Submit (Book 1, The Karyln Trials)

Chapter Thirty

     A loud voice yells in my ear while I notice the feel of multiple hands over my body. My eyes are clenched shut, head pounding in pain and sweat coats my body despite the chill in the air. "Adaline,"

I groan as I'm shifted from my side to my back and silently curse the stars. "What?" My voice is raspy, throat dry for some reason.

"Thank the stars, you're alright." Auggie's voice is strained and he sets his forehead against mine.

Blinking my eyes open, I push on the ground to sit up and clutch my temples, pushing August away in the process. "Why wouldn't...I be?" I have to work around the pain in my throat and I notice Eve digging through my bag.

She returns and holds out my canteen. "Here, drink this."

I make haste, downing the water so feverishly that some dribbles down my chin and onto my shirt. I don't care that I've spilled, I simply ignore it and sigh heavily as the cool water moistens my parched throat.

Wiping my mouth with the back of my wrist, I look at August. "Auggie?"

He's crouched next to me, eyes glistening with tears. He holds my shoulders and scans my face, almost like looking for any sign that me being awake was a mirage. "August."

"You were my test."

I choke on some water and my eyes have gotten so large I'm sure they're almost bulging out of my skull. "Pardon?"

"When you all fell asleep, the post explained to me that I would be tested on my concentration and ability to hear tones under a louder noise."

Eve takes the canteen from me and walks away, giving the both of us a moment of privacy, or as close to privacy as we can get out here. August holds my face in his hands, they're rough on my skin, covered in dry cracks and new calluses.

"I still don't understand..."

A muscle ticks in his jaw as he clenches his teeth. "They decided that the best way to do that was to affect your dreams. A drone led me to a room not far from here and I had to tune a set of five guitars while there was an amplified live-video of you asleep."

He swallows hard and meets my eyes again. "I was forced to watch and listen to you cry and scream and yell." A tear slides down his cheek and my eyes start to burn. "I know what they made you see. I would never think something like that of you."

He shakes his head. "Near the end of the test, I don't know what happened, but you started seizing. I finished as quickly as I could and got back to you to turn you on your side and try to wake you up."

I've now begun to silently cry, his pain resonating in me. I reach up and set my hands on his forearms, then tilt my head to touch my forehead to his.

We stay still for a long moment, heads bowed and hands holding the other. Much too soon, Auggie pulls away and swipes some hair behind my ear. "It's late, we should rest."

I nod quietly and help him quickly pitch our tent. We both climb in and I flop onto my side, my muscles melting until I feel as if I've become one with the bed. I sigh, content for the moment but then my brow furrows and I turn to look at August.

He sits up next to me, a small smile playing at his lips as he looks down at me. "What are you doing? You said we should get some rest."

"I'm fine for right now, I'd rather just make sure you're okay."

I frown and shake my head, scooting over and grabbing his blanket. "Come on, you need to sleep also." I motion to the space next to me and smile. "You can watch my Scanner if you need to, but at least lay down and let your muscles recover."