Midnight Sky

“Turn it off,” Ryland growled, low enough so only I could hear him.

“No,” I snapped back. “Not until you get them out of there, and show me where the Capital Meridian is.”

“I don’t know what the hell you’re talking about.”

“Yes, you do, and you’re going to show me.”

Ryland smirked. “You trying to threaten me, little girl? You’re not the type.”

“It’s not my friends being electrocuted out there.”

He laughed. “Might want to redefine your idea of ‘friends.’ Besides, you won’t last much longer. You can’t stand their screams, can you? Knowing it’s your fault?” His smile grew, and my blood turned cold. “I imagine your parents felt the same way.”

I held back my shock as much as I could. Ryland was definitely old enough to have been alive when my parents were, but had he really seen them? Had all of Westraven seen them? Or did they just hear rumours and remember failures?

The worst part was that he was right. I couldn’t keep up this act much longer. Not with the terrible sound around me. So much pain, all of it being caused by me. I couldn’t let it go on.

“A true Abernathy,” he condescended. “I should have known it from your looks, but this?” He chuckled. “This proves it.”