Chapter 20

I have no idea how long we have been sitting on the hard ground, but when the pain in my arm starts to lessen. I realize the cold is stiffening me up and I need to move. Zllera has cried herself to sleep leaning against me and I hate to wake her, but we need to see if there is anything in this area we can use. I am in serious doubt that there is a way out of here, but I still have to look. Lord only knows how long we have before they come back for us.

"Zllera, sweetie, hold Wynd for a few minutes so I can look around." The second I start to move Wynd puckers up like she is going to cry. "Hey, no tears. I am not going anywhere; would you rather walk around with me?"

Shenods and hops off my lap, but never lets go of my hand. Moving around is probably not the smartest thing to do, as sharp pains run up and down my arm, but we can't just sit here. The moment I am on my feet, it takes a second for me to breathe through the pain. The entire time, I am trying to smile down at Wynd. She knows something is wrong, but I am trying my best not to show her my own fears.

Aswe have been sitting here, ZoD telling me about his mother and how he found her keeps running through my head. So, I already know why they want us. I am just not sure how to keep these kids safe until he gets here. We walk slowly around the enclosure since I am limping. My legs are scraped up where they were dragging us through those caves. Streaks of dried blood seem to cover most of my bare skin.

Itry to examine every inch of the floor and walls, finding the area slightly smaller than I originally thought. I stop when we find a few pieces of clothing scattered throughout the area. Picking each of them up, reluctantly I look through the pockets for anything we can use only to find nothing. Zllera looks at them and then me and I just motion for us to move on. Neither of us wants to think about why they are here.

Inone of the back corners, a large crack runs all the way to the roof. At first, I was hoping it might be large enough for Wynd to fit through, and maybe she could get away. But the moment that idea hits me I know it is not going to work. She is just a baby, and she would simply end up lost, or worse.

Ihad just made my way around the outer walls when I hear the gates opening. Zllera runs to my side, and I put her and Wynd behind me as several of them walk through. One looks nothing like the others I have seen so far, and I jerk when it speaks. It's making clicking noises like the others, but for some reason, I can understand it. Even though I can't see a mouth for the words to come out of.

"I was told one of your kind was brought in, so I had to come see you myself. What a lovely creature you are in person. No wonder my brothers were so tempted by one of your kind. I too would have easily fallen into your trap just to taste your delicate skin." Its arms spread out and I can see little suckers and what looks like thousands of needles lining them as they twirl around on themselves.

"What do you want from us?"

"You, I am not sure yet. Them," he points to the kids, "I will lay my eggs in, and hope that I produce at least one royal in the bunch from their flesh."

Theentire time, they back us slowly into a corner. One of them reaches out to grab Zllera and I smack its hand away with my bad arm before I think about it. Fresh blood splatters against its skin and it starts making this horrendous noise. I'm horrified when I see its body start to shake and I swear it withers right in front of us. It takes a second for my mind to catch up as the pain from moving my arm has me gritting my teeth. I push Zllera back further behind me, and I feel her hands on top of Wynd's shoulders as they move with me.

Theone I can understand jumps away from me as far as possible. "So, it's true, your red essence is the destroyer of my kind, and it looks as if you have contaminated the other two breeders. Or have you? It may be possible to wash off your essence and they may still be salvageable."

"My blood is seeping into their skin as we speak, they are of no use to you. You might as well let us go."

"I am afraid that is not an option I am willing to consider at this time. Yes, I cannot use you personally, but your kind is highly sought after. I can name my price and get it at the pleasure centers for one such as you. I must think on this." It turns and the others fall out behind it, quickly closing us back in again.

"Zllera, rub all this fresh blood into your skin. I don't have an unlimited amount of this stuff, so let's not waste what I have already lost. I believe I am running short as I am already light-headed from this broken arm of mine." While she is doing as I ask, I rub the blood that has been running down my arm onto every inch that I can see of Wynd. Even her pretty baby cheeks are now covered.

Leaningback against the wall, I notice my focus is coming in and out. "Zllera, you need to see if you can wrap my arm again." She doesn't say a word, just immediately turns to me. Her hands work quickly to tighten the wrap once again. "Honey, when you're done, grab some of those shirts over there. We will try to use them to cover ourselves up some, it seems cold in here to me."

Thefact that she is doing whatever I ask without saying a word begins to worry me. As a matter of fact, they are both unnaturally quiet. Sliding down the wall, I settle on the floor. The moment my butt hits the floor. Wynd crawls in my lap and tucks her head under my chin as I rub her legs and back, trying to keep her warm.

"Zllera, talk to me."

"I am terrified if I say it out loud, it will happen. Did you hear what that thing is going to do to me and Wynd?"

"I did, honey, but it's scared of you now. I think for the time being you are safe. Hopefully, this will give your dad some extra time to find you."

Afew stray tears flow down her beautifully marked cheeks, and it breaks my heart when I hear her stomach growl. Children should never be a part of something like this. I feel the weight of their lives on my shoulders, and I fear I am going to fail them both before ZoD can get here. Nothing in all my days could have prepared me for a situation like this.

Iknow ZoD is coming. I have no idea how, but it's like I can feel him. My heart hits my chest and if I think hard enough. I swear I am peering out into the darkness through his eyes. I pat Zllera's leg since she is curled up against me as we huddle under these random shirts, trying to stay warm.

"Why is it so cold in here, but not in your part of the caves?"

"The lava crystals don't just put out light. They also provide enough warmth to heat the chambers."

"Interesting to know, the way you guys have adapted to being above and below the surface is amazing to me. WhereI come from, if we had been tasked with surviving the same way, I believe we would have failed."

Weget quiet when we hear the clicking noises again, and I am thankful when they pass by. I wonder if any others were taken at the same time or if this is where they hold everyone. Wynd has been exceptionally good, but she sees everything, and I ponder on what this is going to do to her young mind. Once that thought enters my mind. I realize I need to do everything I can to make this an adventure for her and not a horror story.

"Wynd, sweetie, would you like me to tell you a story?" She finally perks up as she takes her hands out of my hair that she has knotted to the point of no return.

"Story … about Tessa?"

"No, but it's a fairytale from Tessa's world." She turns, tucking her legs inside of mine refusing to leave my lap but still wanting to look at me. It takes me a second to figure out which one would be the best. I end up choosing the story of Rapunzel because Wynd seems fascinated with my hair. We're all so caught up in the story that we all scream when a voice suddenly sounds from behind us.