To Sing the Tortured to Sleep

VIII. The Attack

Angel's POV

Our driver had arrived at the town square an hour after the attack. The nice couple had patched Kain up and besides a bit of pain he would be fine. Kain promised to send the couple money for their services despite their refusal to accept it.

I was just glad Kain would be alright. Most of the ride home we avoided the topic, but I knew we had to discuss what had happened eventually. "Are they-" I began but was cut off by Kain.

"They might be," Kain spat, annoyed. Clearly I had done something to anger him. Apparently. These men could very well be the same men that had attacked me yesterday. "How did they know where we were going?" Kain asked, his words pointed at me, "Out of all days to go to Madame Galloway's how did they know we would pick today? Why don't you tell me who they were?"

"Are you implying that Angel had something to do with this?" Raven asked, outraged.

"How can we know? For all we know she's an Arganian spy trying to have us killed! Maybe dad was right. Maybe she informed them," Kain shouted.

Tears were bubbling up but I tried to hold them back as the carriage pulled up to the castle. The moment the carriage reached its stop Kain jumped out, stalking off to his room.

"Just ignore him, he'll come around," Raven assured me but I wasn't so sure. I jumped from the carriage and into the surrounding forest. Raven didn't make a move to follow me. She knew I had to have time alone after the way Kain had acted. Only, she expected me to come back. I didn't plan on it.

I took off the shoes Raven had given me, placing them at the edge of the forest before bounding into the woods. I ran until I couldn't run anymore. I didn't want to stop running. I didn't, until I tripped. I clutched at the cool forest floor, tears finally overwhelming me. I couldn't breathe, I was too upset, tired, and confused.

How had I become the enemy? How had my only ally become one of my many enemies? I was lost in my thought, curled against the cold grass and dirt. At some point I passed out...

Raven's POV

Angel had disappeared hours ago and Kain still hadn't left his room. Did he even know she was gone?

"Kain, Angel hasn't come back," I shouted through the closed door to his room. 

"Good! She'll stay out of our hair!" Kain replied, still angry.

I entered the room, "What happened to you? You were saying how beautiful she was this morning and this afternoon you're practically ready to let her die!" I pointed out, "What is wrong with you? You even called her poor and helpless, how can you let her stay in the forest this long? If she dies, its on your head," clearly he'd known about her departure earlier.

"Why must you always side against me?" Kain asked bitterly, refusing to look at me, his dear sister.

"What if she is innocent Kain?" I was finally starting to get through to him, "We don't understand what happened. What if the attack wasn't meant for us?"

Kain's POV

What if Raven was right? I had been so foolish for listening to my father's ignorant words. He never knew a damn thing he said. Suddenly, I realized that Raven had to be right, as always. She just had to be. That meant that Angel had been lost in the forest somewhere, freezing, for the last couple hours. 

Without much thought I ran to the armory. Taking a sword, a jacket, and a torch, I left the castle. Into the forest I went, my torch lit, though it was providing a very dim light. It wouldn't be much of a help unless I was careful.

I searched for hours with no luck. I couldn't imagine where she could be, or if she was frozen to death or kidnapped. I searched and I searched until finally, I noticed thick auburn hair in the brush. Slowly, her figure came into sight.

She seemed to be in one piece, though unconscious. She looked pale under the light of my torch and her skin was freezing. I sheathed my sword, placing my jacket around the tiny girl and lifting her into my arms.

I made it home in about an hour, checking on Angel every once and awhile to make sure I could still hear her heartbeat. We were greeted by Raven at the door who gave me an "I told you so" look before we disappeared into the doorway.

I sat Angel on her bed, covered her up, and waited for her to wake. She was covered in dirt from head to toe. Probably from lying in the bush for so long.

"Please let her be alright," I begged.