Page 91 of Memory of Ashes

She waited. Silence answered.

She grabbed one of the excavation tools from her desk and moved towards the open door of the records room.

Something shifted behind the cabinets. She jumped back. The tool fell from her grasp.

“Amelia?”

She paused.

“Karl?”

She hurried towards him as he climbed out from behind the cabinet.

“Are you alright?” she asked, noting his blood-stained clothes.

“I don’t know… I don’t know what happened.”

“What are you doing here?” she asked.

“It was one of the only buildings left standing. I hid when everyone else fled or was captured. What about you?”

She tilted her head back slightly. How could she explain?

“You came back with them.”

The accusation stopped her. The look on his face made the words turn to ash on her tongue.

“Some of them. It’s complicated.”

Casyl appeared in the doorway.

“This is where you worked?” Casyl asked.

Karl stumbled backwards, reaching blindly for Amelia’s fallen tool.

She let out a sob and stood between them.

He walked over to stand beside her, eyeing Karl all the while.

Karl backed away further into the room, holding the tool up.

“I’m not going to hurt you,” Casyl said.

“You’ve got to help him.” She turned to Casyl, pleading. “If Salkin and his men see him…” She left the words unspoken. She wasn’t sure what they would do. He would end up in the dungeon with the others, or worse. “He needs safe passage.”

Casyl looked at Karl. “He’ll have it.”

Casyl left and returned with Danae a few moments later.

“She’ll get you out.”

Karl remained where he was.

“She’ll help you,” Amelia said softly.

“You don’t have to trust me,” Danae said. “You only have to follow me.”

“Why would you help me?” Karl asked.