30. Missing

30. Missing

Skylenna

“Line up for a headcount!” Helga Bee translates as we scramble to understand why everyone is running around.

The inmates form a line that stretches through the stairs of the stadium. Sentinels do a thorough walkthrough, counting, adding, and counting again.

“What’s going on?” I ask, as we’re allowed to disperse again once they’re done.

Helga Bee shrugs casually. “Massacre.”

“Come again?” Dessin narrows his eyes.

“There was an execution a league away from the prison, but everyone was slaughtered. No witnesses. No idea what happened, Beetle Brain. At least that’s the rumor.”

My head snaps over in Dessin and Warrose’s direction. “Do you think…”

“It might be.” Dessin nods.

“That does sound like something DaiSzek would do,” Warrose agrees.

Hope and an everlasting love rumble through my bloodstream. They’re coming for us.

We have to help them, break out of here early. Dessin seems to be thinking the same thing as his eyes shift from left to right, going over ideas, blueprints, a plan.

“I got separated from Ruth,” Niles calls from behind me.

I scan the crowd of prisoners still parting. I search for that small, curly head of brunette hair. “Ruth!” I shout over the grumbling voices.

“Ruthie!” Niles yells with me.

Warrose is pushing past people, shoving grown men to the floor as he breaks out in a small panic. After what happened to Marilynn and her fingernails, we’re not willing to let anyone out of our sight if we can help it.

“Ruth!” Dessin hollers, getting on the Ringmaster’s platform to get a bird’s eye view of the stadium. His alert gaze shoots down to me. “She’s not in here.”

Warrose hears that from across the stage. His head snapping up to Dessin. A thoughtful pause. He charges out of the giant room, bustling past anyone who stumbles in his way. His urgency heaves a formidable blast of doom that rings in my ears. Shit. No, not Ruth.

I race behind Dessin, feeling Niles and Marilynn falling in step behind me.

“Ruth!” My scream bleeds a downpour of terror.

Every horrible image flashes behind my eyes. Missing fingernails. A scalped head. Broken bones. I won’t even let myself imagine a more permanent ending. It’s Ruth. It’s my soul sister. My best friend. It’s Ruth!

We make it out of the stadium, into the dark, grimy hallway.

“Dessin,” I whine, gripping his elbow.

“We’ll find her, baby,” he assures with a sick calmness to his tone. “I’ll tear down this prison to do it.”

But his confidence isn’t enough for me. Ruth is the least equipped to defend herself here. If she’s targeted, I don’t know what could happen. Fuck, why wasn’t I watching her? Why didn’t I keep an eye on her?

The woman’s voice in my head whispers to me. But it’s too far away, too deep into the void to hear. My concussed head and back are in too much pain to focus on that dark, empty space. We can find her. We will find my best friend.

“Ruth!” Niles’s voice echoes across the stone walls. And in one glance, I see how his hands tremble. We all know the cost of her not being able to defend herself.

Dessin holds out a hand to our group. Something to silence us. A signal as he cocks his head forward, closing his eyes to listen across a certain distance.

My heart is a wild stallion in my chest, bruising my lungs as it bucks and kicks. My body is already preparing to cry, clouding my vision with tears, quivering my bottom lip. I use all of my willpower to shut it down. Nothing has happened yet. This might be a misunderstanding.

And we all suddenly hear it.

Ruth.

A soft, pained whine.

Warrose reacts before I can even blink. Before I can even process. His large body barrels down the hallway with more grace and speed than someone his size should be capable of. And Dessin is on his tail. We flood the hallways, charging to our friend. Clearing the distance in long, leaping strides.

Rounding the corner, Warrose and Dessin halt. Digging their heels into the brimstone floor, bodies planting in front of us like an impenetrable wall.

I shove my way between their shoulders and choke on my own gasp.

Ruth’s small body pins a man to the bars behind his back.

Ruth grips his face between her hands.

Ruth stretches up on her tiptoes.

Ruth kisses the man.

Ruth kisses…Kaspias.