Niala50

He needed to eat something, but he kept slipping into rest. The damage at the side of his head seemed to shift, looking a little better every minute. I didn’t think I could sleep, but I was full, and Gaffriel was going to be ok. Maybe if I just closed my eyes for a minute.

I swore only a minute passed, but we curled up together under the same small blanket. Our bodies turned into one another, and my tail slipped out, wrapped tight around Gaff. It felt like when we were kids again, and the nightmares came. When I opened my eyes, the nightmare still remained, and Gaffriel’s bloody face drew into a peaceful reverie. His breathing steadied. My head nestled just beneath his chin, and his arms wrapped over me. They had a certain thickness about them, and I felt secure.

“Morning,” He whispered to me, looking a little better. He smelled terrible, breath awful, but I didn’t care; I just wanted to cry.

“Gaffriel… you idiot.” I pushed myself back into him and squeezed my tail. It felt right, a good fit against me. Then, trembling, his hand moved to my tail and stroked over it, making it feel so freaking weird. It made my back want to curl a little.

“I think I might know how we get out of this.” His words muttered low and muddled, a whisper over my ear, and he tried hard to stay in Acir. It hurt to hear those words because every fiber of my being told me to taste those words on his lips. I felt mana and magic in them. My face went flushed and red.

“How?” I’d been in this situation before, caged, waiting for someone to come save me. I called for my mother until Kiromir showed up. Who would save me, now? Gaffriel had a plan!

“Rough light.”

My hopes dashed and sank in my stomach the second I heard it. We needed a minimum of three of us to do rough light. Even then, it sometimes didn’t work; they always recommended four or five, and I couldn’t do it. So I just contributed mana, like him.

He had this bright look in his eyes, his hazel flicking, and dark. I filled him with my fires and mischief. How could he be this hopeful in this situation?

“Gaff, you know that won’t work.” I shook my head and could feel tears welling, but he remained adamant.

“I need a better layout of the place, but we’re not going to leave without our pound of flesh. Think Kiromir would mind if we never got another federal job again?”

“I don’t think that he would, no. But Gaff, you have to tell me what you’re planning.” Kiromir would move heaven and earth to make sure everyone involved in my capture turned to ash.

“Looks like your boyfriend is all better now, little bird girl.” The voice barked out at us. Every hair on my body stood on end, and Gaff tightened his grip on me and pulled me close. I could feel my heart racing, and the trembling started.

“Ea!” I shouted it in a harried bark.

“Good. Now we can get that blood, right?”

Gaffriel gripped just a fraction tighter.

Shaking, I asked. “How do you plan on getting it?”

“I’m going to keep my finger hovered above this button that will set off the floor. You’re going to stick your arm through that slot, and they’re going to draw it from your arm. Don’t try that little ‘forget me’ trick. Don’t start your fire. I will press this button. You will not reach me.”

I hated needles so bad. I remember how often I had been drawn from before, so much so that I felt dizzy at times. Gaff tapped my side, pressing the sheath of my knife into my leg, and gave me a serious look.

“Be careful. Be ready.” He looked like he planned something.

Please, for the love of the creator, don’t do something stupid. I said to myself.

I stood with shaken composure and rolled my sleeve up. The turtleneck I’d put on the day before was shredded and filthy.

“Let me hold your tail.” Gaffriel looked up at me with pleading eyes trying to convey some message that I wasn’t getting. He didn’t sit up all the way, desperation in his eyes.

“Watch it, boy. One foul move, and you both get zapped. I don’t know how much it would take to kill one of you, but I’m not taking chances.”

A small panel slid open with a metallic thud. I closed my eyes, turned my head, and stuck my arm through. Gaff heatedly focused on something as he stared through that slot. There was a room and a nervous attendant on the other side. I could smell their fear and hear a tremble in their breath.

Gaffriel closed his eyes, took a deep, shuddering breath, and…