Unleashed

I moisten my cracked lips and try not to let his words weave a spell around me. I can’t drop my guard again. Hoyt attacking me proves that. “Don’t make promises you can’t keep.”

The skin near his eye jumps. “I don’t.”

And then he’s gone. Rhiannon turns on the shower, and soon steam fills the space. I stare at the door where Caden disappeared as she helps me from my clothes. They hit the floor with a heavy smack, ruined. From the corner of my eye I see Phelps open his kit and start taking out what he’ll need to re-stitch my wound. I sigh and brace myself.

More pain ahead.

* * *

Gentlemen, ladies, I know it took a great deal of risk to get here. A risk that will not diminish as we come together for these talks. The reason you’re here is because you’ve sacrificed so much already. You are true patriots. Now let us get to the heart of the matter. How do we take down Wainwright?

—Private meeting between General Dumont and fellow Resistance leaders

Undisclosed location in the United States

TWELVE

THEY DON’T TAKE ME BACK TO THE INFIRMARY. After Phelps finishes with me, I’m assigned a cell. With a roommate. Apparently they sleep two to a room. Except for the General and captains. They have their own rooms, Rhiannon explains as she escorts me to my new quarters.

Each room contains bunk beds. Like at a summer camp. Or prison. My roommate is Junie. She’s a scout like Tabatha. Only she’s really friendly and talkative. She’s like a normal teenager. Well, except I learn she’s twenty-three. She doesn’t look it, though. She’s small and fine-boned and looks like she could be fifteen. She hops around the room like some kind of quick-moving ninja, making space for me. Not that she has a lot of stuff to begin with.

She immediately offers me the bottom bed. I’m in no condition to climb to the top one.

“Thanks. I just need a bed,” I tell her, sighing as I sink onto the bottom bunk. The shower really wore me out. Oh, and nearly getting choked out. “And sleep.”

“Of course,” she replies.

“Phelps will check on her in the morning,” Rhiannon informs her before leaving.

Pulling the cool sheet over myself, I lie there for a moment, considering how completely unbothered I am to find myself in a strange new room with another stranger. I guess I’m too tired to care. And my body aches. Plus, Phelps took pity and gave me something for the pain. I feel that starting to work its magic and relaxing me. I know I should have resisted. I need my wits, but I figure the odds are on my side. Two attempts on my life in one night? Could I be that unlucky?

Junie turns out the light and bounds with ease to the top bunk. I guess I see why she’s a scout. I jerk a little when she hangs upside down, dangling her head near mine, twin braids flopping like dark ropes. “Get some rest. I can’t believe Hoyt attacked you . . . well, I kind of can. He was a little off. Rhiannon dubbed him a creeper the day he first arrived here.”

“Yeah.” I squeeze the bridge of my nose between my fingers, trying to assuage the ache starting to form there.

“You look beat. We’ll talk tomorrow.”

“Thanks,” I murmur, relieved.

“Good night,” she chirps.

“Night.” My eyes shut, and instantly I’m asleep.

I wake to a hand on my brow. My vision clears to see Phelps leaning over me. I yank away, unable to help myself.

“Now there,” he chides. “Just making sure your fever hasn’t returned. You haven’t been very kind to that shoulder. Hopefully you won’t get an infection.”

I resist the urge to bite out that it wasn’t me being unkind to my shoulder but the world in general, but then I catch sight of Caden hovering near the door to the room, his arms crossed over his chest as he observes the exchange. I forget about everything else in the face of his watchful gaze.

“Hey,” Caden greets me, unfolding his arms. His army-green T-shirt nicely molds to his firm chest. “You slept through breakfast. Want me to call for takeout? I know this great Thai place.”

Phelps chuckles. I resist smiling. Holding silent, I let the doctor poke and prod me as he examines my shoulder. He changes the bandages and makes a happy humming sound, apparently satisfied that it didn’t bleed too much overnight.

I glance around the room, confirming what I already suspected. Junie isn’t here.

“What time is it?” I ask.

“Almost noon.”

I shake my head. “I don’t usually sleep so late.” It shouldn’t matter, but it’s one more thought in the chaos of my mind. I blow out a breath, wishing I could silence all of it.

“You had a rough night. It’s allowed.”

Phelps stands. “That should do it. I would stay in bed and rest today. Let me or Rhiannon know if it starts bleeding through the bandage. I’ll check on you later.”

I nod.

Phelps looks at Caden. “Will she be staying in here?”

“I don’t want to go back to the infirmary,” I interrupt, realizing that my move here might have been temporary. I’m sure they’ve cleaned everything up. Still, I don’t want to set foot in that place again. The blood flashes in my mind. Thick, dark as tar.

“Would you prefer to stay here? With Junie?” Caden trains his gaze on me. Surprising, really, that he’s giving me a say. I haven’t had a say in anything since we met.

“Yes. Thank you.”

Silence stretches as we stare at each other, assessing.