Chapter 19

The smell of the salty air carried a hint of bitterness that had become familiar to Natasha over the past few weeks. She was lonely and afraid for her husband and what had become of him. A light breeze brushed past her face, catching wisps of hair and tossing it into her face. It was only a reminder of how Matt loved to run his fingers through it right before he'd lean in and kiss her. Still, she enjoyed the gentle touch of the refreshing early morning breeze since she only got to enjoy it every few days since her imprisonment by Galactor.

Looking around the small area just outside of the prison surrounded by Galactor guards she watched another prisoner taking in the fresh morning air. He looked to be in his early twenties and held himself with a sense of pride. A handsome tall man with a square jaw line and dark eyes and his shoulder length chestnut brown hair moved with the breeze and his loose shirt filled with air as he walked slowly to his usual spot closer to the water. He kept to himself often staring out to sea for an hour at a time.

She didn't have time to think about him any more or the reasons he was a prisoner, from the corner of her eye Dyami made his move again towards the rocks.

"Dyami, stay close to me…" She called out to the overeager little boy running headlong towards the rocks with foaming white tipped waves splashing over the top of them sending cool sprays in her direction. He halted for a second and looked back at her, smiled merrily and continued on his current path towards danger. She began to run after him when a familiar man scooped him up playfully into his arms with Dyami giggling as Kempeler tickled him.

"He's fast…" Kempeler warmly smiled at his prisoner. "Dyami, stay with your mother those rocks are dangerous."

"Yes he is…. being cooped up in a cell for days on end aren't good for toddlers." Natasha returned his smile bearing caution. She needed to stay on the good side of Kempeler, besides he had been treating her well, bringing her essential supplies for Dyami and even a few clothes and toys once a week.

But there had been no real news of her husband- he remained tight lipped when she casually asked about him on his last visit. The only comment he made was that he was doing his 'duty' for Galactor. Matt hated Galactor why would be doing his 'duty for them, it had to be a lie, he had to be working on a way of finding them and escaping from their clutches.

Inside she felt her heart hit the floor, Kempeler gave her no indication she would be seeing him anytime soon or escaping from this old damp prison. Dyami had already been sick once with a high fever and nightmares that had her worried for days without a doctor to even look at him…

Glancing at her gaoler Natasha drew in a deep breath. Dare she ask about her husband again she wondered.

Kempeler broke into her thoughts. "I hear Dyami was ill last week."

"Yes, he had a fever, fortunately he recovered from it." She responded in a strained tone, Kempeler picked up on her displeasure.

"I was supposed to be informed if something like that happened, so I could send in a doctor. Small children can be fragile." He said in a subservient manner- that only angered her.

"A damp old cell with no room to move for days on end and you think a toddler full of energy won't get sick?" She said curtly.

"It's for your own safety that you remain here, I'll see about moving you to a bigger cell on the other side of the prison." Kempeler stopped walking and firmly grasped her arm forcing her to look directly into his piercing dark grey eyes.

"You have no idea of the danger you're in, be grateful for what I have done for you so far." He warned her in a strained voice.

Natasha's heart pounded. She knew she was in danger since she was abducted by Galactor, but Kempeler knew something she didn't from the way looked into her eyes.

"What kind of danger?" She asked quietly as she took hold of Dyami's arm to prevent him from running away again.

"If Count Egobossler finds out what I know…" Kempeler pointed at Dyami. "Then I don't know if I can protect you…especially Dyami. You have no idea on how Egobossler despises his enemies and anyone connected to them. And in a fit of anger what he is capable of doing to them."

Alarm bells rang in her mind, and her eyes questioned his silently.

Kempeler smirked after a few moments at her reaction. "Of course, you may not know what I know about your son, then again some things a better left that way." Before she could ask him anything else Kempeler turned away from her and indicated to the guard to take her back to her cell. He folded his hands behind his back and appeared lost in his thoughts like something weighted heavily on his mind. Then he proceeded to walk over towards the mysterious prisoner.

Her eyes fell on Dyami who had begun to pull in earnest to force her to release his arm. Protectively she scooped him up into his arms.

"No mahmee…wanna play more." He protested, staring out at the rocks struggling to escape from her arms.

"Another time my son….we'll come and play again another time." She promised following the guards back into the old walled prison. Her response only made him cry louder and he tried to kick her to make her let go.

She heard a guard tell one of them to get their 'things' and moved them to the larger cell. Hopefully it's not as damp as the last one she thought following them. If Dyami's life was in danger, than she had to find a way out of this hell hole fast, before Count Egobossler remembered them and found out the secret Kempeler had been keeping to himself and wasn't willing to share with her.