"It's going to be alright." I tell Lucas. I'm so sick of saying these words, but I'm also kind of hopeless.
He rests his head against the wire separating us. "I'm sorry."
"For what?" My head snaps to his direction.
"Everything." He sighs. "I'm so tired of all this."
"Can't say that I'm not either." I answer. "But you heard the captain, we have a chance to speak with Kila. And if he's like everyone says he is, then he'll let us go."
That was the best case scenario. I dreaded to think what the worst one was. Locked in a prison for the rest of my life didn't really seem to cut it.
I rest my head against the wire, the same as Lucas so our foreheads touch. He brings his hand up and touches my fingertips.
"For hope." He whispers. "For love."
I recognise what it is. A quote from one of the ancient books.
"For hope." I repeat. "For love."
He let's out a long breath. "I'm done once this is over." He says. "Done listening to my father, to his advisors."
"What will you do?" Farkle asks him. "You can't go against the Valaire Court."
Caroline's head jerks up. "You guys expect to go back there and live normal lives?!" She snaps. "Nothing's normal anymore."
Don't remind me.
"What do you want us to do?" Lucas asks Caroline."Stay here?"
For a minute Caroline is silent, like she's seriously debating the matter.
The guards unlock the door and we're hauled out. "Our leader's waiting for you."
They grab the chains of our shackles and drag us up another set of stairs. It leads to a corridor, with a set of three rooms.
We don't enter either. Another hallway at the end leads us to a pair of huge iron gates.
They are opened, and we're forced to make our way inside.
It's the Northern version of a throne room. A carpet leads to the middle, where the leader sits on a bronze throne. There are five advisors by his side, and surrounding them are guards. Next to Kila is the Captain.
Kila has braids in his hair and wears course clothing. His face looks destructive.
"Ah, the prisoners." He greets in a rough voice. His tone is anything but friendly.
Our shackles are removed.
"I must say, I admire your bravery." He turns to Caroline and Farkle. "Sneaking in on my ship like that. To what? Protect your friends?"
Caroline stares at him, but doesn't say anything.
"Foolish compassion and love for your country." His eyes roam the four of us. "You would do anything to protect it, won't you?"
Caroline steps forward. "Not since we've heard that they murder the innocent." She says, her voice calm and collected. "Are the allegations true?"
The leader clearly doesn't expect this. Neither does Lucas.
"Yes." He says. "The outcome is worse every year. That's why we've taken matters into our own hands."
"You don't need to--" begins Farkle, but Lucas interrupts him.
"Look." He says. "My coronation is in a few weeks. Let me work this out."
Kila's eyes come to rest on him. "That's exactly what your father said twenty years ago."
Lucas looks taken back.
"He's not his father." I say determinately.
I'm not sure, but I think I see the Captain crack a small smile.
Kila sits back. "The delegation will--"
"The delegation will do nothing!" Caroline screeches. "What you need is my father off the throne."
"And you can guarantee that no more of my people will be killed by yours?"
"And vice versa." Lucas nods.
Kila looks pleased. "We have a deal."
"And the marriage and all the money you're taking from our countries..." I trail on, hoping he'll get the hint.
Kila scowls. "On no." He smiles ruefully. "If anything, it will only strengthen the deal."
My shoulders sink. I just lost all hope for Joshua and Maya.
"When's your coronation?" He asks Lucas. "Spring?"
"Early spring." He replies.
The Captain whispers something in Kila's ear. Kila looks hesitant, but then agrees.
He gets up. "Until then, you will be our guests. You'll live in the castle, and go back to Valaire in early spring."
Farkle gulps. I don't blame him. If the rumors were true...
"But...it's winter." Caroline says. Lord, what was she doing?!
Kila looms pissed off. "Will that be a problem?!" He booms.
Caroline takes a step back. "No." She squeaks.
What an upgrade. From prisoner to 'guest'. Don't blame me for not trusting the guy.
"Elijah." He says to the captain. Huh. So that was his name. "Take them to the guest rooms. Make sure they don't try to escape."
It's not like we know the way home anyways.
A weight settles in my chest when I realize I don't even know where home is anymore.
The Captain - Elijah - leads us out of the room and up a set of stairs.
The rooms are smaller, but I'm glad. Makes me feel less lonely.
And finally, a proper bed.
"You're free to roam the castle." He says. "But don't even think about escaping. Their are guards watching every single gate."
When he's gone, I flop on the bed. Sleep doesn't consume me, and I'm left feeling flustered. What happens when this all ends? Was I enough of an optimist to believe everything would be fine?
Lunch is brought to me at around one. A servant girl enters, her head bowed.
I almost don't notice the fact that she has a huge scar on her face.
"Thank you." I'm a little surprised. The girl, however, is more. She nods politely and leaves.
My first instinct is to check the food for poison. But Kila needed us. Alive.
Half an hour later, another maid comes to collect the plate.
I don't dare go out of my room. Was I stupid to assume myself scared? Of the outcome?
Caroline bursts into my room around three hours later. I had just started the fire, but the small wisp had flickered, then dwindled out.
Caroline looks... well. Lucas had told her that we overheard her conversation with Farkle in the ship and that's how we knew.
"Well I don't want to go back." She shakes her head furiously.
I frown, standing up and walking over to her. I place my hands on her arms. "Caroline." I say gently. "You're saying you don't want to go back to your family?"
Tears pool into her eyes. "They're not my family. Not after what they did." She tries to shake off her emotions, but they're there, vivid and real. "And they lied about it, Riley!" She sobs.
She's telling the truth. They're horrible excuses for parents, but...
"Your parents love you." I answer. "Just try talking--"
"No." She says determinately. She wipes her tears away. "I'm done talking."
"What are you going to do? Join Kila's army." That thought alone is ridiculous. But judging by Caroline's expression, maybe not to her.
She walks away without another word, closing the door behind her.
What did I just do?
I sigh, going over to the bookshelves and picking out a book. I've read this one already - it's one of our three ancient books - but read it again anyways.
It's almost dark, and I'm not sure I'll be able to sleep without its warmth.
"Need help?" Lucas is leaning by the door.
I look at him, then back at the fire. I rest my hands on my waist. "I got this."
Lucas smirks. "No you don't."
He walks over to where I am, and picks up two dead twigs. Rubbing them together, he starts the fire.
"There you go." He says when he sees smoke erupting from the pile of wood.
I sit down on the rug by the fireplace and warm my hands. He sits down next to me.
I can tell he's worried about the situation, so I try to change his mind.
"You know, in all of this...we've never really got to know each other."
He leans against the leg of a chair. "Okay. Shoot."
I think for a minute, pursing my lips. "What's your favourite colour?"
"Way to dig deep." He says sarcastically. "That's like asking what I would want for dinner."
"What would you want?" I ask dryly.
"Rice." He smiles.
The rug is soft so I don't blame him when he lies down. "With a side of Riley."
I crinkle my nose. "That was so cheesy."
He chuckles. "I didn't hear a no."
"Want to?" I stick my tongue out playfully.
He props himself up. When I look at him, he's already staring back.
For a minute, neither of us say anything. It's rare and special, this moment. Only the two of us to share, with no guards, no leaders to tell us what to do.
It's almost normal.
The he leans in and kisses me.