Reaching Retribution(50)

Liam walks into the cell and immediately pulls me to him. I go willingly, but it’s not the same as when Colton comforts me. “Ryanne, talk to me,” Liam says. I shake my head and let my tears fall onto his shirt.

“I miss Colton,” I mumble. I hear the door close behind us, which either means that Adam is standing in the doorway or that he’s just outside of it.

“You’ll see him again, Ryanne.” I stand back and look up at him. Out of the corner of my eye, I see Adam standing in the doorway. He’s staring off in the distance, trying to look like he’s not listening, but his thoughts tell me otherwise.

“No, I won’t. Don’t you get that? They’re going to keep us here, so that the prophecy is never fulfilled. There’s nothing we can do about it. Someday Zahtri is going to decide that it’s pointless to keep me alive and he’ll kill me, which means that you’ll die as well because you gave me this stupid necklace. I’ve dragged you down with me,” I lean my head against his chest. “I’m so sorry, Liam.”

“Ryanne,” Liam states and leans back, moving me so that I’m looking straight at him. “Don’t you dare think like that. Ever.”

“Why? I’m thinking realistically, Liam. It’s about time you start doing it too.”

“Have faith in our family. Have faith in Colton.” A warm feeling spreads through me when I hear him mention our family.

“I don’t want to have faith in him. I don’t want him to come here, because despite them acting civil toward us, they won’t hesitate to kill him. They’ve killed him before and you were there to witness that. I’d rather stay here and rot than know that he died trying to rescue me, because at least he’d still be living.”

“Ryanne, everything will play out like it should. Don’t worry.”

“Worry is my middle name,” I mumble.

“I thought it was stubborn,” Liam says as he wipes the tears away from my face.

“I have two middle names.”

I don’t see how this situation could get worse. If I attack, they’ll find a way to get to everyone and use them against me. Colton is probably planning some insane rescue mission. If the roles were reversed, I know that’s what I would be doing. This compound is run by Gadramicks who aren’t afraid to fight for what they believe in, and if Colton were to come here, he’d be killed instantly. There’s no light at the end of the tunnel right now.

Wow, she’s deep in her thoughts. Knowing that I just missed something, I glance toward Adam. “Would you like some food?” he repeats. I shake my head and sit down on the ground. Leaning my head against the wall, I close my eyes and attempt to tune out the slight headache I’m getting.

“You need to eat.”

“Adam, I’ve gone a week without eating. Thank you very much,” I mumble. That happened to me the first time I was at this stupid compound with these Gadramicks. They refused to give me any food or water unless I cooperated. Since stubborn is my middle name, I never got anything to eat. Adam was there, so he should know all about that.

“I would think you wouldn’t want to go through that again.”

“You’d think that, wouldn’t you?” I retort.

“Fine, if that’s what you want.”

“Adam,” Liam calls.

“Yeah, yeah. I know,” he replies as he slams the door. I can hear footsteps walking down the hall, so I know that he actually left this time.

“We’re not going to get out of here alive, are we Liam?” I ask. “I want an honest answer. I’ll know if you’re lying to me.”

Liam sighs and sits down beside me. I lean my head on his shoulder. He moves so that he can wrap his arm around my shoulder and pulls me into his side. Before Colton, I used to sit like this with Liam all the time. It’s comfortable and familiar. “I don’t know, Ryanne. I’m honestly going to do everything in my power to make sure we do though.”





Chapter Fifteen


Colton


“So, we’re heading out in two days?” Natalie asks Tom; the hope in her voice is obvious.

“We’re going to get them back, Natalie. If we can get everyone together in two days, then yes, we’ll head out then. I don’t want to leave them there any longer than necessary either. We don’t know what the Gadramicks are planning.”

“They’ve been gone for two days already, Tom,” I tell him. “Two days more is all I’m waiting. I can’t let her stay there for any longer. This is already pushing it. She was gone a week before and you saw what she looked like when she returned.”