Fate and Destiny (The Fated Series, #2)

Chapter 24 - Hiraeth - Hope

Kallisté has stuck to her word, bringing me bread and cheese and fresh water every morning and night – or so I must believe. At least I know when a day has passed, and so far I've gone through one, now chewing on a piece of still-warm bread. The rations are small, but I would've only eaten as much to keep myself from getting sick anyways.

Kallisté keeps me company while I'm stuck in my cell, sealing the door in ice every time and thawing it before the guard outside opens it. I'll ask her questions here and there, seeing what kind of information I can pry from her. Sadly, she doesn't give anything of real importance away. I got mad at first, but then I realized that she was likely doing so in case someone decides to question me. The less I know the better. Still, the silence does little to settle my curiosity.

"How many of you are there?"

As many as are needed.

"Where do you come from?"

A body of water.

"Wow, really. I thought you just popped out of thin air," I say sarcastically. She still somehow manages to give me that 'really' look. "How do you get in here?"

The same way that you can leave.

"I'd think the guards would notice if you just waltzed on out of here."

There's always another way.

I careen forward, twisting at the waist to look fully at her. "Wait a minute. You're telling me there's another way out of this cell?" She doesn't answer. Instead, she settles her head between her two front paws. "I don't suppose you'll show me where this secret passageway is."

Still no answer.

"Is it the only secret way in or out down here?"

Shouldn't you be getting rest, brave one?

She's been calling me that. Brave one. I'm not so sure about the first word, but the second surely encompasses my situation well. "You know I can't sleep."

If her heart shall cease, so shall I. Now sleep.

"That's not the only reason and you know that. But what is he doing to her-"

She growls her annoyance, something I hadn't realized she could do until just now.

"What you're not the least bit curious?"

One need not be curious when one knows the answers.

"You know what he's doing to her? Well, tell me. I can help – isn't that what you asked me to do? Help."

If you were to help, you'd end up helpless.

"Ugh, enough with the poems!" I wince at my screech and glance over at the door. The ice still holds firmly and there's no sign of a guard having heard me. She's already assured me that I could scream as loud as I want and they wouldn't hear me, but I still get nervous about it and keep my voice down anyways. "Tell me what he's doing to her."

What every woman would wish to be rid of.

I let out a loud sigh, already giving up on trying to get it out of her. She'll just keep spewing riddles that are too frustrating and vague to unravel, and I'll just keep pulling out my hair until I'm bald. There's no use with this one, and I know that I need sleep, but it'd help me sleep if I knew what to feel for and heal.