“Are you okay?” I demand.
Tears form in her eyes, but she doesn’t cry. She just sets her mouth in a tight line and nods. In that moment, she doesn’t seem like a little girl, but the queen she said she wants to be. And I want to be her knight and keep her safe.
“We have to run,” I rasp.
She nods, but doesn’t let go of my arm. Pain and anxiety pinch her expression, and I force a smile to reassure her. Doesn’t matter what Mom fed me; I’m going to do everything I can to protect my Queen.
We rush out together.
The night sky isn’t black anymore. Orange flames lick at the trees around us. The air is hot and thick. I look around, searching for a way out, but the only thing I see is fire and more fire. My right arm throbs, but I don’t make a sound. I can’t complain when she hasn’t said a word about her own shoulder injury.
She points. “There’s a lake that way.”
We hurry and cut through a dry, grassy field, the scorching air at our backs. I don’t know how long we run. It’s impossibleto tell when I’m only awake due to terror and a sense of responsibility for her safety.
Finally, we reach the “lake.” It’s more like a small pond, but good enough. If the fire gets any closer, we can jump into the water to avoid getting burned alive.
My legs finally give out, and I fall to my knees. I can’t keep my head up without feeling like it’s about to explode with the sharp, pounding pain. I lie down and close my eyes, focusing on breathing. I hate Mom for drugging me. For making me feel helpless and useless and weak.
The dress rustles as the girl crouches next to me. “Are you okay?” she asks.
I’m too out of it to say anything.
“Don’t die,” she whispers.
I crack my eyes open. She looks down at me, her brows knitted with fear and worry. The fire casts an orange halo around her, making her look like an angel.
I nod. “I won’t. I promise.”
She gives me a relieved smile. I should smile back, reassure her, but all the strength in my limbs drains away and everything goes black.
When I open my eyes again, I’m in a brightly lit hospital room. Dad, Grandmother and Aunt Jeremiah stand around my bed, looking worried.
“How are you feeling?” Dad’s voice is shaky. I’ve never heard him sound like this before.
“Tired. Otherwise…okay.” I add the last part for Queen if she’s listening from somewhere in the room.
Dad doesn’t believe me. “You’ve been unconscious for three days.”
Three days?I look around, but don’t see anyone else. “Where is she?”
“Who?”
“The girl who saved me. She led me to the lake.”
My aunt and grandmother exchange glances. I’m too exhausted to figure it out, but they’re hiding something.
“There wasn’t any girl,” Dad says finally.
“No way. She was there. And she got hurt, trying to save me.”
“It was just you, passed out by the pond.” Grandmother’s voice is firm and assured. “We didn’t see anybody. If we had, we would’ve brought her in to be treated.”
“I don’t believe you.”
“It’s true,” Aunt Jeremiah says. “But once you get better, I’ll personally help you find her. I promise.”
My outrage at their denial dies. She rarely makes a promise, but when she does, she keeps it. There’s no point in insisting on finding Queen right now. “Did you catch Mom?”
