DARKNESS

DARKNESS | Chapter 17

"That's nice," I say, offering him a sickly-sweet smile before patting his head twice, restraining my smirk.

I push up from my position beside him, the guard securely holding onto the rope attached to Blake's wrists to prevent his escape. Nearing Kale, I take in his slightly slumped form, back resting against a tree log. A certain energy seems to exist between us, and it serves to make my heart flutter unwillingly.

Kale turns his head to the side, as though sensing my presence. Slowly, I pull his blindfold off, revealing his intense blue eyes. Shockingly, his eyes reveal a sense of gratitude that I find unexplainable. It cannot be as a result of the kidnap, so what else could that look be for?

Conscious of his eyes boring into my face, I reach behind Kale to untie and remove his gag. After a small struggle, I succeed, slowly pulling away.

"Thank you," he whispers.

I offer a small smile, partially confused as to what I am currently feeling.

A few moments ago I'd been experiencing a loss of emotion; now I don't know how to describe it. It's as though I'm being bombarded by too many emotions, but primarily I feel the need to be closer to Kale.

I tear my eyes away from his and swiftly stand to my feet, stumbling backwards slightly as I make a hasty retreat. Brayden and his two companions return, erecting a tipi of their gathered wood for the fire and leaving some off to the side to add at a later time. Brayden is quick to strike his flint and create a spark that soon spreads and grows. Before long, a bright orange fire illuminates the area and the faces of those around it.

"Need help?" I ask Kat, taking up a spot on the ground beside her, a little way away from the heat of the fire. Brayden remains in a discussion with the two free men, whilst the other two keep close surveillance on our prisoners.

"Hey," she smiles. "Help couldn't go astray. You saw that stream about two hundred metres back, yeah?"

"Yeah."

"Could you go fill this pot about three-quarters of the way with water?" She asks politely, handing me an old tin pot, clearly used previously.

"Sure thing."

I begin to head back the way we'd come, pot in hand, when Brayden falls into step beside me.

"Hello," I say.

"Hey Bryant."

"I'm guessing you're coming?"

"You never know what- or who- might be out at night. It's dangerous."

"So you do care about me."

He smirks. "You wish."

"I know there's more to you under that tough guy act, Caulfield. You're not fooling me."

"Damn. All this time I've been trying to convey myself as a complete gentleman," he says sarcastically.

"I think you're a lot of things, but a gentleman? Now that's a bit of a stretch."

"You wound me, Bryant."

"You poor thing," I smirk as we approach the stream, ducking under a low-hanging tree branch.

"So Kale..." Brayden trails off, looking amused as he raises an eyebrow suggestively.

"Shut up."

"What? I didn't say anything," he grins. I crouch down beside the waterline, allowing fresh water to fill the pot. The task is finished within seconds.

"It was never supposed to happen, remember? You told me it wouldn't." We begin making our way back towards the campfire.

"Well I didn't exactly anticipate Ash would have already prepared the ceremony."