Page 31 of When Eden Falls

Troy.

I picked up the black receiver. “Orka, it’s Eden…Troy, do you copy?”

“Loud and clear, Lieutenant. I was starting to get worried.”

I sighed and looked at Cora, who was now standing beside me, beaming.

“You seem to be in a shielded location. I’ve been in your radio silence far longer than normally expected.”

I frowned. “That’s strange.”

“Is everything okay? I lost your signal within minutes of you being found.”

“Yes and no. But we’re safe. Although Rooke and Kobe are off the scope at the moment, and I don’t know why. We’re being kept apart.”

“I’ll see if I can get a trace on their position.”

Cora leaned closer, her bright eyes gently pleading with me. I laughed and spoke into the radio. “I have someone here who wants to speak with you.”

“Ahh, put her on. I’ve kinda missed her.”

Cora grabbed the radio. “Kinda missed me! Only kinda?”

I smirked and left them to their lover’s banter.

Another couple of hours passed and still no word from Rooke. I’d given up trying, hoping he would radio me instead. I felt agitated. I couldn’t sit down, I couldn’t eat. The worry was churning away at me.

From behind the pages of a book, Zamya peered up at me as I paced past her for the umpteenth time. “Eden, you are doing my head in. Just sit!”

“How can I sit? We haven’t heard from them for nearly a day. This just…this just doesn’t feel…right. I need to know they’re safe. I need to see with my own eyes…”

“Look, why don’t you ask Yuska if you can request to see upper management when she returns.”

I glared at her. “Don’t make fun of this situation, Zam! Yesterday it was you who was losing your shit.”

“Hey, okay, I’m sorry.” She stood up, catching my arm. “Eden, please…please, sit down. We’ll ask Yuska when she…”

“And what will we be asking Yuska?” said a soft, female voice from the doorway. Yuska was holding the door open, allowing Woohla & Bibska to enter. They were both holding garments high above their heads, in an attempt to keep the flowing material from dragging along the marble floor. With intrigue, Zamya and I watched them march into the bedroom.

“What’s going on?” Zamya asked, looking back at Yuska.

“You shall be dining with our divine lord this evening. Which means you shall be appropriately dressed.” She eyed our attire disapprovingly.

I looked down at my black leggings and vest top. I hadn’t bathed or brushed my hair for days. I must’ve looked like a giant wildling compared to her petite, elegant self.

“We will be taking you to bathe now.”

“Ah, yes.” Zamya smiled. “I was worried you’d forgotten.”

“Not at all. We needed to clear the route, so there won’tbe any unauthorised presences when we take you through the fortress.”

I looked at Zamya, my eyebrows drawn.What did that mean?She shrugged and followed Yuska into the bedroom.

Within minutes we were being escorted through a labyrinth of corridors and stairwells towards what Yuska referred to as the springs. Closely surrounded by Yuska and the two other attendants, three male guards led the way, with three more at our rear. All six were bare chested with golden swirls tattooed on their right pectoral. No deadly looking spears were in sight, but they were all burdened with a large curving sword, sheathed and hanging from the belt on their bronze trousers. I wasn’t sure if their presence was to dissuade us from escaping, or to protect us against something or someone else.

As Yuska had suggested, the corridors were empty. Other than our party, I didn’t see a single being. The silence falling around our footsteps felt eerie.

After climbing another spiral of steps, an open iron gate appeared, exposing a long expanse of stone before us. The walls of the corridor fashioned multiple open archways in the stone on either side.