The Seal

4

Ezeriah couldn't get words to form. Her heart was restricted in her chest and at any moment, she felt she'd shatter. Her mind was filled with so many thoughts she had gone onto overload.

Deyja speechlessly sat there too, she didn't know what she to think. She felt bad for Ezeriah, and now more than ever she wanted to protect her. Yes, even though she was a couple hundred years older than Ezeriah, she felt like the responsible older sister to her.

"Anyone gonna explain to me what I've missed?" Jaxton motioned to all the papers scattered on the table.

Li handed Jaxton a bunch of papers." Read these. The main point is, Ezeriah is in trouble if anyone finds out she's alive. From what I've gathered, she was meant to die in the Glades with the rest of the frozen people. It sounds like the new Magistrate isn't so wonderful after all."

Ezeriah became frigid and her eyes grew wide in fear. Deyja quickly noticed and leaned
forward.

"She won't be in trouble because we'll keep her safe." Deyja nodded to Ezeriah.

Li nodded, too." Definitely, who knows what they're up to. From the sounds of it, it's not good, and I want to find out."

Li always went overboard, and Jaxton was feeling overwhelmed.

"Woah." Jaxton stood up." We're not getting involved in a government ordeal. It's not our mess."

"I'm sorry, did you miss the part where theyre clearly testing on people and killing them if they don't get the results they want?" Deyja frowned.

Jaxton scoffed." They were dead to begin with."

"How do you know?" Deyja stood up, too.

"They've been asleep for hundreds of years, Dey! You really think they woke them up to tested on them? They experimented, it didn't work out, so they threw their bodies out. Not my problem." Jaxton shrugged.

"But they're humans! They could've been tortured!" Deyja yelled.

"How do we know they were?" Jaxton turned to Ezeriah." Do you remember being being tortured?"

They all turned to look at her.

"I don't.. I can't.." Ezeriah stopped and sadly looked down.

Truthfully, she couldn't remember much. And she didn't remember being woken up.

"Exactly." Jaxton crossed his arm.

Li stood up next to Deyja." Look, I know you don't want to get into any trouble, but Ezeriah is now our friend. And friends help each other. If you don't want to get involved in what their up to, then fine. For me? It's not right, and I'm going to figure it out. You don't want to help us protect Ezeriah? Fine, leave. But she is a secret between us three."

Deyja stared at Li in amazement. Li always followed Jaxton, no matter what is was.

"My grandma speaks a lot about her mom's boyfriend Freghton, who sickly ill during the Rage. He was like a father to her, but they never found his remains or how he died. I..." He looked down." I've heard stories and I don't know, what if he is still alive... like Ezeriah."

Jaxton held his eyes and stayed silent for several moments. "It's a long reach, Li-"

"I know, I know." Li mumbled.

Jaxton sighed heavily and rubbed his temples.

"But, I'm with you." Jaxton nodded, looking back at him. "I'm with you guys. He may be alive. Somewhere. I don't know if we will find him, but maybe we can find out what happened."