Free Stay by C.C. Jackson Page A

scream as something small
and furry scampered across my hand. I did not know if I would be
able to stand it much longer. I wanted to curl up into a ball and
cry. I still could not believe what was happening to me.
    The passage turned at a sharp angle and once
I was past it, I could sense the air change. I let out a sigh of
relief. I knew the end of the tight space was approaching.
    I tried to hurry myself along when suddenly
the ground beneath me gave way and I tumble out of the wall and
landed onto the hard tunnel floor.
     

Chapter 8
     
    “Callie!”
    I heard my name, and I recognized the voice,
but it was not Kailen. I righted myself and leaned my back against
the hole, hoping to deter Kailen from spilling out into the trap. I
did not notice any sounds coming from inside so I could only assume
that he heard it too and waited.
    “Brokk?” I asked, as I peered into the tunnel
toward the figure now running towards me.
    “ Callie, you are okay!” He said as he
dropped to his knees in front of me. “We have been searching
everywhere for you! What are you doing out here?”
    “What do you want, Brokk?” I could not hide
the ice in my voice.
    I began to brush the dirt and gravel from my
palms and knees. I was trying to do all that I could to avoid
having to look into his eyes. I feared that if I did, our crazy
bond thing would cause me to get all loopy and I would end up back
in his arms.
    “Callie, I am so sorry. Please, let me help
you up. We have to get you back to the city.” He tried to pull me
from the floor by my arm but I jerked it away. He looked at me in
confusion.
    “Callie, please. I said that I was sorry.
Just let me help you get back to the palace, we can talk about
everything later. But right now we really need to go.” He
insisted.
    “Hold on a minute Brokk!” I yelled as I
jumped to my feet. “There is nothing to talk about and I am not
going anywhere with you. You knew what Lilith had planned for me!
You knew and you just left me there! You knew that she was going to
kill my parents! That is why you went back!”
    I could no longer hold back my tears. Seeing
Brokk was just more than I could take.
    “Okay, I knew that she only wanted to use you
for her own benefit, but I also knew that she would never hurt you.
I was afraid that she might try to harm your parents, and yes, that
is why I went back. Nevertheless, I was too late Callie, and I am
so sorry for that. Please, just come with me now and we can fix
this.” He pleaded.
    “Fix this? How can you fix this?” I
stammered. “You stole me away from the only home that I ever knew!
You brought me to that awful place where I was locked away like
some kind of animal! You say that she would never hurt me, but what
was she going to do after she was through with me? Do you think
that she was really going to let me go?”
    “Queen Lilith would never hurt you, Callie.”
He said as his blue eyes started to get misty. “You have to know
that. I am sorry that you were not happy with your arrangement
there, but if we talk to her. If she knew how unhappy you were, I
know that she would change things.”
    “ She killed my family! Do you really
think that she cares if I am unhappy with my arrangements ?” I yelled. “And you, you did
nothing to stop her! You just let her destroy everything that I
have ever loved! You knew what she was going to do and you never
said a word!” I had just about all that I could take of this.
“There is no talking to her, you know that as well as I do. She
brought me here to use me, and when she was through with me, she
would have killed me too. Just like she killed my
parents.”
    I sobbed so hard that tremors racked my body.
I could barely stand.
    “Callie that is enough!” He growled as he
moved for me. “Let’s go. Now.”
    He grabbed hold of my arm and started to yank
me down the tunnel. I don’t know what came over me but I jerked him
back. Shock registered on his face as he turned to look at me.
    He moved