Keepers of the Moon

Chapter 12. Toiseach an deireadh (3)

Hlér

‘Do you realise how stupid you are?’

Tane gave me a firm blow on my head and I saw stars for a second. Anger flared inside me and my hands were clenched into fists. My nails buried deeply in my skin. The worls was spinning around me and every vein in my body wanted to go back to Indigo. I could barely control the panic that was swirling inside.

‘I don’t care! She doesn’t deserve this!’

I was still walking in front of him, unable to look him in the eye. I was biting my lip so hard that I tasted blood. I was shaking uncontrollably, my heart was hammering inside my chest. It almost hurt and I feared it would c***k my ribs. Tane gave me another blow and came walking beside me. That feeling of unease that he usually gave me, became worse and I slowed down half a step so that he would no longer be next to me. I really didn't want to be near him right now, he now was responsible for taking me away from Indigo. I knew I'd probably never see her again, that was his fault.

‘You could’ve blown everything! Don’t you see?’ His voice rose with agitation, his shoulders were tense and rage was almost exploding out of him. Like a carton of milk that had gone off and was now a ticking time bomb on the counter. I had never managed to get him this angry before and something told me that I would regret it. But I truly felt like I didn’t have another choice.

I knew I didn't have another choice.

‘Well it’s not my stupid plan! She’s going to be caught in the middle of it. She isn’t even Caledonian!’ I said all this through gritted teeth, while keeping my voice as soft as possible. People on the street didn't have to hear this. Tane, however, didn’t respond he just turned around, grabbed my arm and dragged me into a parked car at the end of the street. I didn't have the strenght to fight him, nor did I want to. It was as if all my limbs had turned to jelly and suddenly I was really tired. My body had just given up.

Rain tapped unceremoniously against the window, while the car pulled out with screeching tires. People looked up in disdain, but went on with their normal lies. My head was spinning, my mouth was dry and tears wouldn't come.

Not for the first time I thought about what my father had said and while it made sense then, it didn’t now. These people out here were just… people. They minded their own business, they had lives to live. They had nothing to do with the squabbles between the Kings, or the political ties between our countries. They didn’t care about all that. All they needed was food on the table and a roof over their head. All I had seen from them was their love for parties and each other. I had seen how they took Indigo in, cared for her and even about her. Even though she didn’t belong here, even though she came from the streets.

They were not evil. They were not the enemy.

My father just saw them that way.

And now my Indigo was caught between the crossfires. What if she ran straight into danger?

Would she do that?

Was she that brave?

I just hoped that she would run.

Somehow I knew that she wouldn’t. I doubted whether she would even stand a chance. My father was thorough when it came to his plans. Maybe I should have tried to convince him to do something else, to do this differently. Even though I knew he would never listen.

And now he would know what I had done, that I had jeopardised this mission.