Axel groaned before he even opened his eyes. He knew exactly where

he was and was less than pleased to be there. However he could not

open his eyes because they were swollen shut. Everything burned,

especially his arms.

"Hey, the rebel's awake."

/Sterling. /

"He is?" Axel then heard boxes crash and someone fall

on the ground. /Toby. / "Axel, can you hear us?" "Toby, the dead could

hear you right now," Sterling said. "Yeah, yeah I can hear ya. How bad is

the damage? I can't seem t' be able to get my eyes open." "This is the

worst I've seen yet." A new voice said. /Katherine. / "Kat, what're you

doing here?" Axel asked. "We almost lost you this time boyo," the young

girl said dabbing something cool and soft on his burning skin. "The boys

had to call in reinforcements." Axel kept quiet for a moment. In

Katherine's soft voice he heard the fear produced by a strange love that

she possessed for everyone – including their captors. That sound always

elicited two reactions in his own heart: one of a desire to stay put and

cease causing her this fear, and another of a desire to find a way to free

them all. It bothered him enough when they beat Toby for his mistakes,

but when they beat Katherine... He felt her hand in his and he squeezed

it. "Please..." Katherine said. "Please don't..." Her words halted with a

sob. "I'm sorry I failed Kat." "No...I just can't stand seeing you get hurt. I

know why. The men would never kill you, Angelina likes you too much, it's

Vylette isn't it?" "Aw she's pissed because I won't sleep with her," Axel

laughed. "Don't flatter yourself," Sterling said. "Why would I lie?"

"Because you can't get it out of your head that you're not irresistible," his

friend said. "But I am." "Get over yourself boyo, you're not as hot as you

think you are," Katherine said. "I'd take you all down if I wasn't lying here

blind," Axel said. The door swung open and bounced off the wall. By the

sound of tiny feet and the smell of lilies Axel knew it was Lilly, Angelina's

own personal messenger. "Axew, th' pwincess Angewina wiw be

sending fow you showtwy," Lilly announced. "Se wiw send

twanspowtation fow you so's you don have to wawk." "Great," Axel

moaned. "Another headache."