Page 118 of Wings of Death

He laughs. “I’m glad you like it. I got it in the city from a store there. An elderly female makes them herself.”

I spread it out and wrap it around my shoulders before settling my gaze on his. “Thank you, Yimel. Truly.”

He reaches into his pocket, pulls out some food wrapped in cloth, passes it through the bars. “It’s coconut loaf. I saved you some from the stalls.”

I take it from him, excited to eat it later. “Thanks,” I say, glancing down at the cloth. “Yimel?—”

“I can’t let you out.” His voice is merely a whisper as he closes his eyes and shakes his head.

All hope drops away, and I swallow hard. His hand strokes my cheek once more, and although I can’t stand his touch, I allow it. It’s part of my plan to gain his trust.

“Don’t be sad, Zarla. If I released you, they would kill us both.”

He’s probably right, but still.

“Are there any secret doors or tunnels in here? Maybe you can’t release me, but I can escape.” The desperation in my voice is clear, but I have to try. If there’s another way out of here, I will do whatever it takes to find it.

He shakes his head. “I can’t, Zarla.”

I drag myself back to my corner, sink down onto the floor, and lean against the wall. He watches my every movement.

“Are you warm enough?” he asks.

I just nod.

He looks around as if to ensure we’re alone. “You know, I could always come in there for a while, keep you warm.”

Disgust creeps into my stomach, and I have to be careful not to let it show on my face. “Oh, no, it’s okay. I’m warm now,” I lie.

He slips his hands into his pockets. “If you change your mind, let me know,” he says and leaves back through the tunnel.

I would rather be in here with no blankets at all than to have him come in to keep me warm. Despite his sort-of kindness, I’m not fooled. He’s still a part of this, and he can still choose to let me go. But he won’t. So as far as I’m concerned, he’s as bad as Hethenos and his brother.

I glance around my cell as frustration sets in. This is a place for those who have broken the angel laws. Not for the King’s daughter. I have done no wrong. I don’t deserve this. Hethenos deserves to be in here. In fact, she deserves much worse, and I won’t stop until she’s punished for her crimes.

With nothing to lose, I call out for help and am met with nothing but silence. I stand up on my tiptoes and peer out through the tiny cell window. It’s dark out now, and I can’t see much except the faint glow of the moonlight behind a cloud.

“Help!” I call out, but there’s no response.

I’m alone out here on the far side of the Kingdom. No one is coming to save me. I sit back down, unwrap the coconut loaf, and eat it all. I don’t realise I’m so hungry until now. Rimel and Yimel didn’t bring me any food when they visited this morning, which was likely why Yimel brought me this.

It does little to satisfy my hunger, but it’s better than nothing. My body is growing weaker day by day with the lack of food. I can almost feel my powers diminishing as well. How long do they plan to keep me in here?

Footsteps sound down the tunnel, and I sit up, assuming it’s Yimel returning. Maybe he heard me calling out for help.

My heart hammers against my chest when I see Hethenos saunter toward my cell wearing a red suit with what appears to be nothing underneath it. Her blonde hair hangs straight just past her shoulders, and she’s wearing red lipstick and red heels. She doesn’t say a word and simply watches me. Her eyes shift to my blankets, and annoyance washes over her features.

“I’m going to take a guess and say Yimel brought you those?”

I don’t answer her, and her red lips curl up at the sides.

“He’s always had a soft spot for you. I don’t get what it is. You’re as boring as your mother was. But males seem to fall at your feet, nonetheless.”

I press my lips together, narrowing my eyes at her and her continuous flow of cruel lies.

She slowly walks to the cell and taps her manicured nails over her lips. “Oh yes, that’s a familiar look. Your mother often looked at me that way.”

“Do not speak of her,” I say as I get to my feet, clenching my fists at my sides.

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