Amongst the Order (Watchers of the Veil #1)

Chapter 23

I woke to the sound of muffled arguing, still in the same position I last remembered myself in: on the ground with my face pressed against the dirt.

"I had it handled perfectly fine!" Nathaniel. The sound of his whining voice alone was enough to make my blood boil. I tried to scowl but my brow throbbed.

"...an ignorant little child. She would have killed you if she escaped." A broad shadow lingered above me: Felix.
"You hit her hard. What if she's dead?" Nathaniel panicked. "Is that... is that blood?"

I pushed up from the damp dirt, managing to lift my head barely an inch. Two figures sat nearby. I squinted as I tried to focus on them, finally making them out to be Alex and Pete whispering at me, hands tied behind their backs. Only mine were free.

I had to take this chance but trying to think, let alone move, made my stomach churn. I curled my fingers, trying to feel the dirt or even the cold, to push up from the ground. Alex and Pete needed me to move. I had to get up to get them out of here.

"See! She's alive. Nothing to worry about."

I swore inwardly. If they knew I was awake, I had no chance in getting away in this state. I tried getting up once more but found it easier this time as my hair was pulled back to face Felix, ripping into my scalp so hard I almost cried.

"Stop that!" Nathaniel insisted. "We've got them. Now let's go."
"You're a little shit, you know that?" Alex snapped. "We welcomed you. We saved your life!"

Nathaniel gulped and, with a wave of his hand, my wrists were bound behind my back.
"A witch," Pete spat. "We let an actual witch into the Watch."
"Can you stand?" Nathaniel asked the three of us.

The boys stood with ease but my own legs grew heavy. The force Felix had struck me with knocked me off balance and I needed rest to recover -- rest I had a strong feeling I would not be offered.

I wobbled forward and fell back down to my knees. The world spun and I could barely see ahead of me; walking was impossible.

Felix growled. "Just walk!"
"She's concussed!" Pete snapped. "Give her a minute."
"We don't have a minute," Felix replied. "Either she gets up or dragged by her hair. Your choice, sweetheart."

My face twisted in rage and pain. I had no real choice but to get up, but I could barely see. It was useless to even try and it felt easier to give in and let Felix drag me to where we needed to go rather than fight my way to my feet.

"Erika." Alex knelt down in front of me, softening his eyes. "Come on, you can do this."
I tried to shake my head but couldn't. The ground I stared at blurred. "I can't. Everything hurts."
"I know, I know. But remember when The Collector drugged you and you made your way across the entire manor by yourself?"
It was hardly a happy memory. "It seems a lifetime ago now."
"I know. You did that all on your own. You didn't need anyone then and you don't need anyone now. But you've got someone this time. You've got me, and you've got Pete helping you. Can you get up?"

I had to try. Mustering up all the willpower and strength in my legs, I pushed myself up, stumbling forward but I stayed standing. Alex smiled.

"Good on you, Erika," said Pete.
"If you're quite finished," Felix hissed, "move."

He tapped Alex's back and gestured for Pete and I to follow. Felix headed the group further in the forest, Nathaniel guarding us from behind. My vision came back the more we walked and the strength in my legs returned, though I could feel blood trickling down my forehead.

"How long was I out for?" I asked the boys.
"Just a few minutes," Pete replied. "We didn't even notice what Nathaniel was doing until that one apprehended us." He nodded at Felix.
"I'm so stupid," Alex groaned. "I've tried including that kid in everything we've done because I believed him."
"We all did," I replied. "Don't blame yourself."
"I encouraged the rest of you to let him in." He let out a sigh. "I'm sorry. And worse, poor Flo..."