beads on my brow. The body heat and skin make my skin crawl with disgust. Kaz presses closer to me and I feel him position his leg between mine and his other on the outside of the two. I suck in a breath as he stumbles and I feel his chest against my own.

"You good?" I ask.

"Just keep talking."

"What, why."

"Don't argue for once and just talk, Arcanne."

"Fine, now you want me to talk. After hushing me and being all quiet you're going to get us spotted. If I whisper no one gets caught. See the guards aren't saying anything and by the way, I am not that loud."

"Sometimes."

"Am not. Inej thinks I'm a darling to be around, don't you Inej?"

"Yep." I hear her amid bodies. A moment of silence passes and I feel Kaz tremble.

"You know when we passed that bakery in town?" I whisper low enough for only him to hear.

"The one with an angel on the logo?"

"That's the one. I've always wanted to work there when I was little I mean. My Da used to make these sweetbreads and they were always burnet and my mouth would be filled with charr. It was still fun making it with him."

"How do you remember all of this?"

"It comes and goes but mostly I just remember dreams. I don't know if they are all real but I had one a few weeks ago."

"Tell me."

"My ma was performing her areal routine on the silks. She was so graceful, like a feather. Her drops didn't catch and her limbs never seemed to be uncomfortable. That was where she was happy. That was when I knew I wanted to learn areal silks."

"Did you?"

"Yes, and I was damn good at it too." He chuckles. "But I was never as good as my mother. I never knew how to make it look painless or to smoothly drop without bouncing too much."

"You were too young, not enough practice."

"Almost every hour of every day and night, every day of the week wasn't enough training?
Damn, guess I better ask the saints to extend the days."

"Kush." The drivers' orders as the wagon come to its final stop through the checkpoints.

A light shines through the sack as we are unshackled. I flinch away when a cold pair of hands graze my neck. I sigh as the ropes are removed from my neck. I am still incredibly aware of the ropes still tied around my wrists. We are led a few paces forward before the bag is ripped from my head.

I gulp fresh air as we are led inside the prisoners' area. I gasp as I look up and see all too familiar men impaled on a prye. The guards shove me forward and have us all lineup and a woman grips the prisoners' wrists. Grisha. I patiently wait my turn. I gulp as Nina goes through but she is led into another room.

The woman's cold fingers close around my wrist and I feel an echo run through my bones. I focus on the ropes on my wrists and the sound of the ocean vibrates my chest. A voice calls through the haze and I listen. I look down at the woman and see fear in her eyes. I look at her confused. I look forward to seeing a water droplet suspended in the air. Surprise stiles my attention and the droplet falls to the ground. I look back to the woman and she shoves me away. I look back and see Kaz watching me closely as I am led through a door.

A female guard orders me to strip and bathe. I silently obey and feel the other female prisoners eyes watching me. Well more watching the winding scars over my body and the tattoo on my arm. Another tattoo flows down my back, a depiction of a dagger etched into my skin with gold ink surrounded by black flowers. I grin as I bathe myself in the fear filling the room and freezing water, of course. I finish and follow Nina and Inej to a corner to retrieve a prisoner's uniform. I take my shoes and dump water from them. In my frustration, I shove my foot inside and find It dry. I rip the shoe off and feel the dry soles. Confusion tugs at my brain but I push it away and continue to the cells. Guards escort us to our cell and lock us away, after removing our binds, with a smirk.

I sigh and sit on a halfway-occupied bench. The stench of human waster fills my senses and I gag on the air. The grime surrounding us sends my nerves on edge. I rub my neck and wrists, the ghost of the ropes hanging heavily on my mind. My skin crawls and I stand, opting for leaning on the bars.

"How long are supposed to wait here?" I ask Inej.

"Until Kaz and Wylan show up," Inej says, obviously running the plan through her head.

I slide down the wall and stick my head between my knees. Nausea kicks in and I feel like hurling. The stench makes my eyes water. I groan and pull my blouse over my nose. I touch the necklace on my neck and thank the Saints the guards looked the other way to jewelry.

I hear rushed footsteps sound through the cells and I smile as Kaz and Wylan bound insight. I look at Nina and see her digging blood-covered cloth pellets out of her skin. She drops the pellets into the urine bucket opposite of me and I wet my shirt with my mouth before covering my face with the damp fabric. After a moment the gas clears and Kaz unlocks the cell. He gives me a questioning look before ushering is down towards the basement.