04-05-2019, 12:39 AM
Discomfort prickled her skin when Jensen crumpled into his hands, her gaze falling away from an awareness of pain that ran deeper than the impossibility of their situation. Her nails dug into her palm, seeking distraction from the wave of hopelessness that threatened to tug her under too. There was no relief in sharing the burden, just a sense of necessity. She watched him sweep to Cayli’s side; watched the earnestness of his compassion, and the gift of a promise she was not sure either of them would be able to keep. She wished she could believe him.
When he returned, hands aloft in question, she shook her head. “I concede you were right last time, about needing to escape quickly.” A humourless smirk lifted her lips for the charm of old words, but some scars were harder to erase. The kindness only eroded walls better left intact, and fatigue was a ghost perched familiar on her shoulder. “But there isn’t anything you can fix this time.”
Obstinance reared. Better for him to conserve strength they might sorely need later, and she was wary of reliance tempted by the warm memory of her last healing by his hands. It had been a bad night, but it was unlikely to be the last.
And she didn’t want to feel whole.
“They use sedation in the Custody, to control channelers deemed a risk to society. It seems they employ the same trick over here. I doubt they could hold him any other way.” The explanation rang with a warning, acknowledging the source of Jensen’s own gifts. The why was harder to articulate given the blatant risk of such a gamble as walking knowingly into the snare of a trap. Desperation pushed men to the unthinkable. But Natalie understood. She only regretted the circumstances that prevented her being there too.
No surprise punctured her expression at the revelation, though something in her eased at how freely he shared the information she had suspected. Trust was hard won after all, and in pitiful supply the past few days. What he said meant the leeway she had assumed to be days became scant hours though; threat enough it should have banked panic in her chest, yet nothing stirred. She looked at Cayli, expressionless. Unless Jessika could be stalled, hours would not be enough even if Jay’s parents capitulated.
“Amengual was a guest at the ball in Moscow. Jessika might not be the only one vying for the territory if Texas secedes. We’ll be in the centre of a power struggle; one I doubt Brandon was unaware of when he granted us leave to come here. If you’re looking for blame, I’d start there.” Treasonous words, probably, but she spoke them unapologetically. For the first time she wondered at the depth of connections. If Axel was sharing Jessika’s bed, how tangled did the conspiracy knot? And was it manipulation or an alliance? Neither boded well. Defiance sparked for the corner she had been backed into. It chipped at her patience for subtlety. Cayli might be the anchor holding her back from recklessness, but even that hadn’t stopped her from calling Ryker.
“I’m not sure what he’ll know, but I suppose we’ll find out.” No other reasonable suggestions reared. Or unreasonable, given the avenues she’d already tried. Even if Axel shared nothing, they would come for Cayli soon enough. Zacarías’s threats twisted. She finally straightened from the wall, felt the steel resolve her spine despite impossible odds. But something paused her. It wasn’t her business, but she wasn’t blind to the current of more personal struggles. Jensen’s kindness never paused to look for anything in return. Natalie wouldn’t pry. But her voice softened all the same. “Plans or no plans, Jensen, she cannot force you to anything against your will.”
When he returned, hands aloft in question, she shook her head. “I concede you were right last time, about needing to escape quickly.” A humourless smirk lifted her lips for the charm of old words, but some scars were harder to erase. The kindness only eroded walls better left intact, and fatigue was a ghost perched familiar on her shoulder. “But there isn’t anything you can fix this time.”
Obstinance reared. Better for him to conserve strength they might sorely need later, and she was wary of reliance tempted by the warm memory of her last healing by his hands. It had been a bad night, but it was unlikely to be the last.
And she didn’t want to feel whole.
“They use sedation in the Custody, to control channelers deemed a risk to society. It seems they employ the same trick over here. I doubt they could hold him any other way.” The explanation rang with a warning, acknowledging the source of Jensen’s own gifts. The why was harder to articulate given the blatant risk of such a gamble as walking knowingly into the snare of a trap. Desperation pushed men to the unthinkable. But Natalie understood. She only regretted the circumstances that prevented her being there too.
No surprise punctured her expression at the revelation, though something in her eased at how freely he shared the information she had suspected. Trust was hard won after all, and in pitiful supply the past few days. What he said meant the leeway she had assumed to be days became scant hours though; threat enough it should have banked panic in her chest, yet nothing stirred. She looked at Cayli, expressionless. Unless Jessika could be stalled, hours would not be enough even if Jay’s parents capitulated.
“Amengual was a guest at the ball in Moscow. Jessika might not be the only one vying for the territory if Texas secedes. We’ll be in the centre of a power struggle; one I doubt Brandon was unaware of when he granted us leave to come here. If you’re looking for blame, I’d start there.” Treasonous words, probably, but she spoke them unapologetically. For the first time she wondered at the depth of connections. If Axel was sharing Jessika’s bed, how tangled did the conspiracy knot? And was it manipulation or an alliance? Neither boded well. Defiance sparked for the corner she had been backed into. It chipped at her patience for subtlety. Cayli might be the anchor holding her back from recklessness, but even that hadn’t stopped her from calling Ryker.
“I’m not sure what he’ll know, but I suppose we’ll find out.” No other reasonable suggestions reared. Or unreasonable, given the avenues she’d already tried. Even if Axel shared nothing, they would come for Cayli soon enough. Zacarías’s threats twisted. She finally straightened from the wall, felt the steel resolve her spine despite impossible odds. But something paused her. It wasn’t her business, but she wasn’t blind to the current of more personal struggles. Jensen’s kindness never paused to look for anything in return. Natalie wouldn’t pry. But her voice softened all the same. “Plans or no plans, Jensen, she cannot force you to anything against your will.”