Chapter 8: A liar's homecoming
Will looked over at Caleb and swallowed. "We're home." She whispered. For almost 3 days they had been missing; Missing posters with Will and Caleb's faces plastered the city. Caleb nodded. He had remained silent ever since they escaped; Will suppected that he was in more pain than he let on. They dropped by the plice office to tell them they were back, and then walked to the resteraunt.
The rest of the guardians sat worriedly at a table, talking in an undertone and looking worried.
Caleb limped up to them and smiled wearily. 'When did he get that limp?' Will wondered as she followed him.
"Caleb! You're okay!" Cornelia shouted as she hugged him.
Caleb pulled away and sat down. "Will and I are kind of dating." He explained softly.
Irma shot him a look, then looked at Will. "He looks so bad, Will! What happened?" She hissed.
Will frowned and nervously walked over to Caleb, holding his hand. "He was tortured and then we escaped. Do you think you would look better?" She snapped.
Caleb gave a feeble laugh. "No, Will. I'm not just tortured. They put a type of toxin in my bloodstream--that first day in fact after you looked away. I think it wasn't just a weakening toxin--I think it was a poison." He explained.
Hay Lin's mouth fell open. "Well, do you know the name of it?" She demanded nervously.
Will sank down beside Caleb on the floor, eyes widened. 'It's too late. I couldn't save him.' She thought in horror.
'It's all my fault. I didn't work fast enough.'
Taranee looked at Will. "Will, your face is dead white. What's wrong?" She asked.
Will looked at Caleb and smiled weakly. "I meant to save you from death." She murmured. "But I failed."
Caleb shook his head with an effort. "No...if it wasn't for you, I'd still be in the dungeon, laying on the bunk and sleeping 20 hours a day." He told her in a soothing voice.
Will looked at Caleb and swallowed. "What was it called?" She asked.
Hay Lin nodded. "I already asked that, Caleb. No lying." She ordered.
Caleb hadn't moved for the past few minutes; Will wondered if he still could move at all.
"It's called Spider's Kiss. Clear, scentless, odorless, tasteless." He said. "No antidote is known. People do survive it...sometimes."
Will looked at Hay Lin's grandmother. "Do you know a cure?" She asked.
The older woman looked miserable. "No. I do know things that will help him, though." She added. "Like keeping him in a warm, humid room, and types of broths...if we're going to move him, we need to do it now." She added.
The guardians dragged Caleb into his room, laying him on a bed.
Will sat down beside Caleb and tried to smile. "Comfier than a wooden bunk?" She asked.
Caleb smiled weakly, reached up to touch Will's cheek...and suddenly went limp.