Page 119 of Conflicted

Nox shuffled suddenly, moving around in the cell. “Hey, come to the bars.”

Frowning, I did as he said. “You know we can’t see each other, right? That’s not how physics works.”

“I wish you could see the epic eye-roll I’m doing right now.”

“I can imagine it,” I said. “I’ve seen it before and will no doubt see it again.”

“Here” Nox made a few small grunts and then his long fingers appeared, just in view. “Can you see this?”

My heart leapt at the simple sight. “I can do one better than see it.”

I dropped onto my stomach, army crawling as close to the bars as possible. It took a few attempts to get the angle right, but finally I was able to get my hand close enough. My fingers stroked his palm, making him jump. He pulled his hand backwards until we were able to tangle our fingers together.

“There,” he whispered softly. “Even bars can’t keep us apart.”

Warmth pricked at the back of my eyes. “Theycan though.”

“They can’t. We’re bonded, Micah. When we go, we go together. And if all we have are these past few weeks? Then I’ll go to my death in peace, knowing I’ve experienced true happiness.”

A tear slid down my face. It wasn’t the first I’d shed in this cell, but it was certainly the saddest. “I love you, Nox.”

“I love you too, Micah. Nothing’s going to change that.”

We were quiet for a few minutes, both in awkward positions, but neither of us willing to let the other go for even a second.

“I don’t think I’m going to be able to sleep tonight.”

“Then don’t,” Nox said simply. “We can just hold hands and talk.”

Tears pricked at my eyes. “These might be our last few hours.”

“Then let’s not spend them in sadness. Let’s spend them in joy. I want to hear about everyone in your life who makes you happy. Every encounter that’s made you smile. Each day that you’ve woken up feeling like life itself is blooming in your chest. Tell me all of it, Micah.”

And so I did.

Ididn’t know how many hours I talked for. With no clock, there was no way to tell how much time had passed. Eventually though, I’d told Nox every story I could think of. Then I insisted it was his turn. It took him a while to get going, but after a few prodding questions about Quill and the others, the memories flowed.

That was how we passed the time. We lay on the floor of our dirty cells, holding hands and exchanging snippets of joy. We only moved to relieve ourselves in the disgusting bucket in the corner.

It was a good thing we didn’t need food or drink tosurvive, because no one arrived to give us any. We wouldn’t die without it, but we would grow weaker. As more time passed, the tiny spark of hope we’d been clinging to began to dim.

Our voices grew quieter as our exhaustion grew. We drifted in and out of sleep, never fully resting, but unable to stop our lids drooping.

“They want us weak,” I rasped during an hour of silence. It wasn’t that we didn’t want to talk any longer, but we were trying to conserve our energy. “That’s why they’re keeping us down here for this long.”

Nox was silent. He didn’t need to respond—we both knew it was true.

Eventually, the sound of an ancient lock turning echoed along the corridor. Nox and I reluctantly released each other, pulling our hands back into the cell.

Multiple footsteps echoed through the dungeon, and the hairs on the back of my neck stood on end. Had they sent an army to retrieve us?

I hid my exhaustion, squaring my shoulders and keeping my head held high. I donned the impassive mask that I liked to wear in these situations.

The higher-ups might be entitled to take my life, but they weren’t entitled to my emotions. That was an honour I granted to only one other.

Through the bond, I felt Nox shoving his own fatigue away as he too prepared himself. I tried to focus on it, sending a beat of love in his direction.

A second later, I felt it from his end.

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