The rest of the morning seemed to drag. I was nervous about seeing Florna, more so because Kai would be with me and I wasn't sure how she would react with him there.
She never held back when we were alone. Full on bitch mode seemed to be her thing but I wondered whether her feelings towards me would have changed now that Dazna was back.
I wasn't expecting us to be the best of friends now, but I was optimistic about how our conversation would go.
"Please sit down."
Kai was sitting on the sofa, watching me as I paced up and down.
"Daisy? You're going to burn yourself out before we even leave. Light exercise Haldon said. At this rate, you'd have walked the equivalent of ten miles."
I stopped in my tracks. "Sorry, I'm just nervous." I muttered, slouching down beside him, resting my head on his shoulder.
"Don't worry, I'll be with you." He spoke softly, kissing me gently on the top of my head.
"That's what I'm worried about." I muttered under my breath.
"Oh, really? And why is that?" He quipped, pulling me onto his lap so that I was straddling him.
I let out a groan as my forehead hit his chest.
"Because you're going to give her a brooding stare and she won't want to speak. Either that or you'll be an enraged lunatic that won't give her the chance to speak."
"You know me so well." I sat up to face him, a proud smile on display as he pushed out his chest to show off his masculinity.
I rolled my eyes playfully, tapping him on his shoulders. His hands gripped my hips tightly, pulling me close and he placed a lingering kiss on my lips.
"I'd like to speak with her alone if you wouldn't mind?"
"Let's not talk about her for now." He spoke softly in my ear before tracing hot, wet, kisses across my neck.
I moaned, feeling his member stiffen in his trousers beneath me. Tilting my head to the side, I gave him more access to my neck and tingles formed where his lips grazed my skin.
Feeling a dull ache forming between my legs, I slid my hands around the back of his neck, gently tugging at his hair.
He lifted his head, our lips meeting instantaneously as my body leaned into his.
Kai's hands gripped my ass, squeezing it gently, causing another moan to escape me.
Lifting me up, he turned us around and gently lay me down on the sofa. Our lips collided and my hands reached down to the bottom of his shirt, lifting it up until Kai pulled it over his head.
My hands trailed up and down his rock hard chest and he moaned softly into my mouth.
Just as his hands travelled south, his wristband buzzed and he stopped what he was doing, hovering above me while contemplating his next move.
His glistening eyes bore into mine but I knew that he needed to answer the call.
"Go on." I groaned.
He sighed, swiping his wrist.
"Yes?"
"Florna is refusing to see you." Kintel huffed.
Way to ruin the moment, I rolled my eyes, sliding up from beneath Kai, sitting on the sofa properly as he sat back.
"Fine." He replied, looking over at me.
"Florna doesn't want to see us."
Kintel interrupted after hearing Kai. "She doesn't want to see you, Kai. She will see Daisy."
A smirk grazed my lips and I chuckled at his reaction, my hand covering my mouth to muffle the sound.
"What's wrong with me?" He huffed, his face scrunched up in annoyance.
"She just doesn't want to see you."
"I won't let her speak to Daisy alone, so I guess we won't be coming."
I opened my mouth to protest, but Kintel beat me to it.
"She won't be alone. I can accompany her."
Kai paused, rubbing the nape of his neck, thinking it over.
"I don't know. If she turns on her, I won't be able to protect her."
His face was now serious and I could see the torment in his eyes.
"She won't hurt her, Kai. Besides, I am more than capable of protecting her."
"Please, Kai." I interrupted, leaning forwards to place my hand on his knee.
He rubbed his hand across his face. "Fine, but I'll be outside the door, ready to rip her head off if she even looks at Daisy the wrong way."
"Got it. I'll let Florna know. See you soon, brother."
Kai ended the phone call and I crawled onto his lap, wrapping my arms around him. "Thank you." I breathed in his ear.
He hummed, closing his eyes, resting his head against mine.
"I swear, if she tries anything, she's as good as dead."
His arms wrapped around me and I nodded. "I'll be ok."
We soon left, making our way to the the holding cells. They were located in a quiet area, far away from any houses and civilisation and I was surprised to see that there were no guards outside and it looked nothing like I'd expected.
It was a plain white building with no windows and only one door. Flowerbeds littered the outside, with a single narrow path leading upto the front door.
I grew nervous when we stepped inside and Kai took my hand in his, gently squeezing it to help keep me calm.
There was a fierce looking guy sat behind a desk, a weapon of some sort strapped to his chest.
When his eyes glanced up at Kai, his back straighed up, his shoulders tensed and he stood to his feet swiftly.
"Commander Kai. We have been awaiting your presence."
He wasn't so scary after all, I thought, stifling a grin as I looked down at my feet.
Kintel rounded a corner, calling my name when he saw me and I looked up to greet him.
"Daisy, please come this way."
I looked up at Kai, waiting for his permission.
"It's alright, go on." He smiled.
I hurried over to Kintel and I couldn't help but take in his appearance.
He was tired, his hair shabby with creased clothes that looked like they could do with a wash.
"Hey." I smiled softly and he gestured for me to follow him.
He led me into a waiting room and we sat down opposite each other while we waited for Kai.
"How are you?" He asked, his voice quiet.
"I'm ok, thank you. You?"
I looked up at him and I could tell he wasn't doing great.
"I've been better." He shrugged.
"What about Florna?" I asked, tentatively.
He sighed, rubbing his tired eyes.
"She's a whirlwind at the moment."
I wasn't quite sure what he meant by that, but I didn't have time to question him as Kai entered the room.
"She's ready for you." He looked at me, before narrowing his eyes at Kintel.
I stood up and Kai took my hand. He led me through another door where a guard nodded at us, standing back to let us pass him down a small corridor.
Kintel followed behind and I could hear his heavy footsteps as I scanned my surroundings.
The end of the corridor opened up, displaying multiple rooms with a clear glass front.
They were all numbered, a glowing red light above each door with a black number in the middle.
Ten rooms.. cells, in total, with only four of them in use.
Three men in rooms six, eight and ten, and that's when I spied Florna, she was in room three.
She was sat on the floor, her back against the wall, her knees bent, arms crossed over them with her head resting upon her arms.
I held my breath as we walked towards her cell and a guard appeared from a side door, unlocking it with his fingerprint.
The red light above the door turned green and a loud buzzing noise sounded, causing me to jump and that's when Florna lifted her head, looking up at Kai, Kintel and I.
When her eyes landed upon me, they widened, as did mine.
I swallowed the lump that was forming in my throat and blew out a breath.
I can do this, I repeated in my mind. I can do this.
Kintel walked into the cell first and I looked up at Kai for reassurance.
"I'll be right here." He stated, his jaw tight as I nodded.
Turning back to the cell, I took a few steps forward until I reached the door.
Florna had gotten up off the floor and was sitting with Kintel on the other side of the room.
"H.. hi." I murmured, stepping inside the room.
It was a small room. There was a bed on the far side, a basic sink, a lamp, a door that led to what I assumed to be a bathroom and a small table by the entrance.
"Hi." Florna spoke quietly, looking up at me through wet lashes.
The guard pulled the door closed, locking it shut and the buzzing sound buzzed again, startling me.
My heart thumped in my chest and my mind went blank. Seeing Florna again made me feel anxious and all I could think about was how cruel she was when I last saw her.
"I'm sorry, I.. I can't do this." I muttered, turning away, reaching for the door with a sigh.
"Daisy, wait, please." Florna blurted, stopping me in my tracks.
I sucked in a breath and slowly turned around, staying close to the door so that I was as far away from her a possible.
My eyes met with hers and a tear grazed her cheek.
"I'm sorry. I'm so sorry for everything."
I was taken aback by her apology and my shoulders relaxed slightly as she wiped her cheek with the palm of her hand.
"I know I can't take back what I did but if I could, I'd do it in a heartbeat."
I plucked up the courage to take a step towards her and stopped in the middle of the room.
"Why? Why did you do it?" My voice cracked.
She shook her head. "Because I blamed you. I thought that Dazna was gone and I just lost it. When we first met, all I could think about was him dying and you were the reason he was dead."
More tears flowed down her face and I sighed, nodding.
"I get it."
"You do?" She sniffed.
"Yes. When I lost my parents, the grief I felt was unbearable and I wanted the world to pay for what had happened."
"You didn't deserve what I did though. It wasn't your fault that you were abducted, or that Kai assembled a team to rescue you. And if Dazna actually died, that wouldn't have been your fault either. I've had a lot of time to think about what I've done and I am utterly ashamed of myself. I deserve everything that's coming to me and I accept that what I did was wrong and unforgivable."
"Would you still be saying this if Dazna wasn't alive?" I wondered.
"Yes." She blinked. "As soon as the gladarian took you, I knew that I had made a mistake and I had no idea that Dazna was alive at that point."
I nodded, accepting her apology.
"Thank you for giving me the opportunity to apologise in person. I can't imagine what you must think of me, and I don't expect you to forgive me but I truly am sorry."
I looked at Kintel and then back to Florna and I couldn't help but feel sorry for them both.
Glancing out of the window, my eyes landed on my soulmate. I couldn't ever imagine being torn away from him, banished from my home planet and when my gaze landed back on Florna and Kintel, I knew that I'd made the right decision coming here.
"I want to help you and plead for your release."
Florna's eyes widened and her jaw dropped slightly. Kintel mirrored her image and they both looked at one another before looking back at me.
"You want to help me?" Her words stumbled out of her mouth and I only just made out what she said.
"Yes."
"But why would you want to help me?"
"Because nobody's perfect. We all make mistakes, some worse than others, but I can see how remorseful you are and I know what grief can do to a person. I'm not saying I forgive you, but I do understand and I don't believe you are an evil person. You made a mistake and at the end of the day, I survived and I think you deserve a chance to redeem yourself."
Kintels knuckles turned white as he gripped Florna's hands tightly.
"Thank you, Daisy." He muttered, quickly wiping a stray tear from his eyes.
"Don't thank me yet." I breathed, giving them one last look before turning around, heading for the door.
The guard unlocked it for me and when I stepped outside, Kai was staring down at me with his arms folded across his chest.
"How's your new buddy?"
I sighed at his sarcasm. "Can we talk about it later? I huffed. "And F Y I.. she isn't my buddy."
_______________________________________
Have your opinions on Florna changed?
Do you think Daisy is right to help her or do you think she's too easily forgiving?
I wonder if she will be as lenient with Felix? 🤔
I've been blown away by the votes/comments since the last update so thank you, so much!
Chapter 26 will be up soon 😁😁