Page 10 of The Rising Wave

“He needs a fresh round of them, by the look of things.” Garmand stepped into the cell and looked down at the blood-soak strips of sheet.

It looked bad, but Ava had checked a few times in the night, and they had almost all closed up.

Luc was still hot to the touch though.

If they did check his wounds under the bandages, they would see the stitching.

That would be bad.

Very, very bad.

She fought the cold chill of panic as Garmand gestured to the other guards, and they crowded into the small space, bent down and hauled Luc up.

He muttered something unintelligible and lifted his head slightly, then dropped it down again.

He didn't look at her. That was wise, but she was sorry for it. Their plans were in ruins.

“We won't get anything out of him in this state,” Garmand said, staring at Luc's limp body hanging between the guards.

“We can try.” Juni gave a grin. “Let's go, boys.”

The guards dragged Luc out, struggling with the weight and size of him.

Ava watched with a growing sense of sickness in the pit of her stomach as he disappeared out of her cell.

They had come for him far sooner than she'd thought.

She was still in the corner, holding herself tightly with arms around her waist.

Juni and Garmand paused in the doorway as they made their way out, and she saw the leer in Juni's expression before he stepped out.

Alarm flared up in her. He was growing bolder.

She stayed where she was when the door closed, waiting until the only sounds beyond the door was the soft shuffle of Banyon's feet, and eventually, even that faded.

She walked carefully across the cell and leaned against the door, looking out and listening, because surely Banyon would be back with food for her.

She had to go now.

Before they found the stitches. She wanted to help Luc, and she would try. But if she couldn't, she still had to go.

There would be no fourth chance for her.

She had been told that and she believed it.

They would throw her off the tower, or hold her under the water of the moat.

Whatever left no weapon's mark.

So she would go the very first chance she got.

* * *

A long time passed.

She was unable to tell anymore how many hours, but it was midday or even later when she was roused from her position sitting against the door by the sound of Banyon's limping gait.

She shook herself out of her half-doze, adrenalin suddenly spiking now the moment had arrived.

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