Chapter Five

 

 

Star

 

The bright lights above me shined down with an intensity that caused my pupils to contract painfully. I reached up to block it, wincing when my arm ached, sore over every inch of skin and bone. I gasped, blinking furiously. Once my eyes had adjusted, I looked around the room, which was filled with the soft murmurs of voices from people in beds just like mine. There were attendants standing beside some of them. The place was immaculately white and smelled of cleaner and alcohol, which burned my nose and stung my throat. I coughed after taking in a deep breath of disinfected air.

“Star, you’re awake.” A woman with a kind face and crows’ feet along her crinkled eyes smiled at me. She wore all white, like a nurse or a medic. Her outfit was neatly pressed, and not a hair was out of place.

I’m in an infirmary, I thought.

“Where am I?”

She didn’t miss a beat as she peered at the IV bag of clear fluids dangling from a pole next to the bed. The tubing fed into a device on my hand.

“You’re in the Glass Sky City Hospital. You’re safe here.” She smiled again as she assessed my emotions. “Are you in any significant pain?”

I shook my head. “Just sore and tired.” I tried to sit up but felt dizzy. I groaned and sat back on my elbows as the spinning ceased. The memories of the previous events slammed into my mind and I sat up once again, holding my head as it throbbed. I swung my eyes to the nurse, who held me up as I shook.

“How did I get here? Where’s Commander Everlee?” I asked.

“He was discharged yesterday. He checked on you often but had to leave and report to the council. You unfortunately had a concussion and a broken arm. The cave-in took several hours to clear, but we recovered you both safely.” She waved at my left arm, which was now bound tightly in a wrap. It didn’t feel broken. I moved it back and forth but except for some soreness, it felt fine.

“We set it and repaired the break. I’m Nurse Ingrid, by the way. If you need anything, just let me know by touching this button.” She waved at a button installed on the rail of the bed. “I’ll get you a meal. I’m sure you’re famished.” Excusing herself, she turned and headed down the row of beds, where there were a few other patients. The room was massive, and I imagined it could hold hundreds. I could understand why the underground would need such a large infirmary. It was comforting knowing they had such resources.

Sitting up and crossing my legs, I slouched as I peered around. Checking my arms and legs, I found several healing scabs and a mess of bruises, but nothing major. I raked my hands through my long auburn hair. Its color was darker than usual from lack of care. It was clean but dull and tangled. I sighed, rubbing the sleep from my bleary eyes. Now what? I was finally free of Farlan’s demented prison and back at the Glass Sky City, but what now? I flexed my fingers, which ached, and I studied my fingernails. Several were bruised, reddened, and sore from the rocks I’d attempted to move off of me after the collapse. The memory of the wall with runes etched into them troubled me. How had they even found us in that rubble? We must have been closer to the city than I thought. Maybe some guards on duty had found us.

Regardless, I was alive. So was Everlee. I looked up and darted my eyes around the large room. Nurse Ingrid had said he’d been discharged already. Had he truly left without saying goodbye? Hugging my arms around me, I didn’t know how to feel about that. We’d spent a lot of time together, and I wasn’t sure what I felt about the former Insurgent commander. He was handsome yet had treated me poorly when he’d first taken me to Farlan’s mansion. He’d explained his reasons for his harsh behavior, but I wanted to ask him some more questions. His personality when we were travelling alone was drastically different from before. He was strong, resourceful, intelligent, and dedicated beyond belief to the rebellion’s cause. I couldn’t believe he was the same person I’d met before.

Nurse Ingrid returned with a food tray, placed it on a bedside table, and rolled the table over to my bed. She smiled kindly again and retreated to let me eat. I glanced down at the plate of steamy vegetables, turkey, mashed potatoes, and gravy. There was even a side of pudding and a cup of juice. I sipped the juice slowly, savoring the cold drink before I picked up a fork and stared at the plate of food.

I had always been a girl who enjoyed eating. My mother had marveled at my ability to stuff myself and remain as skinny as a twig. Sadness filled my heart as though a dark cloud sat over me, heavy and overbearing. I couldn’t stop thinking about Clyde’s betrayal. He’d sedated me, and I would have been in Farlan’s clutches indefinitely if Everlee had not snatched me from the mansion.

Why had Clyde done it? Was it because he was now engaged to Gigi? Did he have to prove his loyalty to the other Insurgents somehow and had thought that I had given him the perfect opportunity? Trading me for his way into Farlan’s inner circle seemed a steep price to pay. Had he thought it worth the misery it would cause me? He obviously had. If he’d been so adamant about gaining favor, I realized it was unlikely he’d snuck the rings into the book with the gadgetry made by my father. Who, then, had placed the rings and book in my room in the globe for me to find? He had written a message to me under my father’s instructions on how to use the rings, but there was no way he would have gotten close to my prison to place the book there himself.

I scooped some potatoes into my mouth absentmindedly as I ran the possibilities through my head. Maybe my father had some contacts inside of Farlan’s mansion who’d smuggled them to me. But the only one I was aware of who could have passed on such trinkets without suspicion was the one person I’d never thought would help me. But he had. More than once. Without my knowledge.

I closed my eyes, shoving the tray away. Everlee. Who knew how long he’d been watching me and guarding the globe? Even though I never saw anything, I had surmised that soldiers always checked my tray as well as the servants before they were allowed to clean my quarters. He must have walked in and placed the book there himself. No one would’ve thought anything of it.

I’d severely underestimated Everlee in so many ways. I was grateful for his help but also disturbed. If I could be tricked so easily, I was far less prepared to handle this entire situation. I had to learn to be stronger and less apt to trust anyone. After everything that had happened, I was alone once again. Everyone I cared for had slipped further and further away with every step I took.

Warm tears bloomed behind my eyelids, and I sniffed and grabbed the napkin sitting on my table. Dabbing my eyes and nose, I laid back onto the pillow, feeling the isolation of my soul far more than ever before. I had nowhere to go. No one to see. No friends to confide in. The depths of the loneliness no one seemed to notice made my heart heavy. I turned away when I saw Nurse Ingrid walking my way. She thankfully didn’t comment as she removed the tray of food and rolled the table to the side. She retreated without a word, to my utmost relief.

As the hours passed, I tried to sleep to no avail. I concluded that no matter what, I wouldn’t let anyone else get close. There was too much to lose to let another person close again. I wasn’t going to let anyone else take advantage of or use me for their own ends. I was going to move on and keep to myself. At least I could return to my mechanical work in the underground. It was solitary work, but I enjoyed it, and it would be my solace and safe haven.

With a plan in place, I closed my eyes, feeling far more at peace with my life. Having a direction did wonders for my depression, and I was glad for the skills I’d acquired while with my family. Nothing would get in my way again. Not even love.