Page 52 of Mud

My eyes popped open, and my body was suddenly working again because I knew that voice.

Fuck me, I knew that voice, and it wasn’t a guard.

It was Cassie.

Tears in my eyes, though I’m not sure if they spilled. Cassie dragged me back where we came from until we were far enough away from those guards and deep into the shadows cast by the building.

Only then did she let go of me, spun me around, and held me up by the shoulders.

“For fuck’s sake, Rora,” she said, then slammed me to her chest and hugged me.

Funny, I just now realized I hadn’t been hugged by anyone in almost two years.

Somehow, I managed to hug her back. Whether I was crying or not didn’t matter.

“Help me.” Two words I’d said so rarely, only because to ask for help was to show vulnerability. To ask for help was to admit you were not good enough.

But it was okay, though, because right now Iwasvulnerable. Right now Iwasnot good enough.

And I wasn’t sure I’d ever be again.

“I will. I’ll get you out of here, don’t you worry. Your twin teammates told me everything. I came to find you in the infirmary, but you were gone. I was worried sick,” Cassie said, then moved away from me, and I almost fell without her support.

“A spell,” I choked. “Just…just do a healing spell.” My leg was a mess, and it was the reason why I was in this position in the first place. Blood loss, infection, lack of energy to control my magic.

Cassie flinched. “I can’t do that, Rora. I need to get you out of here first, but I can’t take you far. The best I can do is take you out of the building.”

Out of the buildingsounded likeheavento me now.

“Please. Just take me out.”

Goddess, she looked awful, and I hated that it was because of me.

“You have a place to go?”

My lips opened.I do.

They closed again.I don’t.

“Just take me out and put me in an Uber. Is that doable?” I said, my words slurred together, but only because I was trying to lock down those stupid tears.

Cassie nodded. “Yes, I think so. But, Rora, you have to do exactly as I say, or we’re both dead. Understood?”

She didn’t even need to remind me of the fact that I had no choice. I nodded, and when she led the way back behind the building, I followed in silence, hopping as fast as Icould. She supported half my weight, and it was different, faster, less messy. I didn’t think about anything at all, didn’t allow myself to even wonder if I would get caught. I just followed her lead and stopped when she said so and walked when she pulled.

I actually made it out of the IDD Headquarters alive.

Staying awake was impossible, though I tried. Cassie put me in the trunk of a car, and the last thing I remembered was the engine roaring to life. Unconsciousness took me despite how panicked I was to know if the guards would sense me, see me, if they’d stop Cassie before she drove me outside of those gates. I was too exhausted.

Then someone slapped me on the face—hard.

“Wake up!”

Cassie was right there, hovering over me, and when my eyes opened just a slit, she grabbed me by my shirt and pulled me out of the trunk.

“Focus!” she was telling me, along with something else I didn’t catch, but I was trying. I was blinking my eyes fast and trying to make out my surroundings, but it took me a little while to understand what was happening.

“That’s better. Here, drink this,” Cassie said, bringing the rim of a bottle to my lips. The water gave me a surge of energy as it slid down my throat, and I was instantly more aware—of the car I was leaning against, the trunk still open. Of the road and the hills at its side, completely deserted save for a white car a few feet ahead of Cassie’s. Of the moon burning silver in the sky.

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