The Fading Dusk Read online

  Stumbling to a halt, Aden turned around and frantically waved his hands in front of his face.

  “What?” I asked, confused.

  He pointed behind me.

  Slowly, I turned around to see Captain Leonid leaning against a doorway we had just passed. “Oh, don’t mind me,” he said dryly. “I’m just stupid and dumb, apparently.” He arched an eyebrow. “Next time someone’s trying to kill you, I’ll gladly let them finish the job.” He ducked back into the room, slamming the door shut behind him.

  I sputtered incoherently.

  “My fault,” Aden said meekly. “I should have warned you that that’s the captain’s quarters.”

  We resumed walking. “What, he lives here?”

  “Most of the time, yes.”

  “Doesn’t he have a home to go to?” I couldn’t think of anything more depressing than living in a prison if you weren’t actually incarcerated.

  Aden made a face as we walked into a larger room lined with cells. Some of them were occupied with sleeping prisoners, but about half were empty. The ceiling was low, and two small windows on opposite sides of the room allowed me a glimpse of the ink-black sky. There were a few benches set up in the middle of the room; I wondered if they were meant for visitors. Were prisoners even allowed visitors? Gas lamps burned on the wall, providing a dull, smoky-gray light that stung my eyes. The room itself was spotless, which I found to be odd. Weren’t prisons cramped, dark places overrun with rats and bugs? The room was almost, but not quite, welcoming. The walls felt too close, making it hard for me to breathe. I shut my eyes. Was I really going to be staying here?

  I blinked when I realized Aden was answering my question. “He does, but it’s complicated. He—”

  “Flirting with the new prisoner already?” A soldier sitting on one of the benches stood and pounded Aden hard on the back. He had chestnut-colored hair that hung down to his chin and dark blue eyes that sparkled mischievously. Shorter than Aden, this soldier was bulky, and his uniform strained against his chest. “You don’t waste any time, do you?”

  Aden winced, rubbing his back. “It’s not flirting, it’s called being nice. If I hadn’t stepped up, she’d still be gagged.”

  “You should have kept the gag on,” I said. “It’s not like they listened to anything I said, anyway.”

  “I heard you stood up to Raynard,” the brown-haired soldier said to me, nodding his approval. “You’re brave.”

  “Not brave,” I corrected, “just really annoyed.”

  He laughed at that. Holding out his hand, he said, “I’m Vernen, by the way. I’m heading out on assignment, but it was really nice to meet you before I left.” We shook hands. “I almost regret leaving. You’re definitely going to add some excitement to this place. I can tell already.”

  Despite the circumstances, I found myself grinning. Vernen’s positive attitude was infectious. “Well, why should I be the only one miserable, right?”

  Vernen laughed again. “Oh, I’d pay money to watch Leon try and deal with you!” With a wave, he walked away.

  “Leon?” I asked as Aden pulled a ring of keys from his belt and searched for the right one.

  “Captain Leonid,” he answered. Why did everything come back to the captain? “He and Vernen are best friends, so Vernen always gets sent out on the important missions. He’s the one the captain trusts the most.” I thought I detected a faint spark of jealousy in Aden’s green eyes, but when he looked up at me, he smiled. “Found the key.” Then he realized what he said and his smile faded. “I hate doing this to you, you know.”

  I nodded glumly. “It’s not your fault. I just have to make everyone realize Bantheir is innocent, and then I can go free. Simple, right?” My voice cracked. When the tears came, I couldn’t stop them from spilling down my cheeks.

  “Shh,” Aden said, placing a hand on my shoulder. “It’s going to be all right. You’re not in this alone. I’ll help you, however I can.”

  “Thank you,” I whispered.

  “Of course.” He waited for me to calm down before he opened the cell and showed me in. “If you need anything, just holler, all right? I’m on until morning, so I’ll hear you.” He patted the bed, a cloud of dust rising from the faded gray blanket. “It’s… It’s not so bad.” He searched my face, as if pleading with me to agree with him.

  It was obvious he felt horrible about the whole situation, so I gave him a small smile. “It’s fine. Just like home.” I sat down, stifling a cough as the dust flew up my nose. “I’m so tired, I’m sure I’ll sleep like the dead.” I winced at my poor choice of words. Aden, for his part, kept quiet. “T-Thanks, Aden, for being a friend. I could really use one right about now.” I didn’t tell him I never had any friends, knowing how pathetic that sounded.

  He took my hand in his, squeezing gently. His fingers were warm and holding hands felt… nice. “It’ll be all right, Irina,” he said again.

  He closed the jail cell behind him with a resounding click. I watched him leave before throwing myself down on the bed and wrapping my limbs up in a tight ball. Facing the wall, I bit my lip, telling myself I would not give in to my tears.

  A DOOR SLAMMED IN THE distance, startling me awake. For a moment I forgot where I was—my bed was too hard, the blanket too thin, the temperature too cold. Then it came back to me: the men in my house, the surly captain saving my life, Bantheir a wanted fugitive, and me, in prison.

  I had hoped it was a dream.

  Pushing my tangled curls from my face, I swung my body around, surveying the rest of the room as I hugged my knees to my chest. I wrapped the blanket around my shoulders; I was still dressed in my assistant’s clothing, and the material offered little warmth against the chilly morning air.

  “Good morning,” a female voice called from my right. I craned my neck, spotting a woman a few years older than me occupying the cell to my right. She stood and stretched her arms over her head, her short dress rising up high on her thighs. She was at least five inches taller than me, with glossy black hair that trailed all the way down her back. I bit my lip, envious of her straight locks. My appearance was the least of my concerns, I knew, but I’d give almost anything to have hair like hers.

  “Morning,” I said. “Not sure if it’s good, though…”

  She smiled. She was very pretty, with full lips and big brown eyes. I pulled the blanket up to my chin, wishing I could use it to cover my face. Next to her, I felt like the ugliest thing that ever crawled out from under a rock. How could someone look so pretty while in prison? “It beats sleeping out on the streets, dearie.”

  I had to agree with that. If I had to choose between prison and the slums, prison would always win.

  “You’ve had a rough time of it, haven’t you?” she asked. “What with your master going around killing people.”

  I frowned. “He hasn’t killed anyone! He’s a street magician!” How many times would I utter those words before someone actually believed me?

  She held up her hands, as if to placate me. “Don’t go getting all upset, honey. Us girls need to stick together, you know?” She flashed me a grin. “Especially when we’re both girls of the street—although you and I have different trades.”

  Confused, I looked at her. Smirking, she put a hand on her hip and did a suggestive shimmy of her body. My face flushed when I realized what she meant.

  She laughed. “Not much experience with people of my trade, dearie?”

  “No. My master locks me up every night.” I blushed even harder when I realized how that sounded.

  The woman laughed again. “I’m Coreen.”

  “Irina. How long are you here for?”

  She shrugged. “As long as I can manage. In here, you get food and a blanket. Out there, there’s no guarantee.”

  Secretly, I was glad for that. I liked having someone to talk to. Speaking of… “Is Aden here?” I peered out into the room, but the few soldiers who stood watch were unfamiliar.

  “Is that your blond sweetheart?�
��

  I shook my head. “He’s not—”

  “Well, he will be soon, mark my words,” she said. “I saw the way he was looking at you.” I fought back a grin. Leaning against the bars, Coreen tilted her head sideways. “I think he went home. He had the overnight shift.”

  “Oh no,” I said softly.

  “Miss him already?” she asked with a knowing grin.

  “N-No!” I sputtered, which only made her laugh even harder. As I feebly protested, the soldiers in the room snapped to attention. Captain Leonid, scowl and all, strolled into the room. “Great,” I muttered when I saw him head toward me.

  “Hey there, Captain,” Coreen whistled. “If you’re looking for a good time, try this cell.” She shook her hips for extra measure.

  The captain ignored her, telling another soldier to unlock my door. I remained on the bed, my heart thudding in my chest. What did he want, so early in the morning? I hadn’t even been served breakfast! Although maybe that was a good thing; already, I felt sick to my stomach.

  “Get up,” Captain Lenoid said to me.

  I didn’t move. “Where’s Aden?”

  His scowl increased. “He’s not here. Get up.”

  “No.”

  He looked momentarily baffled, like he never expected anyone to rebuke him. From the cell next door, I could hear Coreen tittering with glee. “What?”

  “I’m not going anywhere with you.” I folded my arms over my chest, hoping I looked fierce. “I’m not in the mood to be tortured today.”

  “Tortured?” His normally low, calm voice rose in volume. “Who said anything about being tortured?”

  “Oooh, Captain, you can torture me all you want over here,” Coreen called.

  “Someone shut that infernal woman up!” Captain Leonid barked. “You just earned yourself another week in that cell!”

  Coreen preened. Pressing her lips together, she mimed locking them up with a key. Throwing herself down on the bed, she flashed me a wink.

  The captain turned his attention back to me. “You are merely answering some questions. Questions you should have answered last night, mind you. I’m hoping you’ll be in a more agreeable mood this morning.”

  “Oh, yes, because a night on this hard-as-a-board bed is definitely going to make someone more agreeable.”

  Captain Leonid raised his eyes to the ceiling, muttering under his breath. I was pretty certain one of his eyes started twitching, as well. I smiled smugly. Thought he could break me so easily, did he?

  “Fine,” he said, noticing my smile. The captain stepped out of the cell. “Lock the door,” he ordered the same soldier who’d opened it. “We’ll see how agreeable you are after a day without food.” Turning on his heel, the captain marched smartly away, the other soldiers following.

  My mouth fell open. “Wait, what just happened?” I turned to Coreen. “He can’t do that, can he?”

  “Sure he can, dearie. You definitely put a bee in his bonnet. Did you see the dark looks he was giving you?” She put a hand to her forehead and pretended to swoon.

  I glared at the door the captain had exited through. “There’s nothing handsome about that evil, evil man.”

  Clang, clang, clang!

  “Just so we’re clear, dearie,” Coreen said, massaging her temples. “That’s very annoying.”

  “Good.” I ran my wrists along the bars, making sure I hit each of my bracelets. “I’m hungry.”

  “Unless you’re planning on chipping a piece of the bars off with your bracelets and eating that, I don’t see how the two are connected.”

  Two soldiers walked into the room, followed by Captain Leonid. “Here we go,” I said, pleased. I continued banging my bracelets against the bars, just for extra measure. And maybe because I wanted to see the captain’s eyes twitch again.

  He watched me for a few moments, his face expressionless. When he didn’t say anything, I thought it best if I spoke up. “I’m hungry.” Clang, clang, clang! “Isn’t it time for lunch now?” Clang, clang, clang!

  He addressed the two soldiers. “Remove all of her jewelry, please.”

  I froze in mid-clang. What? No, that’s not what was supposed to happen. “Didn’t you hear me? I’m hungry!” One of the soldiers opened the cell’s door and I scurried away like a rat, hiding my arms behind my back.

  “I heard you, but I’m choosing to ignore you,” Captain Leonid said. “Just like you chose to ignore me when I told you to come out of the cell and answer a few simple questions.” He gestured for the soldiers to proceed. One grabbed my arms, while the other began wrenching the bracelets off. I struggled, but to no avail. “We do not reward those who behave like children. If and when you decide to cooperate, you will be fed.”

  I glared at him, blinking hard to fight back tears. I hated him!

  The captain pointed a finger at me. “Don’t forget the necklace, men.”

  A wave of panic hit me. “No!” I shouted, lashing out with my foot. I hit the one who’d pulled off my bracelets and he swore, dropping them to the floor and making a racket that was even worse than the clanging of the bracelets against the bars. The other soldier kept his hold on my arms but put some distance between us so I couldn’t kick him as well.

  “Captain?” he asked uncertainly.

  The captain muttered under his breath as he came forward, grabbed the cord around my neck, and yanked. I gasped. “No, don’t, please—” The knot in the cord came loose, and the captain dangled it in front of my face, the lark inches from my nose. I stared at it in desperation, fighting against the soldier who held me back. “Give that back!”

  “This is important?” the captain asked quietly.

  I didn’t know how to answer that because I was afraid if he knew how much it meant to me, it would end up under his boot, crushed to pieces. “Please,” I begged again. “Whatever you want to ask me, go ahead. I’ll answer all of your questions, I swear!”

  He curled his gloved hand around the lark, nodding in approval. “That’s more like it. We’ll talk tomorrow, when you’re less hysterical. Until then…” He tucked the necklace into his pocket. “I’ll hold on to this for safekeeping.” He tilted his head sideways, mocking me. “Does that sound fair?”

  I glared at him, wishing the soldier would let me go so I could show the captain just how fair I thought it was.

  His dark eyes narrowed as he repeated, “I said, does that sound fair?”

  “Yes,” I mumbled.

  “I knew we’d eventually see eye-to-eye.” He turned to leave. “Be ready for questioning tomorrow, Lark.”

  His words were like a punch in the stomach. All of the breath whooshed out of me as I collapsed, the soldier holding me the only thing preventing me from falling to the floor. “Lark?” I whispered as the soldier let go and, along with the other one, knelt to pick up my bracelets. I barely paid them any attention as they stood and left, locking the cell behind them.

  I rubbed my wrists, following Captain Leonid’s retreating back with my gaze. How did he know the charm on my necklace was a lark? Normally that wouldn’t shake me, someone knowing exactly what the charm was. No, what rattled me was the nickname. In the four short years I’d spent with her, my mother had always fondly referred to me as her “Lark.”

  It was simply a coincidence, but that didn’t matter. Sinking to my knees, I began sobbing in earnest, wishing, not for the first time, that my mother was still alive.

  “IRINA! PSST, IRINA, WAKE UP!”

  “Go away,” I mumbled, pulling the blanket over my face.

  “Irina, come on, aren’t you hungry?”

  My stomach gave a noisy growl. Moaning, I turned over and opened my sleep-crusted eyes. “Aden!”

  “Shh!” he said, putting a finger to his lips. “I’m not supposed to be here, giving you this.” I squinted in the dark and nearly moaned again. Resting in his left hand was a small, squished roll. Diving off the bed, I went to the bars and held out my hands. “Here you go.” He deposited it into my greedy fi
ngers. “Don’t eat it too fast—oh, never mind,” he said as he watched me stuff the entire thing in my mouth.

  “Whharrrouuheare?”

  “What?” he asked.

  I chewed and swallowed. “Why are you here?”

  “I heard about what happened today.” Aden grimaced. “I’m sorry I wasn’t here to help. It sounded awful.”

  “He took my necklace.”

  “I know.”

  “And he said he’s going to question me tomorrow. Will you be there?” I held my breath as I waited for his response. The whole thing would be a lot less painful if I didn’t have to be stuck in the same room with Captain Grimace.

  “I’ll see what I can do.” Aden paused and I could see the hesitation on his face. “He might not like us getting close, but if I explain you’ll be more relaxed with me in the room, he might be willing to let me stay…”

  I nodded. “Thank you.” I shifted from one foot to the other. “Thank you” seemed so… trivial. But what else could I do, trapped behind these bars?

  “Don’t look so sad, Irina.” He gave me a warm smile. “I get to escort you to the captain’s rooms, so you’ll at least see me tomorrow morning. And I might have another roll for you.”

  All I could focus on was “the captain’s rooms.” I shuddered. He was going to question me in his living quarters? Question me and… What else? I really, really hoped he would allow Aden to stay. He wouldn’t dare try something with the other soldier present, would he?

  “So I’ll see you tomorrow?” he asked, reaching out to touch me with the tips of his fingers. I leaned forward and entwined our fingers together. Aden sucked in his breath, and even in the dark I could see his eyes widen. I wondered if he could hear my heart pounding through my thin blouse. I wasn’t sure what was going on, or why I was suddenly feeling so light-headed, but I liked it. I wished we could remain like that for the rest of the night, just holding hands and staring at one another.

  But I knew we couldn’t. He’d already risked so much to come here and give me the roll. I couldn’t get him in trouble. I wouldn’t. Giving his hand a gentle squeeze, I whispered, “Tomorrow, then.”