Hunted

Fifty-Three: A Veil of Smoke

The relative peace that had settled over the academy had been rudely disrupted, as Elmhirst began to unleash his fury on the island again. Charlotte and James emerged into the night air through the Eastern entrance, keeping to the shadows, as once more the hidden threats of Kingston were made known to the students.

The earth trembled and groaned as more explosives were detonated. The ground rose before them, a muddy eruption of clay and stone. In the distance people screamed and cursed as they tried to scramble through the raining dirt, too far away for Charlotte to figure out what was happening, or who was falling foul of Elmhirst's retaliation. Smoke billowed into the night sky in great dark plumes, disguising the alleviating darkness, the sky already tinged with a greyish half-light along the eastern horizon.

The reality of their situation had returned with a stunning suddenness, leaving Charlotte numb and confused. An unspoken truce had formed between herself and James, a knowledge that a future for them, together or apart, may only be a fleeting thought and could not be squandered over childish bickering.

As he moved beside her now, they both adopted their head student masks, their expressions unrelenting and unbreakable. Their features and carefully honed muscles were hard with a new and unwavering resolve, ready to undo the damage that Elmhirst had caused them during their time on the island.

The world they now faced had become a warzone, more dangerous and treacherous than any they had been taught to deal with. Their friends had become their enemies, a hidden threat, only now emerging from the shadows, more than ready to kill them in some show of blind obedience to a man who saw them only as products to be sold.

Somewhere out there, Charlotte knew Iseult and Ethan were leading the students against those who would stand in their way, though from where she stood she couldn't tell who had gained the upper hand. She just hoped they were still safe.

"So what's your plan?" James asked, staring across the training fields that ran from the back of the academy, north towards the Mountain. Charlotte's gaze went out of focus as she tried to think of what she wanted to do. She tried to concentrate on where she would be of most help, but it all seemed pointless. She had nothing, nothing only the desire to make Elmhirst squirm.

"Killing him won't be enough," she breathed, her words quiet, but James seemed to hear them anyway.

"Charlotte..." James frowned, his fear spiking and washing over her. She turned towards him, supressing the urge to embrace him, to comfort him. She tilted her head towards him, searching his clouded green eyes and wondered when his fear had stopped tempting her, when she had stopped seeing it as something to attack.

"He shot you. He was going to kill me – is still going to kill me if he gets the chance," she said matter-of-factly. "I am not going to make this easy on him".

James watched her for a moment, his jaw clenched. She knew the worry that consumed him. It was the same worry she felt, the worry that she would lose him to this, to Elmhirst, but that was all the more reason to fight.

He seemed to hesitate a moment, choosing his words carefully. "Charlotte, just end this, please. The longer you drag it out, the more chance he has of harming you," James replied, his words forced and awkward. They went against his better instincts, his need to keep her safe. In those words she understood just how completely he loved her. He was trying to leave her do as she wanted. He was trying to amend for his stubbornness in the past.

She frowned, butterflies surging in her stomach at his concern. She nodded in response, unable to form an answer. She knew he was right, but she also couldn't supress the urge to make Elmhirst suffer. She had enough reason to, so why shouldn't she take the opportunity if it arose?