The Lost Daughter (Denali #2)

Chapter 13

I fall back against a tree along the path, the cold needling into my bones. But it's not the chill that freezes me.

What have they done? And what can I do about it? I can't drag Sara into this, can I? The Captain is too powerful. Anyone I go to for help could end up like LV.

I could end up like LV.

Thoughts and time mush together as I stay perfectly still. It's long after the small speck that is Dylan has disappeared into the dark. It's long after my snot has frozen in my nose. It's long after the clouds have slowly drifted across the moon. At least an hour has passed before I hear the voices.

"This is an island, she has to be somewhere."

The Captain.

And he's not alone.

Feet crunch against the frost and other voices murmur through the air. I curl into myself. What could he want? Did he know I was here. Blinding light sweeps into my eyes.

"Denali!" Claudia rushes to me and pulls me up. This is an especially hard task as I'm not sure I want to get up. The flashlights shake across my vision so I can't see the Captain.

I groan as I stretch my legs into a standing position and rub my eyes. Mr. Churchill finally removes the blinding light and points his flashlight at the roots. "Lord, what are you doing out here? It's got to be 20 degrees."

I swallow a few times and rub my hands. I don't want to make eye contact with the Captain, but, somehow, my vision, still all blotty from the light, makes its way.

He furrows his forehead. "Maybe she's seen her," the Captain says. It's not a question, and the way his eyes penetrate into me, it's like....

How long have you been here?

The message cascades through my brain. I square my shoulders and respond aloud. "Long enough."

Mr. Churchill tilts his head. Claudia tenses. The Captain grins. Grins!

Stay quiet, Denali. I'll explain.

The message cascades down my brain and an undesired warmth claws up my spine. "Oh, I bet you will." I turn to Claudia and Mr. Churchill. "He killed LV."

The Captain squints at me and shakes his head. "No, Den--"

"That's quite an accusation," Mr. Churchill says, but there's a glimmer in his eye. He believes me. "Here, we just thought she'd run off. But you saw Derek kill the poor girl?" He steps back from the Captain and his hand fingers something on his hip that I'm pretty sure isn't another flashlight.

"Yes," I say, as the warmth in my muscles grows stronger. Like jello is dripping along my insides.

"She's lying," Claudia says. No! Claudia is a lie detector. She must know I'm telling the truth. She must. I shake my head and fight the relaxing heat that burns down my body.

"Ray...he..." My body gets weaker, my muscles grow hotter and looser, with each word. My mind has slowed. Everything is slow, but I must fight it. "A boat,..." I point at the water as I rest my hand on a tree.

"What's wrong with her?" Mr. Churchill asks like I'm not there.

As the heat takes over and I loose all muscle control, the Captain, the f*cking Captain, is right there, arms out, ready to catch me. He picks me up, my limp limbs and all. I frown and turn. I fight the last bit, the overpowering sense of calm that rubs along my muscles and in my brain. The calm that is false. The calm that is fake. The calm the Captain has put on me so I'll shut up. What will he do once I'm incapacitated? I can't fight it any more. With one last tidbit of energy, I look Mr. Churchill straight in the eye. "It's true," is all I can get out before the Captain holds me close to him as the world fades to black. 

I know this is too little WAY too late, but if you're still reading, thanks for your patience. More to come... :)