Chapter Fifteen

Once again Amber found seated at Bray’s bedside, holding his hand tightly within her own. Caribou had given in a quick examination after they arrived back in the village and proclaimed that he had just inhaled too much smoke and would be fine after a day’s rest. Amber prayed that Caribou was right. She didn’t know if her nerves could take another day like this.

Both Ebony and Lex and most of the Gaians had taken a turn at Bray’s bedside, but no one had remained the entire time like Amber had. Whether it was through devotion or guilt, Amber did not know. Each time she looked down at his pale face she couldn’t help but think it was her who had put him in that position.

Amber closed her eyes, dropping her head into her hands and resting them gingerly on her slender legs. Her body was screaming at her to get some rest, but whenever she tried she found her mind wide awake, replaying the scenario of Bray on the burning pyre over and over in her mind.

“Please, please be alright, Bray.” Amber whispered into the darkness, the old familiar ache creeping into her muscles. “If you wake up, I promise you, everything will go back the way it was.”

“You so sure you want that?”

Amber jolted out of her thoughts at the sound of her best friend’s voice. Ebony was standing in the doorway, her slim figure dark against the setting sun in the background. “Hey.” Amber acknowledged the shorter young woman’s presence. “How long have you been there?”

“Long enough.” Ebony commented as she crossed the room, taking the seat next to Amber. “He’s going to be okay, you know that, right? Caribou said so.”

“I know, it’s just…” Amber trailed off, the sense of guilt still weighing heavily upon her. “I don’t know what to do, Ebony.”

“What do you mean?”

“He told me that he still loves me.” Amber confessed, unable to meet Ebony’s gaze. She could recall all too clearly when Ebony told her that Bray had rejected her, breaking her heart and not even caring.

Ebony nodded, chewing her lower lip a little. “I figured that he would. What’d you say?”

“Take a wild guess.” Amber let out a long sigh. “He ran off right afterwards.”

“Then what was all this?” Ebony’s voice tinged with annoyance. “You’re telling him that everything will go back to the way it was?”

“I, well, I—“

“No, Amber.” Ebony stood up, glaring down at the blonde. “Tell me honestly, do you or do you not still love Bray?”

Amber hesitated, staring directly into Ebony’s eyes. She could see the pain reflected there, and the thought of betraying her closest friend cut Amber to the core. She couldn’t betray Ebony. Not even for Bray.

“Ebony,” Amber whispered softly, forming the words inside her head as she spoke, “You’re the best friend I’ve ever had. I feel closer to you than I ever did to my own sister. I know that you are still deeply in love with Bray—“

“Do you?” Ebony challenged her, arching her eyebrow, her gaze defiant.

“I can tell, Ebony.” Amber gave her a weak amused smile. “I can see it in the way you follow him with your eyes, the way you raced up that burning deathbed to rescue him, the way you say his name… Ebony, I know you love him.”

“So?” Ebony snapped. “What do my feelings have to do with this?”

“You’re my best frie—“

“That’s just an excuse, Amber.” Ebony leaned closer to her. “Pretend I was still your sworn enemy. Pretend all those awful things you’ve heard about me are true. Pretend that I tried to kill you on Eagle Mountain instead of saved you. Now tell me, do you love Bray?”

Amber’s voice died in her throat as she searched her heart for the answer to that question. “I still have strong feelings for him.” Amber admitted slowly, tucking a stray strand of golden blonde hair behind her ear.

“But do you love him, Amber?”

Amber closed her eyes, allowing all of her feelings, emotions, and memories of the past several months to sweep over her. When she had first arrived in the Gaian village she didn’t know how she could live without him. And then slowly he began to fade away, becoming more and more of a memory of her life with the Mall Rats. But she had always thought she still loved him. Until she saw him. And now she didn’t know.

“I—“ Amber stammered, her palms growing sweaty. “I honestly don’t know Ebony. Before he came to the village I would have said yes in an instant, but now, now I’m not so sure.”

Ebony nodded, understanding reflecting in her soft hazel eyes. “He’s not quite the same man you fell in love with, is he?”

Amber shook her head, her stomach twisting within her. “I don’t know who he is.” She whispered softly. “I know that I’ve changed, but somehow I thought that he would stay the same. But he’s not. Or maybe…”

“Maybe what?”

“Maybe I just didn’t realize who he truly was all along.” Amber rubbed her temples gingerly, voicing for the first time the fears that had been growing within her since Bray had first arrived in the village. “Maybe,” She continued, “I always turned a blind eye to his callousness towards the other girls, how quickly he would forget about someone he said he’d love forever, how he refused to believe that someone who was once bad could be good…”

Ebony nodded slowly, her eyes downcast. “Bray’s a good man, Amber.” She defended him. “And he loves you more than life itself. Don’t not love him for my sake.”

“It’s not that.” Amber insisted. “Though knowing what he did to you makes this decision all the easier to make.”

“What decision?”

“I don’t love him, Ebony.” Amber announced, a huge weight lifting from her shoulders as she said the words. “I was in love with the memory of him, of the thought of what we had. It was special, those few fleeting weeks that we had together. But they’re over with. He and I, we’re two different people now. We can’t make it work again. It’s just not possible.”

Ebony smiled at Amber, a sad sort of smile. “If only I felt the same.” She murmured, her voice low and thick with emotion. “If only.”

~*~*~

Bray kept his eyes shut, pretending to be fast asleep as he listened to Ebony’s conversation with Amber. He had awoken to the sound of Amber’s voice, Amber promising him that everything would go back to as it was. He had wanted to open his eyes that instant and throw his arms around her, holding her tight and refusing to let her go for any reason.

But he was a split second too late and Ebony came into the room. Ebony, the manipulating witch. Somehow she had gotten inside Amber’s head and made the woman he loved with all his heart retract what she had just said, instead stating that she did not love him. It hurt Bray more than he cared to admit, and somehow, he knew he would have to get even with the witch.

“I’m so sorry, Ebony.” Amber’s voice was soft, comforting as she spoke to the woman with a heart of ice. “I wish he loved you, not me.”

Ebony let out a sharp bitter laugh. “Me too, Amber. Me too. But that’s alright. I guess I should be used to this. It’s the way its always been for me. They say better to have loved and lost than to never have loved at all, but believe me, right now I wish I had never laid eyes on Bray Fielding. It would have made my life a hell of a lot more simple.”

“You never did tell me how the two of you met.” Amber prompted. “I know you went to school together, but I’ve sensed there was always something a bit more behind the story than just that.”

“Yeah, there is.” Ebony let out a long heavy sigh. “It’s a very long story, though.”

“I’m not tired.”

Ebony chuckled. “Liar. You can barely keep your eyes open. That’s why I came here in the first place, to shoo you off to bed, as per Lex’s orders.”

“Lex, ordering you around?” Amber laughed a musical sound. “That will be the day.”

“Seriously.” Ebony insisted. “He’s worried about you.”

“Why?” Amber sounded doubtful.

“Maybe because he realizes that you are the glue that is holding our precious resistance together. You’re the only chance he has of getting his wife back.”

“Wife, yeah.” Amber shook her head. “That’s just so strange. The last time I saw him he was married to Zandra, expecting a baby. And now he’s with Tai-San. I have to admit, I didn’t see that one coming.”

“I don’t think anyone did.” Ebony agreed. “Though I don’t see why not. Didn’t they have a thing back before he was married to Zandra?”

“Yeah.” Amber laughed out loud. “For the good of the tribe and that whole bit. It was really a mess, actually. I had Zandra wanting to rip out Tai-San’s throat and Lex chasing after her like some love-sick schoolboy. It would have been kind of funny if it hadn’t been so traumatic for the tribe.”

“I’ll bet.” Ebony murmured. “Anyway, you need to get going. Otherwise Lex will have my hide. The council is supposed to meet in the morning to plan our first resistance against the Chosen. Lex wants to strike the mall itself, but I was thinking of something a little more subtle.”

“Like what?”

“Petrol.” Ebony grinned. “Petrol.”

~*~*~

He hadn’t meant to eavesdrop. Or at least that’s what he told himself. But once he had overheard the first part of Ebony’s conversation with Eagle he couldn’t help himself. Pride let out a long happy sigh as he leaned against the wooden logs of the hut that Bray slept inside. Never before had he felt so relieved. Eagle did not love Bray. There was still a chance for him.

“Oh Eagle.” He murmured softly, his lips playing up in a smile. “My little eaglet. I knew you couldn’t love him. I just knew you couldn’t.”

“Talking to yourself again, Pride?”

Pride’s eyes slammed wide open at the sound of Panther’s familiar voice. She had somehow managed to sneak up on him, something she did quite often and found great enjoyment in. It unnerved and annoyed Pride, but he wasn’t about to admit it to her face.

“Panther.” He greeted her with a clipped smile. “What brings you back here?”

“Patrolling the perimeter.” Panther stated simply, flicking her long black curly braids over her slender shoulders. She was a very beautiful woman, Pride had to admit, but his heart belonged to Eagle. “Why are you back here?”

“Oh, me, well, I…” Pride frowned, trying to come up with a plausible excuse. He couldn’t very well admit to Panther that he had snuck around the back of the hut when he saw Ebony go inside, hoping that he might catch a glimpse of their conversation.

“Tsk, tsk, Pride.” Panther shook her head, her expression stern. “Eavesdropping again? What would Eagle say if she heard?”

“I wasn’t eavesdropping. I was…” Pride trailed off, looking down at his hands. He was carrying a pail and suddenly he recalled his excuse for going behind the sick house. “I was getting fresh water for some coffee. The night watch will start soon and everyone’s exhausted. We need to stay on our toes if we’re going to make sure the Chosen aren’t alerted of our presence.”

“Uh huh. Right.” Panther rolled her eyes, his excuse obviously failing miserably. “Look, Pride. Everyone knows that you’re head over heels for Eagle. But they also know that something is or at least was going on between her and Bray. Unless you want to loose her forever, you’ll take a step backward and give her some time to sort it all out. That’s what you did before, right? And she chose you, right?”

Pride nodded, well recalling the many months he spent in agonizing wait as Eagle kept putting him off time and time again. She had always told him that she needed more time, that she still had feelings for Bray and that she didn’t want to cheat him at all. But in the end Pride knew he had pressured her into doing the commitment ceremony. Just like he had attempted to pressure her to sleep with him just a few nights before.

“Thanks for the advice, Panther.” Pride shrugged his shoulders, turning to head in the direction of the swift flowing river. “You’re probably right.”

“I know I’m right, Pride.” Panther called after him. “And maybe someday you’ll realize it.”

~*~*~

“Wow. Those look great.” Patsy enthused as she carefully scanned over the words on the sheet Ellie and Alice had printed off. More anti-Chosen propaganda. Didn’t they know that the Chosen were watching them? At that very instant?

“Yeah, we were going to see if you and Cloe could pass them out around the city a little later.” Ellie stated with a flip of her long flaxen locks. “What do you say?”

Patsy hesitated. She knew Luke wanted her to go along with any of the schemes the Resistance put before her, but this felt like a bit much. Surely he wouldn’t want propaganda such as this floating about the city.

“I don’t know.” Patsy frowned. “What if we get caught?”

“I can’t believe you’re worried about getting caught, Patsy.” Cloe scowled at her friend. “We’re already caught. What can they do to us, make us scrub more floors?”

‘A lot more, Cloe. A whole lot more.’ Patsy thought to herself, but dared not utter the words. “You’re probably right.” Patsy’s voice cracked.

“So you’ll do it?” Alice grinned at Patsy and she suddenly felt like a deer trapped in headlights.

Patsy nodded slowly. “But only if Cloe comes with me.”

“Of course I’ll come with you, silly.” Cloe smiled over at her, a smile that she had not shared with Patsy since before Trudy had returned from The Chosen. “In fact, I’m actually scheduled for a work detail outside tomorrow. For once. So maybe Patsy and I can smuggle some of them outside the mall then and pass them around.”

“Sounds like a great idea to me.” Ellie quickly agreed. “Where are you scheduled tomorrow, Pats?”

She was supposed to help the Supreme Mother with Brady, but she knew that once she reported back to Luke he’d change her shifts. “Outside.” She quickly lied. “The farm. Is that where you’re at Cloe?”

Cloe nodded.

“Sounds perfect then.” Alice clapped her hands together demonstratively. “What do you girls say we give you fifty or so of the pamphlets and you disperse them wherever and whenever you can?”

“Sounds great to me.” Cloe stated confidently. “Anything to defeat the Chosen.”

Patsy could only nod her agreement, her heart thudding wildly in her chest. She felt worse betraying the Resistance than she had when she had been duped into believing all of Trudy’s lies about the Chosen. The Chosen were evil, and now she was a part of them.

“Patsy, are you alright? You look a little pale.” Ellie frowned down at the younger girl, concern flitting across her features.

“I don’t feel so good.” Patsy told her truthfully. “I think I’m going to go lay down for awhile.”

“Do you want me to come with?” Cloe offered.

“Naw. I want to be alone right now.” Patsy turned and quickly hurried off. She knew she should report to Luke immediately, but she knew that if she did she would burst into tears the second she opened her mouth. She needed to escape, have some time to herself so she could sort through her emotions and remind herself why she was doing this in the first place.

~*~*~

Luke watched with eager eyes and the delightfully beautiful young Patsy slowly trudged up the mall’s stairs. He could tell she was upset about something, and that meant that she had learned more about the pathetic Resistance that seemed to be springing up all over the place.

“Patsy!” He greeted her with an overly friendly smile. “How is my favorite little Acolyte doing today?” Patsy greeted him politely, though he could still read the anger and hatred in her eyes. That was good. Hatred was just what the Guardian wanted.

“Walk with me, Patsy.” Luke motioned towards the long corridor that he knew had once lead down to her room – the room she had shared with her brother Paul. “How are things?”

“Very well, thank you for asking.” Patsy stated a little stiffly. “How’s my brother?”

“He’s doing very good.” Luke grinned at her evilly. “He asks about you. Quite often actually. Ever since he heard that you were a part of the Chose—“

“You didn’t!” Patsy’s temper flared. “I’m not a part of you. I’ll never be a part of you!”

“That’s a shame.” Luke tsked. “And I was beginning to grow quite fond of the little deaf boy. I guess it’s back to the mines with dear sweet Paul.”

“No.” Patsy blanched, her face as white as a sheet. “Please, no, sir. I’ll do whatever it is that you want. Please, just don’t hurt my brother.”

Luke smiled. Putty in his hands. “Very well, Patsy. I shall spare your brother, but only in exchange for one of the members of the Resistance.”

“Wh-what do you mean?” She stammered.

“Well, the mines need more workers. I’ll allow Paul to stay in the safety of the place where we have him if you will turn over one of your friends.”

“B-but I can’t.” Patsy was close to tears, but Luke didn’t mind. She was easier to manipulate when she was emotional. “Please, I’ll tell you what they have planned, but please, don’t send them to the mines.”

“Just one, Patsy.” Luke stated simply. “A life for a life. Though we aren’t going to kill them.”

Patsy nodded, swallowing hard. He could see that he had her. He watched as Patsy’s eyes left his face and began to survey the lower level of the mall. Most of her friends were gathered around the fountain, obviously encouraging one another to keep on keeping on or whatever it was that they said to each other. It made Luke ill.

“Cloe.” Patsy finally said. “She’s going to be handing out anti-Chosen propaganda tomorrow when she’s outside.”

“And who supplied her with this propaganda?”

Patsy gulped and Luke could tell she was going to lie to him. It was no matter, though. Soon enough he would have stamped out every leader of the Resistance.

“Never mind, Patsy.” Luke saved her from having to lie to him. “Run off and spend time with your friend, Cloe. But do not breath a word of what is going to happen. Otherwise it will be Paul in the mines. And we both know the mines are no place for deaf boys.”

Patsy nodded and hurried off, the tears now streaming down her cheeks uncontrollably. Luke laughed. Putty in his hands. Just like Trudy told him she would be once he used her brother against him. If only The Chosen really did have the little boy held hostage. Though the lie made it all the more sweet.

Luke casually strode over to the banister to look down at the dwindling circle of Mall Rats. They had already gotten rid of that brainy Jack, leaving his extremely vulnerable girlfriend Ellie ripe for the plucking. Ellie’s older sister, Alice, was proving to be a bit of a trail, but Luke was positive they could break her.

Salene and May had already begun to attend the services and he was positive they would join the Chosen soon enough. And once they had Salene he knew her weak-willed husband, Ryan, would be close behind. And KC would follow Ryan.

The only two that proved to be a difficulty were Tai-San and Cloe. The Guardian was already working on Tai-San. And now he had Cloe. It was all to simple. Simple and wonderful.

Luke let out a small evil chuckle as he turned away from the banister. He had much to report to the Guardian. He would be most pleased.