Of Blood And Royal Bones

Chapter 18: A Secret Uncovered

Kassia had known that Ziam would not die from the injury she'd commanded him to perform unto himself. She knew he possessed some sort of mending elixir that he would use on himself in his moment of need. She was angry and vengeful and afraid, but she wasn't yet a killer. That had been the quality that Adem now chose to loath in all its greatness.

When they'd awoken back in their cells, he'd contented in locking his lips tight. He refused to look at her and she knew if she attempted, he would refuse to speak to her as well. It was as if he'd seen the situation exactly as it was. Kassia suspected there might still be a trace of doubt in his mind. That maybe it had looked to him as if she'd truly failed to overtake Ziam in the woods. Either way, it didn't make much difference to her. He could go on believing whatever it was he wanted. She knew what she'd done and there was no way to undo it, though she was quite aware of what she was meant to do next.

Jurgen and Edith had returned since their attempted escape and she snuck a glance at the exhausted figure of the former, an inflamed laceration running across his neck. She was unsure how he had survived the torture he underwent daily. It was obvious that Edith had no way of healing him, what with Adem's stubborn refusal to allow her, and she'd never once glimpsed Ziam spilling his precious elixir on his wounds. Perhaps, he contained a level of inexplicable self-healing just as she did. Whatever the reason for it, she was grateful all the same. She'd no knowledge of what had been done to him, though she did know that all of his visible skin was coated in a dark layer of dried blood.

She slid to the partitioning bars and rested her back against them. In a raspy whisper, she said, "I owe you an apology."

He looked up at her from his slumped position on the other side of his cell and lethargically slid himself to her as he answered, "For what?"

Kassia lowered her voice even more. She truly feared that Adem might throw a stone at her due to his fury with her. "I thought I knew what I was doing. You see now I was wrong."

It would have been quite obvious of their attempt to escape when Jurgen and Edith returned to an empty dungeon, and furthermore when Ziam threw Kassia and Adem's unconscious bodies back into their cells, their midsections bloodied. Kassia did not need to fill Jurgen in on the details when she knew he must've been all too aware.

It was several long moments before he responded, and she wondered if he even had the strength to.

"I've no wits about how to escape this place, but if I had I would have acted on it just the same."

"I think it is best that I've not succeeded." She bit her lip nervously before she continued. "See, I was forced to leave you behind in my attempt."

His eyes glazed with determination as he leaned closer to her. "Listen to me, Kass. I do not care what it comes to, if it is down to your freedom or mine, you take your bloody freedom and do not spare a second thought for me." He ordered as he shot a glance towards Adem.

She cast her eyes away from his and nodded. She would have never agreed to such a command if she had not possessed full confidence that it would never again come to that. She was certain that the next time they received a chance to escape, they would all be taking it.

"I'd not argue a plate of scraps at the moment." Jurgen grunted as he held an arm against his empty stomach. "The only time I delight in seeing the spy and it seems he's neglecting our mealtimes."

"He won't be returning anytime soon." Kassia informed him. She was certain Ziam was gaining his strength back and would be reluctant to present himself again soon.

"For once I'd say that's a pity." He grumbled.

"I stuck him for you." She offered with a note of pride in her voice.