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For a moment, I was paralyzed, unable to believe what had just happened.
Then, slowly, I got to my feet.
The room was filled with the intermingling aromas of sweat, blood, and fear.
Tentatively, I approached Sneik’s prone form.
His chest rose and fell steadily; he was unconscious but alive.
A dark bruise was forming where his head had struck the floor.
It was strangely satisfying to see such a powerful creature brought low by sheer accident.
Relief flooded me.
My senses, which had been on high alert, began to relax.
The chirping of the bird, which had returned and was now perched on a nearby shelf, was the only sound in the room.
I reached out to touch it, the softness of its feathers a balm to my frazzled nerves.
As I stroked it, it turned its head and chirped softly as if thanking me.
Shaken and exhausted, I sank to the floor.
With every passing second, the gravity of the situation began to weigh on me.
The spirit animals had come to my aid.
The events had unfolded rapidly, but the aftermath was a heavy quiet that enveloped me.
For now, I was safe.
But I knew that the danger was far from over.
I needed to get out of this place.
The little bird flitted over and settled on my shoulder, its presence reassuring.
Together, we would face whatever came next.
10
ASHALE
A pulsating pain throbbed in the base of my skull, each beat like the drumming of an ancient war chant.
The medical bay’s antiseptic aroma still clung to my nostrils, making every breath feel sterile and cold.
I had to get out.
The sterility of the infirmary was stifling, especially when Nova’s safety was at stake.
The prison corridors seemed endless.
With every step, the clang of my boots against the grated floor echoed back at me, a constant reminder of the heavy weight of my situation.
I knew where I had to go first.
