The next morning I had made up my mind. I would pretend to be sick so Tynan would give up exploring that room. But the thought of him going alone made it worse somehow. Before I could change my mind again, I was in front of the bathroom mirror. My eyes looked hollow and my cheeks were stained with dried tears. Had I cried in my dreams? Before I could attempt to pity myself, I got ready and made my way to the breakfast table. Everything seemed monotonous. I picked at my plate and only moved when Tynan nudged me. I looked up to see him smiling.
"Why are you sitting here?" I asked, and regretted as it sounded rude. "I mean your friends." I eyed the others on the opposite end.
"I love you," Tynan blurted. "I love you and I wanna sit with you. Next question."
I stood there, amused. "I- uh."
But Tynan was quick to put an end to the awkwardness. "I'm worried about Ignis. He hasn't come to the palace in long. Weird thing is, no one saw him leave."
This was worse than saying things to him I didn't mean. Why did he have to bring this up? All throughout the breakfast, I tried to sound curious and somewhat concerned as Tynan went on about Ignis. I glanced at Zoya and her minions and sensed how tensed they seemed. My heart didn't rest until I was out of the dining room. The peace lasted until Tynan called my name. Cursing under my breath, I turned and gave him a weak smile.
"Are you well? If you want, I can go by myself," Tynan offered but I refused.
* * * * *
We were soon back in the darkened hallways. But somehow they seemed much more leaden. Every shadow seemed to be moving under the light, as if conspiracizing against me. My stomach hurled as we drew closer to the room. I tried to keep my expression nonchalant but was betrayed by nature when I found the basement door open. I sensed Tynan jumping with eagerness while I barely muffled a scream. I tried to calm my nerves. The situation hadn't gone too bad. I could still lie my way out of this. If he finds Ignis' body and reports it, investigation will began. The ladies wouldn't do that without exposing themselves. Whatever happens after we leave isn't much of a problem. I needed to delay it. He couldn't find the body right now.
𝘏𝘰𝘸 𝘭𝘰𝘯𝘨 𝘣𝘦𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘺 𝘧𝘪𝘯𝘥 𝘰𝘶𝘵?
I shuddered at the thought.
Tynan suddenly paused, making me fall back. "Shouldn't we tell Cozbi? This building seems to be in active use. We could be in serious danger right now."
Some of my tight breath finally heaved out. "Yes, I guess so. Let's go back." I grabbed his arm and turned around.
"But we don't have time-"
"Tynan! Please let's just go- Please." I hated how desperate I sounded. I hated it. But my brain couldn't bare my swerving thoughts. My axons seemed like they would burst. My breath came in hitches. 𝘠𝘰𝘶 𝘮𝘦𝘴𝘴𝘦𝘥 𝘶𝘱, 𝘈𝘴𝘳𝘢. 𝘠𝘰𝘶 𝘥𝘶𝘮𝘣 𝘮𝘶𝘳𝘥𝘦𝘳𝘦𝘳.
I ran in the opposite direction, hoping he would follow. He did, he held me back and I collapsed on the floor. I cried and cried and cried. I lost my vision, followed by my voice; just like the strength in my legs. "I'm sorry Tynan," I whimpered. "I killed your friend. But he would have killed me-" I was hyperventilating. My inner voices took over me. 𝘙𝘦𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘺 𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩𝘵 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘥𝘪𝘥 𝘴𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨, 𝘥𝘪𝘥𝘯'𝘵 𝘺𝘰𝘶? 𝘠𝘰𝘶 𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘺, 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘢 𝘮𝘪𝘯𝘶𝘵𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩𝘵 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘤𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥 𝘭𝘪𝘷𝘦 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘣𝘶𝘳𝘥𝘦𝘯 𝘰𝘧 𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘬𝘪𝘭𝘭𝘦𝘥 𝘴𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘰𝘯𝘦.
"He killed me first! He injured me!" I came back to my senses with a jolt due to the loudness of my own voice, only to find myself completely alone. The room was pitch black. For a minute I thought I was dreaming, until the own quivering echo of my voice slashed the air with realism. The lights went on, one by one. I tried pulling my hands in front of my eyes only to realize that I was bound in strong fabric. Before I could try to inquire my captors, I saw the old lady with her U shaped body and the huge lady, Lella standing in the doorframe, covering all the space. I was inside their secret room, one more time but this time as Asra.
"Aw, I almost felt bad as you yawped in your sleep. Look at that pretty face. Could you have she killed an innocent boy?"
"He wasn't innocent," I fizzled furiously. I was shocked by my own ferocity.
The ladies just laughed. I struggled under the tied knots around my limbs as I tried to set free.
"Now, now. No need to be so energetic. We aren't going to harm you."
"Unless you force us to," Lella added which made them both giggle.
"Cozbi's going to love this," Muttered the housekeeper.
"Why do you hate her?" I yelled. 𝘚𝘩𝘪𝘵. I had just revealed my knowledge of their conversations. But the ladies didn't seem to pay much mind to it. Taking this opportunity, I slid my hand from under the fabric and set myself free. Before waiting for any better moment and letting Tynan's 'calculated moves' lessons go to hell, I sprinted out the door, knocking Lella down.
"You stupid brat," She voiced in pain. I made my way to the garden. The whole place seemed to be unlit and out of focus.
I heard mumbles of my name but I ignored them. I needed to get away from the ladies, from this palace, from everyone.
"Asra! Asra! Come back to your senses. For God's sake," Tynan gripped my forearms and shook them with vigour. I squinted my eyes at him to make sure it was really him. It took all my might to not retch or blurt something stupid like I had earlier. 𝘏𝘰𝘸 𝘭𝘰𝘯𝘨𝘦𝘳?
I screeched. "Shut up, Oh my God." I jerked away from Tynan, trying to get back to my senses.
"Asra, are you okay? You seem like you hit your head-"
"Let her rest. Carry her to the caravan will you? It's getting late." Cozbi's stone cold voice struck my ear drums.
With droopy eyes, I saw it was evening and I lay horizontally under the plain sky. I was being carried. I felt Tynan's ragged breath against me. The next I guessed, was that we were on our way back to the Land of 𝘦𝘪𝘴𝘪𝘢𝘤𝘩.
* * * * *
Even after seemingly sleeping for days, the journey seemed to go on. The time seemed to have progressed deeper into night. "You're awake," Said Cozbi, making me jump. Her cold expression read me up and down, and I had no energy to pretend like I was okay. I simply nodded.
"I'm sorry for Lady Asha's behaviour. You must've not been treated kindly." Cozbi said squizzing at my wrists, which bore purplish marks from the tightly knotted fabric.
"You know them?"
"Ah huh," Confirmed Cozbi.
I sat up straight, just then noticing Tynan's sleeping figure, hunched sideways on his bag.
"You knew about those three ladies living in the palace secretly? You didn't even tell Tynan?" I was in disbelief.
"I am not here to tell Tynan stuff, that's his job. The ladies work for me. I accord them a place in the palace. I believe they hold advantages for me. They are in contact with old abandoned tribesmen with delightful techniques."
I was silenced. No way. Did Cozbi not know of them betraying her? Or maybe I had misapprehended everything. I shook my head but had no time to sort out my thoughts before Cozbi decided to drop the bomb. "Addressing the elephant in the room, what did you do to Ignis?"
"Cozbi..." My voice quivered and my heart ached.
Cozbi waited. I finally broken down. "He tried to harass me." I cried. "It was all self defense."
"So you killed him?" Cozbi said, dramatically raising her right eyebrow, although I saw concern and understanding in her eyes. "Where'd you bury him?"
Tynan sat up straight, and I froze. The caravan halted and so did my world. He looked at me wide eyed, incredulity spread across his face. "Tynan-" He moved out of the caravan before I could say anything, his fists curled up at his sides. I looked back at Cozbi to see her looking at me. "He deserved to know. You should've told him or me. Now you know we are better off without keeping secrets." She exited the caravan herself while I just sat there with my expression blunt, tears flooding my face.