AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Well, I haven’t thought it through completely. I just saw an opportunity and took it.”
Ali’s eyes widened. The reprimand there was clear before she even spoke.
He held a hand up to reassure her. “But it’s fine. It’ll be okay. This is a good thing. With this bomb, we can leave through any point in the wall. Just blow it up. We don’t need to wait until I’m assigned to a post.”
“Blow it up? Do you hear how insane you sound?” Ali was looking at him like he’d lost his mind. And maybe he had. Isolation and imprisonment could have that effect on people. “And what happens when all of Rysburg hears that and comes after us? We were relying on a head start before anyone knew we were missing.”
“Yeah, well, your plan didn’t exactly work out, Ali. Excuse me for trying to come up with another one.”
Her jaw dropped, and she quickly closed it.
Eli avoided her gaze, a little embarrassed at his outburst. He meant every word, though, and he wouldn’t apologize. Nik wasn’t looking out for him, and Eli would never feel secure as long as he was calling the shots. Eli had to take the reins.
“I’m sorry, Eli. I know how much you wanted to leave. None of us expected it to fall apart like that.” She grabbed his hand and scooted closer to him. Across the courtyard, Nik froze and squinted at them. “But we will get out. You just have to be patient and…think things through. You’re so impulsive.” She chuckled nervously.
“So now what?” he asked.
“Nik is working on it. We can try again soon.”
Eli ground his teeth together. “I’m not waiting on Nik to devise a plan. And what about the outside threat? Do we even know how much longer we have?”
“If they show up while we’re still here, you can always just blow them up.”
Eli rolled his eyes while she laughed. She might’ve thought it was funny, but that didn’t sound half bad to him. It had been a goal of his since day one to set this place on fire.
“Don’t think I won’t. It’s not off the table for me.”
Still, the way she laughed caused him to doubt himself. He had been so excited to finally have some control, and she’d shot him down. Surely he would make it work somehow. He just needed to give it more thought.
“I need to head back to the greenhouse. My lunch break is almost over.” She stood and brushed her hand against his cheek. It felt wrong, the way they touched. What used to feel so intimate now felt like a consolation. And Nik watched them with his arms crossed, clearly displeased. “I’ll see you soon.”
That evening, Eli lay in bed with his eyes closed, not yet asleep. He tried to formulate plan after plan, poking holes in each of them, the largest of which was being heard by everyone within ten miles. They’d never get far if they alerted the whole town. It would put them all in danger. Maybe Ali was right and he had been a fool.
Footsteps approached his cell, and he reluctantly opened his eyes. He wasn’t even sure what time it was. Late evening or past midnight? The hours all ran together.
“I’ve got good news,” Nik said.
Eli grunted in response.
“Always so cheerful. I made sure you’re assigned to another night shift in three days. We’ll try again.”
Eli sank into the bed. It already felt like a failed mission before they even began. Surely something else would come up and ruin their plan yet again. He rolled over, his back facing the cell door.
“Eli,” Nik called to him. “It’ll work this time.”
There was something in his voice. He was pleading for Eli to trust him, but also pleading to the unseen gods that it would work. That this time would be different. That this time would be a success.
“If you say so.”
Rain pelted the window while Ali rested peacefully in bed with Nik. His arm stretched across her stomach, and she watched his muscles tighten and relax as he brushed against her side. Spring was creeping in on Rysburg and she was thankful for the warmer weather, knowing the venture on which they were about to embark. They’d been lying in bed for hours, but she didn’t want to leave his arms. She wasn’t sure how long it would be before they could have lazy days like this again.
Tonight would be their second attempt at leaving Rysburg, and she couldn’t bear the thought of what would happen if they failed again. It was only a matter of time before their enemies encroached on the village. The attack on the west end had rattled them all and weakened their forces. It was hard to tell who was better fit to win in a battle.
She had seen the ferocity of Rysburg, but they knew very little about their foes. How many of them were there? How well equipped were they? Nik seemed to think they were well prepared based on the few that had attacked him. He’d noted that they all had several weapons a piece and protective gear too. And they were clearly cunning and ruthless after what they’d done to mere civilians.
The scouting mission had been unsuccessful. Whoever these people were, they were good at hiding, even in plain sight. They were one with the woods, and every time Ali looked out into the vast forest, chills ran down her spine, knowing they could be out there, lurking behind the trees.
Nik brushed her arm gently and pulled her close, so close she had to wrap a leg around him. His muscular thigh tucked between her legs. Neither of them wore any clothes and had spent most of the night and early hours of the day intertwined. Again, she had no idea when they’d be able to do this, to have this easy and blissful expression of intimacy.
