Legacy of Fire (The Blaze Trilogy - Book #1)

Chapter 31

The girl in cot bears no resemblance to the one I saw locked up in the Rearing District. Her dark black hair has regained some of it’s luster, but it’s been cut shorter and jagged. She’s removed the brown contact lenses, and her true blue eyes show through, but they are not wide or innocent. They’re narrowed, like two slits appraising the world around them.

But when she sees me standing at the edge of her tent, the hint of a smile plays on her lips. “Ava Rosentar.” She says the name slowly, like she’s testing it out. 

“Calie Bennett,” I respond the same way.

She beckons me inside. “I’ll admit, I never thought I’d be seeing you again. Not after that day in Union.” She smiles slightly. "But then again, I'm not sure you're even the same person."

I nod in agreement, but the silence hangs in the air. 

She scoffs, as if she’s read my thoughts. “Is there really nothing you want to ask me?”

There is something. “I’m wondering why you were at Union that day. You were meant to be at the Department of Nuture.” 

She purses her lips. “Alright, I’ll answer that. I simply couldn’t get in to Nurture. I made my way over there but I got funnelled in with the Northern girls. Breaking away would have caused a scene, so I just went ahead with it. Little did I know that that bastard Kathu had a mark on me - they must have spotted me through the surveillance system or something, because once I entered the Union hall they swooped down like vultures.” She cocks her head at me. “That answer your question, princess?” 

I ignore her attitude. From what Keeta told me, it’s expected. Besides, the girl’s been in captivity for over three months - she can act however the hell she wants.

The next question is one I don’t want to ask, but I know I have to. My voice goes softer. “Did he break you?”

She hesitates, then turns her head away. She knows what I mean. “No. Not long enough for him to get anything out of me.” Calie glances back. “What about you?”

I shake my head. “Mendell sacrificed himself to prevent his life from being used as leverage - against me, against Everwood, against the Terran.”

Calie closes her eyes. “It hurt to hear about Mendell. He was a true friend of the Terran.” 

“You know,” I swallow. “It’s funny how he could mean so much even though I knew him for such a short time. I mean really knew him. Before, he was this grand figure who I always heard about - even now, the way Kal'sayu and the Terran talk about him like he was some kind of hope for peace. And… I couldn’t save him.”

“Ava,” Calie speaks softly. “It’s not your fault.”

I shake my head harder. “That doesn’t mean his death won’t haunt me. I can’t keep losing…” And at that moment I know it’s true. I can feel that strength kindled within me, sharpened by the knowledge that I have no one left to lose. Kathu will feel my wrath. 

“I hate him, too, you know,” Calie says. “So I think we’re going to be excellent friends. Besides,” she adds, “I heard you kind of lost it out at Rearing - burning down the entire East Sector beats sending a windstorm through Everwood, eh?”

I smile slightly. “Maybe.” 

“Well thank Evo you did,” she shudders. “You can’t imagine how awful it is there… all those kids walking around empty husks.” She looks up at me. “I know you’re the reason I’m sitting here right now. You where the one who realised where I was. And you made them come get me.”