White Orchids {BOOK 1 COMPLETED}

Chapter 46

I open my heavy eyes and stare straight up at the sky above me, only a small part is visible. Most is covered in the smoke-like oil. I'm lying on glass shards and the big tower is leaning against the opening, from where I fell.

Orchid!

I carefully roll over on my stomach. My body is aching and it's hard to move around without causing shivers of pain climbing up my back.

I'm alive, is all I can figure out to say.

I start to climb the towers but it's too slippery and I'm too injured to strategically climb the towers. I slide off and end up at the large shards of black glass again.

I saw it fall, Nine says.

I don't know if he means the tower or the platform.

We lost the mask... Clover he-

Are you hurt? He interrupts me. We can talk about the mask later, what's most important is to get us out of here.

I look up at the sky and the darkness again. The entire world is shaking. I have to get out of here before it reaches me. I hope my decision to trust the Raven was the right one, that Clover is safe, or as safe as he can be considering the circumstances. I force the thoughts away. I don't want to think of him right now, I'm too scared of what my choices could have caused. Worrying now does nothing but secure my second death.

I cannot get back up, I answer.

It's not a regular hole of earth and mud, I can see the beginning of what looks like an underground corridor beyond the black glass shards.

Where are you? What are you seeing?

I carefully climb down; the shards cut my leggings and skin. It feels like I have a body. One that bleeds and aches in the same way it did when I was alive. I would likely have died by this fall if I had been alive.

The corridor in front of me is narrow and on each sides hang light orbs that lit up the path forward.

Some sort of underground corridor, I say and carefully stand on shaking legs. Each step I take sends out a wave of pain through my body. I whimper as I move forward, if slightly slower.

The corridor is likely connected to the dead garden with the greenhouse. I didn't see much of the corridors I mentioned. When you told me to flee, I got back to the surface as quickly as I could.

I lean against the thick stone walls with carved figures. I tumble forward when the entire underground shakes.

And what makes you think it's the same corridors? I ask and slowly get up from the floor.

I don't know, but we don't have much choice here. We have to get you out, and soon.

There is a big chance I'll just get lost in these corridors - if I can even get that far before my legs fold and I can no longer get up. No matter how much I think of it, I cannot see this place as anything else but my own personal tomb.

I saw, he quiets down for a few seconds, I saw Clover. What happened with him, it wasn't your fault, Orchid. You did what you could.

My chest burns. He had seen everything. I cannot think of it, or I don't want to. I shut it out and focus on each step my aching feet take.

I don't want to talk about it. Not now. We can deal with it later. If I get out of here.

I'll meet you. I sent Sage to Sun, he'll help her out while I get you.

It doesn't sound as clear anymore, his voice is getting hollow, like it's disappearing into the void.