Page 61

Amias

“Amias, is everything okay?”

I don't bother and hang the phone up on Glaide. I finally was able to make it to my own lake house. I have kept myself in here, figuring out how to help Ignatia. I've been reading books, reading articles, reading everything, wearing the same sweat shorts and tee shirt I wore in bed.

The house looks like that of a mad man, with countless articles and books thrown about, printed so Ignatia could use the information I find, and well, that's true that I'm a mad man. I'm not giving up on Ignatia so easily, even if I can't have her.

She will live if I can help it.

The phone keeps ringing and I let it ring. My heart races at a thousand miles per hour.

I look at a map, making marks as I read of the Caelestia Kingdom. Estrella's people are neutral in Amara and Godusa's feud about dreamscreechers. They will accept her.

It's close enough that she could get there in a week by foot. It's not ideal, but no one could track there that way.

I just need to figure out the details. I would book her a hotel, or buy her an apartment myself, but I don't want my name tracked. I need to pack her money.

Ten real starcoins should do. Each starcoins, carved from Cosmo’s black stone that shines green when turned in the light, is worth a thousand false manufactured starcoins that everyone else uses. She’ll go far with just the ten.

Glaide's texts keep my phone ringing, and I glance over at them.

Do I need to come over?

Are you okay?

I roll my eyes, even though I know he only means well. I'm being unreasonable to an extent, but I honestly don't care. This is Ignatia’s survival I'm worrying about.

Now there's one thing I need to figure out. I don't have keys to get Ignatia out. No one's going to let me have access to the keys in this kingdom.

I need an escape plan.

Though it does have me thinking, what if this all goes to shit? What if… she doesn't escape? What if she dies?

My heart melts away. I can't let her die. I wouldn't be able to live with myself.

I shake my head. My plan won't fail. Come the third day, I will be waiting for them to open her jail door.

And she will be running off to Caelestia, never to be seen again.

◆◆◆

It's the second day. It's nighttime, when no one will notice me here. I straighten out a black cloak, much like the ones the dreamscreecher supporters have so I wouldn't be seen so easily.

I look up at the entrance to the old dungeon near where the castle is, a few blocks away. We have kept many prisons and royal courts separated in case of emergencies. Considering the castle has been destroyed, it'd say it's a good call.

The entrance is a building with a brick arch, leading underground where the prisoners of crimes against royalty are kept. Guards dressed in white stand outside.

I may not have keys now, but I have a plan for tomorrow. She will escape then.

I planted a recorder a few steps away and covered it with leaves. I have it hooked up to my phone which will play as soon as I press the button.

I keep my steps quiet, and make sure the black hoodie covers most of my head, so the guards don't notice me in the dark. I press the button, the loud recorder setting off the scream of a woman near a bush a little ways. The guards’ eyes widen in that direction and storm towards it.

As soon as they leave the entrance, I take the opportunity to sneak in.

I still keep quiet, making sure my black sneakers don't echo off the walls. The only thing helping me look through this dungeon are lanterns hung on the walls.

It's an old prison. They've preserved enough of it to be usable but it definitely needs renovating.

It smells strongly of soil, with the air being thick and stuffy.

The metal bars of the cells have splotches of rust. All of the prisons are dusty and unkempt.

You can tell that Ignatia is the only one down here.

It would be a little more suitable to have Ignatia in a regular jail where she's not going to get tetanus. I guess she's considered too dangerous to even be kept with prison inmates.

I keep quietly walking down the hall until I see purple on the edge of my peripheral. My dreamscreecher is laying on the dirty floor, shivering from the cold air.

How dare they do this to her?

I bend down. “Ignatia…" I whisper, shaking the cage slightly.

Ignatia jumps on her feet, pinning her ears back and hissing. Her fur sticks straight up.

“It's okay!” I whisper yell. I put my hands out defensively. “It's just me!”

"Amias?"

I hush her. “Yeah. Just me. Breathe.”

She runs up to the cage, her breath still shaking. I stick my hands through the bars and hold her face. “It's okay. It's just me.”

“Amias…” She closes her eyes and deeply inhales. I mimic her breaths while stroking her cheek.

“It's okay,” I murmur.

“It's horrible. I hate it here.”

“I know, my flame.”

“It's just like home,” she hisses. “In the worst way.”

"I know," I smile to assure her. “But I'm here.”

Her eyes shine. "Captain…"

"I'm sorry. I'm sorry about everything." I blink away tears to contain myself. I have to be strong for Ignatia. “I should’ve waited on the marking.”

"It's not you that has to apologize for this."

"I'm going to get you out. I have a plan."

“What plan?"

"You can go to Caelestia Kingdom as soon as you get out.

I have a map and a backpack with clothes and food just for you.

Enough for seven days. When they come get you out tomorrow, be prepared to dash.

I can use the tutela flowers to trap the guards and they won't catch you. All you need to do is shove them and run as soon as they unlock the door.”

"Okay," she says, leaning her head into the iron bars. “I can do that.” She falls silent for a second. “You should come with me. You should run away. Get away from this damn kingdom. Caelestia isn't going to judge you or hurt you like they do here. We can still be together, as we are.”

My throat starts to throb. “Ignatia…”

“Please?”

“I can't. Amara will come after you, knowing I followed.” I press my head against the bars as well, right where her head is.

My eye sockets push tears. I want to run away.

I would if it wouldn't endanger Ignatia.

“I wish I could, my flame, but I can't risk hurting you.” I whisper, trying to keep my voice from croaking. “I love you so damn much."

Her gaze starts to gloss over. "Don't cry."

I sniffle, trying to ignore the painful swelling of my heart. "I won’t. I just… I finally found you. All my life I've been dreaming of finding you. I finally found someone who I connect so well with, and someone I love as much as she does me, but the world is tearing us apart.

"Amias…"

I grin to keep it together, but it easily starts to falter. "It's okay. Everything will end up fine. You will find a nice man who will cherish you. Maybe have a family. You’ll live peacefully where people accept you."

"And you?"

I shrug, my neck hanging off my shoulders like a poorly made arts and crafts project. " I don't know. I'll raise Sabina.”

“But what about getting married?”

“If I can't have you, there's no point. You're one of a kind. It won't be the same.” I've already tried that before her.

"No. Don't do that," she hisses. "Don't just stop your life for me. You can get married and have some children and adopt Sabina. You will be a great father. People will start to accept you again."

“I doubt it. People around here aren't so forgiving.”

"Amias, I don't want to leave you like this.”

"I'll end up okay."

"No," she bares her teeth. "You will be happy. Not just okay. And when the world is ready for me, we will reunite. When we do, I want to see you with children. With three to four children and Sabina grown up, big and strong. You’ll have a wife that would be more beautiful than me."

I meekly chuckle. “No woman could be as beautiful as you…"

"There are plenty of women who are more beautiful than I. She will have the shiniest, longest hair, and the most gorgeous eyes. She won't be so messed up from the world." She leans against the iron. "You'll have a perfect family."

"Then, you… You will have a beautiful family. A stronger man beside you. He will be bolder and better than I."

"I prefer someone sweet and gentle. Like you…"

A sob forces its way up my throat. I press my lips together to hold it back, drawing in a sharp breath. There's a truth in all of these words we're both trying to deny.

The reality is… we will never get over each other. Even just imagining ourselves with a perfect family isn't perfect without each other.

I sniffle. "Yeah. You'd find someone sweeter and gentler than me."

"I’m not even certain that's possible," she sighs. "You will always be the captain of my heart."

"And you will always be my flame.”

Ignatia starts to let out soft sobs which only weakens my ability to keep it together. Before I realize, the tears in my eyes spill like buckets of water, as I feel Ignatia's fur sink into her skin.

Both of her hands cup my cheeks as I lean into them, letting me enjoy one of the last times I'll feel them.

Tomorrow she will escape. It won't be long before I get my last memory of her.