Activity

@Dakota @emberynus-the-dragonslayer @urwen-starial @mayacat @esmeralda-gramilton @kayla-skywriter

Okay, got three new parts done!

___

Gerik took off down the alley, seeing nothing but the broken concrete right in front of him. Those idiots, he thought, gritting his teeth. They’ve jeopardized the whole organization like this. Tears stung his eyes as memories flooded back.

The fire. Dad. Mom. Miya.

His seven-year-old sister’s frightened cries. Her eyes. And the eyes of the man who killed her.

Just like that boy’s.

He slammed his fist into the brick wall of the building beside him. He regretted it a moment later, but as he rubbed his hand, the bitterness remained, whirling and festering inside him.

Suddenly, hands clamped on his arms. He was spun around roughly to face two men with mockingbirds over their hearts. One yanked Gerik’s jacket into the moonlight. “Sparrow.” He wrenched Gerik’s hands behind his back. “You’re coming with us.”
___
I won’t forget you.

Kiet clung to the kind woman’s words as the officers dragged him into the interrogation room. She reminds me of someone else. . . someone I knew. Someone who gave me comfort when my life was dark. 

<i>Dark–from what?</i>

<i></i>All memories fled from his mind as the officers threw him into a chair before a table. A tall, broad-shouldered man sat on the other side, narrowing his fierce eyes at him.

Kiet’s heart pounded as he met the man’s eyes. His hands grew sweaty. I can’t do this. I’ll give it away. I’ll betray him. His stomach clenched. And I know what that feels like. I don’t want to! But how? I’m a terrible liar. Especially when I’m scared. . .

Then don’t lie.

Kiet’s heart twisted. God, he prayed, please. . . please help me. I’m not strong enough for this. I’m scared they’ll get me to tell. But—I can’t turn him in. Please. . . I don’t know how, but keep me from—

One of the officers dropped a knife on the table. “Found this in the alleyway. Might have something to do with it.”

Kiet’s eyes widened at the sight of the blade. His hand pressed against the scars on his right cheek. “No,” he murmured. He tried to breathe deeply, but the breaths came faster and faster as his vision tunneled. He shut his eyes, curling into a ball in his seat, not even noticing the shooting pain in his leg. “No—no. . .”

Men spoke around him, but he didn’t hear them. The only thing he heard, the only thing he saw or felt, were the ghosts of his memories.
___
Kedori looked up as the woman held a hand out to Pasha. His heart started pounding. What if she tries to talk to me? he thought. What will I say? She’s a mockingbird. What if she can tell—that I want to get Kiet out? He swallowed hard. Maybe. . . maybe she’ll ignore it when she finds out I’m deaf. He sighed. I’ve never wanted to be ignored for that before. But I want it now.