The Beauty in Pain | Book One of In Pain Trilogy *EDITING*

33. Abandoned

It was weeks. Since the moment Mynera walked out those doors, she never came back and now it has been weeks. Saenar was close to going crazy.

Every time he thought about it, he felt more and more regret come over him like a roaring wave. The simple things, the big things, he regretted not being able to do them all. He regretted not showing her how he really felt, he regretted the pride he had, that same pride that made her walk out those doors. He regretted the guilt he felt over growing feelings for her, forgetting about Charmaline. Curse his wretched pride. If it wasn't for that, she would have been safe. Here with him, where she belonged.

Then again ... his pride is the only thing holding him and everyone else together right now. It felt as if a massive rain cloud was showering them with its turbulent sorrow, such was the mood as they sat like zombies in the inn. Never mind that it was beginning to cost them an arm and a leg staying here. There was no way any one of them were leaving without Mynera.

"I hate to be the one to say this but ..."

Saenar's eyes shifted slightly over to Madeline, sensing the words that were to come. Don't you dare say it.

"She's probably not coming back. It's been weeks. Either she's been taken by Lord Gavin's men or she's ... she's ..."

"Don't you dare say it," Hale growled. He sat in the corner of the room, his blond hair looking unkempt and his face ragged and haggard. "She's not ..."

"It's a possibility, Hale and you know it." Madeline got to her feet, placing her hands on her hips. "Believe it or not, I don't like that idea any more than the rest of you but it is what it is and someone has to be clear headed here."

"I said, she's not dead!"

"Well, maybe not. But Lord Gavin's men might have taken her, yet still we sit here biting our nails like a group of fools."

"We've done all the looking we can, Madeline," Barron jumped in. "There are no traces of her anywhere and we can't set out to find her unless there is."

"If Lord Gavin's –"

"If Lord Gavin's men took her then they're probably on their way to the capital. But they could have taken several different routes."

"Well ... we can't just sit here and ..."

"And wait for her to come back? What choice do we have?"

Barron's words were enough to get through to Madeline but not to Saenar. When she plopped back down on the bed, arms crossed and muttering angrily to herself, he was thinking. He knew what they should do, he just didn't want to say it. It would mean turning his back on Mynera and everything that has happened these past few weeks. All the searching, all the long nights and early mornings, all the worry and tears will be for naught.

Despite everything that rose up in him, Saenar's heart's refusal, the need to sit and wait, he faced them and spoke. "We should leave."

For a second, everyone was silent. He almost thought they hadn't heard him, but then he saw Madeline's head turn to him slowly, then Barron's then lastly Hale's. Their faces transformed into one of confusion, as if they weren't quite sure if they had heard right.

"What did you just say?" Hale whispered from his corner.

Saenar looked him dead in the eye. No doubt, he would fight him tooth and nail on this but they had no other choice. "I said we should leave."

"You must be kidding me," he whispered, his jaw hanging ajar.

"Saenar, are you quite sure?" Madeline asked. "You can't really be ... you want to leave?"