Chapter Text
Prologue
A pebble hits Teval’s pants, startling him out of the doze he’d managed to slip into, with no help from the officers in the station since they kept talking loudly every time he tried to sleep. It may only be a couple of them who took issue with Teval’s presence, but those few made everything harder for those in the cells.
Another pebble bounces off his leg, and Teval expects to open an eye to glares, but nobody is around, the station quiet now that it’s evening. He glances to the side to see Ista giving him a sour look from another cell.
‘Took you long enough,’ she signs.
Teval frowns at her. ‘They haven’t let me sleep.’
Ista is about to raise her hands to say something else when hissing whispers become obvious.
“I asked you where the reports went and all you can give me is a shrug and say you don’t know?” Bura is staring down one of the officers that has been tormenting Teval since he arrived, and he can’t help but anticipate a good dressing down.
“Sir, I didn’t handle the file so I cannot tell you where any of the documents were.”
Bura’s brow dips lower. “Officer Ristin, you were one of the most outspoken against Taka Igren at the time of his arrest, and yet you weren’t at the raid, weren’t close to Wilsem, nor did you handle the documentation. Are you absolutely sure about that?”
The officer stands stiffly before him. “Y-yes, sir.”
“Despite being the one that the captain named as the one to handle the bounty once he arrived? As well as many of the other files I’ve found that are missing half their documents.”
Teval has to imagine all the blood has drained from the officer’s face as he stumbles over his words in response, but he can only see the back of the man’s head. There’s a fire in the sergeant’s eyes as he hauls the man into his office and slams the door, and evening shift officers staring after them with wide eyes. How long has Bura been waiting for this moment?
Movement draws Teval’s eyes back to Ista as she says, ‘Well, that’s not what I was waking you for, but it was interesting.’
‘No kidding.’
‘What do you think he’s planning?’
Teval glances at the door to the sergeant’s office. ‘I’m not sure what his intentions are, but he did give me the wanted posters.’
Ista considers that for a moment.
‘What did you want to tell me?’
‘They wouldn’t let me contact anyone, but I overheard them say they were moving us to one of the jails on the west side. Orders from Bura.’
Teval nods. ‘How long do you think it’ll take us to get out?’
‘Depends on my family and if I can contact them I suppose. You, though, I’m not sure.’
‘I can wait.’
‘I guess that’s all we can do.’
Teval watches the second hand on the clock of the station tick forward. This won’t even be the half of it. He has months of waiting ahead of him, and he’ll never know how many.
434 / month 2
“Another new guy?”
Teval stops just inside the jail entrance on the west side of Middling to see a tall, sturdy guard waiting at intake with her arms crossed—arms that could probably crush Teval’s windpipe if she had him in a headlock. She cringes once she gets a look at his face.
“Fresh from Doso Station,” the officer says from Teval’s left, reaching out to hand over his file.
The woman takes it to sift through. “Why are these all so light lately?” She eyes the officer, who shifts.
“Don’t ask me; I was just told to bring him over.” He shrugs.
“No trial date, huh?” The guard frowns at the paperwork, handing it to her counterpart who stands to the side.
“I’m just following orders.”
The male guard gives the paperwork half a glance before handing the file back. “What do you want done with him?”
“Get him cleaned up,” she says.
The guard shoos the officer away. “I’ll take him from here.”
“Be careful, he’s dangerous,” the officer warns as he releases Teval, who can’t help but scoff.
“Took you two days to get me here, and they’re the ones offering to clean me up,” he quips back.
The female guard’s expression sours. “What is it with you guys at Doso?” she grumbles as the other guard leads Teval away, through a door to the side.
“Like I said—” the officer’s voice cuts off as the door shuts behind Teval with a heavy clang, two more guards inside locking it.
“Dells,” one of them says, when they see him. “How long has he been like that?”
“No idea,” the guard from the entry replies gruffly and tugs Teval onward. “Come on, Inmate Rin. Let’s get that blood off you.”
The guards take Teval into a tiled washroom to switch out his cuffs for tight fitting drain bracelets and then strip him naked. They lead him to an empty room with shower heads in the ceiling and drains in the floor, and despite the area being void of anyone or anything else, it’s fairly clean. Teval is actually looking forward to a simple shower. Finally, he won’t stink!
The water turns on from above and Teval silently thanks the spirits for the warm water until an older female guard enters and uses a rough brush and soap to scrub him clean. By the time they move him forward and toss a towel at him, Teval thinks he might be more red than brown. Well, aside from the bruises.
They put him into underwear that is too big, an oversized gray shirt, and gray pants that surprisingly fit. He decides he should probably be thankful for any clothing at this point. And the lack of dried blood is a definite plus.
The guard who took him from the officers leads him out into the main jail and up to the cell where he’ll be sleeping.
“You can call me Guard Tem.”
“Nice to meet you, Tem.” Teval smiles.
“If you’re trying to be friendly with the guards to lower your sentence, I’d suggest talking to Nina.” His neutral expression doesn’t change.
Teval appreciates the blunt honesty. “Fair enough.”
Tem recites the daily schedule and the very small list of things Teval can do, which includes meal times, free time, and lights out. He doesn’t have a cell mate yet and isn’t required to take part in any work since he hasn’t had a trial yet, but the guard points out a hallway on the far side.
“After sentencing, inmates are put to work in the sewing quarters. We make mostly uniforms for schools and the Corp. It gives the inmates something to keep their minds busy, a skill they can use once they’re free, and a pittance of pay they can leave with.”
“So, I’m not required to stay in here?” he asks.
“It’s free time right now. You can go meet your neighbors.” He smiles, but it sends a shiver down Teval’s spine.
“I get the feeling they might not like that.”
Tem shrugs. “Depends on who you meet.”
Teval isn’t sure he wants to meet anyone. He may have put some of the inmates in this place. “Am I allowed visitors?”
“If you’ve got any. Just mind your business, be in your cell on time for sleep, and you’ll be fine. Oh, and don’t piss off the little guy.”
Teval raises an eyebrow “Little guy?”
“Got a new guy a few weeks back. Name’s Taka. Wavy black hair with mean eyes; way too quiet. Nina likes him, but he killed a Core officer. Keep away from that guy.” And with that, he heads back to the entrance.
Left in silence, Teval gives his sparse cell a cursory glance to see a toilet, a set of bunk beds, and a desktop bolted to the wall with an attached bench and a shelf above. Stepping closer to the walkway outside, he peeks down from his cell on the second level. A few guys mill around the main floor, and Teval decides it might help to find a friend.
Stepping out, he sees the female guard that had been at his intake standing at the end of the walkway near the stairs, so he heads left toward her. He’s pleasantly surprised to learn that she is Nina, and she easily points out Taka, who sits near the far corner on the first floor, drawing in the sketchbook Teval gave him.
“What’s got you asking about him?” Her eyes scan Teval from head to toe with a suspicious glint.
“Would you believe I know him?”
Nina snorts. “Plenty in here know him, but be careful. I’ve seen him hold his own against some of the more long-term inmates. They tried to start shit after he was transferred here.”
Teval smiles. “Sounds like Taka.”
That seems to mollify her, and she leans on the railing. “Whoever gave him that book, I’d give them half of my weekly pay. That thing keeps him calm.”
“Does he have outbursts?” Teval asks, surprised by her comment.
“No, but I’ve also seen some of the things he draws, and I’d prefer they stay in there,” she admits.
Now Teval is intrigued, so he heads down the stairs. He trots up to the table where Taka sits alone, giving the two men who make wide paths around the table nods, and he takes the seat next to Taka. “Wish they’d let me keep mine,” he says, jerking his chin at the sketchbook as Taka turns to stare, his eyes wide.
“What in the dells are you doing here? And what happened to your nose?”
“Shit, is it that bad?” Teval asks as he tries to feel it, but it’s still swollen.
Taka just shakes his head, his eyes scanning over Teval. “You’re more bruise than face. What happened?”
“Jiyo Attenel,” Teval answers.
“The academy guy? Wasn’t he your team leader?”
“Yep.”
“That’s… horrible.”
“Second time.”
Taka gives him a bland look. “You gotta stop letting him beat you up.”
“Sounds like something Lex would say,” Teval grumbles, missing his comebacks. “No worries, I’m holding interest for when I get out of here.”
“I’d like to see that.” Taka looks like he’s trying to hold back a smile.
“I’ll do my best to make sure it happens when you’re out.” He reaches over to lift the corners of Taka’s sketchbook pages slightly to flip through them. They are quite dark. “Is it helping?”
“It… it gets all the things I don’t want in my head out.”
“Good,” he replies. “So, why are you here instead of the prison?”
Taka shrugs. “They said something about missing evidence and problems with my trial. They wanted me to make another testimony, so they moved me closer. I thought maybe Delian found information, but…” His eyes sweep down and back up Teval. “If you’re here, that must not be the case. What happened?”
Teval sighs, his gaze settling on the cold, metal bracelets that encircle his wrists. “I chose to let go.”
The bland look returns. “Don’t be cryptic.”
“I don’t want to get you in trouble.”
Taka rolls his eyes and goes back to his drawing. “It’s fine, I don’t want to know anyway.”
“Yeah, that would ruin the careless aura you exude.” Teval enjoys the half-hearted glare he receives. “You didn’t hear about the Core posting bounties for our team?”
“I don’t usually read the papers.” Taka continues scribbling, but chooses to add, “What did you do to earn bounties?”
“Aside from pissing off Jiyo, robbed a bank, I think? I forget what excuse he came up with.”
“What about everyone else?”
Teval leans closer to murmur. “I helped them get away.”
Taka stops to look at him. “They left you behind?”
“Had to. We found Orem on our way.”
“That guy?” Taka whispers as he leans closer this time.
“I thought you didn’t read the newspapers.”
“Everyone talks about him, you can’t avoid it. I thought he’d gotten away.”
“I’m pretty sure I got the credit, but I’ll have to ask the sergeant.” Teval sits back. “I wish I could tell you more.”
Taka shakes his head. “And now I gotta deal with you.”
“Be honest, you like me.”
Taka doesn’t respond, so Teval crosses his arms on the table and rests his chin on them to watch Taka draw. If he’d wanted Teval to leave, he would have told him so, or asked one of the guys patrolling the table to get rid of him.
So Teval stays, thankful to have a friend so close at hand.
Things move a lot faster than Teval expects, and by the morning after entering the jail, he’s got a request for a visitor.
When he walks into the visiting room, Ista is there waiting, and he sighs when he sees her cringe.
“Is it that bad? I haven’t seen a mirror since we left the house.”
Ista purses her lips. “Well, you might have a bump in your nose.”
“Shit, really?”
She reaches out to touch his face, her brow furrowed as Teval feels barely more than a slight cooling sensation. “I can’t do much with you wearing those bracelets, but I think I’ve lessened the swelling.”
“Thanks.”
“You’ll still look handsome,” she asserts.
“You’ve eased my main worry.” He grins.
Ista gives him a wry smile. “I’m not sure how to get you out yet, but I’m going to ask Nilinya for some help. We’ll end up owing her, but it’ll be worth it.”
If anyone has leverage, it would be an ambassador. “Try seeing Sergeant Bura, too.”
She frowns. “That station hates us, though. What if he doesn’t want to be caught helping us?”
“At least try. He gave us the warning, so he might be able to pull a few strings.”
“Okay.” Ista makes a note in the little notebook she’s brought.
“Did they search the house?”
“Only the main rooms on the first floor and the office,” she says as he sits back in relief. “I assume they went through the office because they thought we were using it to plan something other than bounty hunting.”
“We did leave the old map in there to throw them off, but Jiyo’s team must have caught wind of us heading west. He has some fanciful vision that he’s going to catch the team doing something truly heinous,” Teval tells her. “Must be disappointing for him to find out we’ve done nothing.”
“My heart bleeds for him,” Ista replies in monotone. “I hope he steps on a rusty nail.”
Teval’s only wish at this moment is to witness it.
“Is there anything you want me to bring you?”
“How long do you think it’ll take to get me out?”
“I haven’t talked to anyone yet, so honestly, a week, maybe two?”
“A couple books would be nice to pass the time. Taka is here, but he doesn’t talk much. Might as well have something to occupy me.”
Ista frowns. “What’s he doing here? I thought Delian said he was in the prison.”
“Something about the missing evidence,” Teval says as he picks at a hangnail, not wanting to get his hopes up. “Bura mentioned it when Lex and I turned in our last bounty, too. He must be cleaning up after some lazy work.”
She tilts her head, looking through him and he silently watches her work that out in her head. “I will definitely talk to him, then. I’ll also get you books.” She adds a scribble.
“The ones I haven’t read are sitting on the top of the shelf behind my door.”
Another note. “Got it.”
“Any other news?”
They take up Teval’s entire visitor time block just talking about anything that comes to mind, letting Teval pretend he’s not wearing inmate bracelets and clothing that will never fit. When Ista leaves, Teval feels better knowing she’s working to get him out.
Biding his time in jail, Teval spends his time trailing Taka around, and the companionship gives him a level of protection he is grateful for. A couple of the guys check with Taka that first full day, making sure he’s not being bothered, but the shorter man just shrugs and says he likes Teval’s stories. That puts a smile on Teval’s face.
While he’s giving Taka some much needed companionship, their actions signal to others that he isn’t to be messed with, especially when a few of the guys he put into this place glare at him from afar those first few days. This message is reinforced when the newest inmate walks through the heavy barred doors.
Orem Askon is slowly led in by one of the guards. It’s now that Teval notices Orem is almost his height, with a broad torso, but one might barely notice with him shrinking in on it, almost hugging himself as his brown eyes dart back and forth. Thick drain cuffs encircle each of his wrists and ankles, and though they aren’t chained, Teval assumes they’re larger to keep his corrupted attribute flow under control. Silly to think the item’s size is more important than the strength of the tag, but Teval puts it out of his mind.
“They brought him here?” one of the inmates whispers.
“Shouldn’t he be in a more secure prison?” another says.
“I heard he killed his father.”
“My mother said he stopped his father from beating on his sister.”
“Bet that wasn’t the only thing he did to her. I’d kill him, too.”
“Inmate Rin!” the guard calls, so he hops to his feet.
He stops in front of them with a slight bow. “Yes, Guard Tem?”
“You’ve got a new cellmate.”
“My lucky day.” Teval grins.
Recognition floods into Orem’s eyes before his expression slowly changes to bewildered as he tries to speak, but the guard beats him to it.
“Heard a lot of news about everyone in here lately,” says Tem. “My buddy told me you’ve caused quite the stir yourself, Rin. Arguments about clerical errors and others insisting the rumor about you robbing a bank is true.” He shakes his head. “I’m just here to do my job, so follow me.”
The teasing isn’t lost on Teval, and he chuckles quietly as he hurries along upstairs to their cell. Tem gives Orem the same, boring rundown on the basic rules, and poor Orem looks like he wants to just curl into a ball in the corner and never speak to another human again. Teval can’t blame him after everything he’s been through, so having a friend might be just what he needs.
Once the guard leaves them, trying to lighten the mood, Teval asks, “Top bunk or bottom? I prefer bottom myself, but I’ll switch if you want.”
Orem doesn’t catch on to the joke and asks, “Why are you here? You were in the f—”
Teval holds up a hand to stop him. “Risol and your theater friends were looking for you. After we saw your bounty and heard what happened, we knew we had to find you. Ista and I couldn’t leave you in the Black Forest like that,” he says softly.
“I, um,” Orem rubs his eyes, then his forehead. “Sorry, I keep getting headaches because I can’t remember much about what happened. I know you were there… Was Risol? I thought I saw Risol.”
Teval shakes his head and asserts, “Just me and Ista. Maybe the forest was messing with your head when we pulled you away from it.” A few lies won’t hurt, right?
“Probably,” Orem whispers as he sits on the lower bunk, eyes on his new accessories. “I was such a fool. I thought I was trained enough to pass through the Black Forest, but I didn’t know how wrong I was.”
Teval glances at his own bracelets, wondering how long Orem’s are built to last. “Were you trying to run from the Core?”
“Yeah I… I remember what happened to Taka Igren and was scared they’d do the same to me. I didn’t…” Orem sighs and tangles his fingers in his hair, whispering, “I didn’t mean to.”
“That’s why we brought you back. We wanted to help you to make sure that didn’t happen.”
Orem looks up at him, worry still clear in his eyes. “Thanks, but I’m not sure how much you can even help since you’re in here, too.” He pauses, a blink. “Why are you in here?”
“Let’s just say we happened to piss off a Northcoast Academy member.” Teval doesn’t want to have to explain it all over again, but Orem seems to understand completely.
“They’re the worst; used to tease me for attending a smaller school,” Orem mutters bitterly. “Does that mean the rest of the team is in trouble, too?”
“They’re gone for the time being. Left while Ista and I were out tracking you down.”
“Dells. I hope they’ll be okay.”
“Me too.” Teval wonders if he should even bother lodging a complaint against the academy this time. He doesn’t need Kardin or Jiyo coming after him in retaliation.
Orem reaches out to grab his sleeve. “If you get out before my trial, please find my sister, Binna. She begged me not to go, and she was more right than I thought she would be.”
Teval takes his hand and squeezes it. “Don’t worry, we’ll help you get through this,” he says, and Orem looks eternally grateful.
The two chat quietly for a bit longer, Orem telling Teval about his family, most of which he already knew from Risol, but Teval also learns that Orem is a bright and talkative young man. He’s a little flighty, but witty and cracks a few funny jokes. It must have been pretty horrible living with his father for his anger to boil over the way it did.
Once Orem is ready to venture out, Teval offers to take him down to the open areas, pointing out the spots where he can and can’t go. Orem is quiet, trying to position himself behind Teval because all eyes have turned to him. When Teval sees Taka in the corner, he urges his new charge to follow.
“I have a new friend for you,” Teval informs the former illusionist as he looks up, his hands blackened by charcoal as his eyes wander over Orem.
“Are we supposed to get along because we killed people?” Taka deadpans.
“That’s a little on the nose, don’t you think?” Teval scolds lightly. “Would I really act that way?”
Taka glances away. “I guess not.”
“Does everyone here know what I did?” Orem asks, shrinking again.
“We’re allowed to read newspapers. Nothing better to do than read or talk,” Taka replies, then considers his hands for a moment. “Or draw.”
Orem finally locks eyes with him. “You killed a Core officer, huh?”
“You killed your dad.” Taka looks down at the table and mutters, “Kinda wish I could do the same to my mom.”
Teval raises an eyebrow. This is the weirdest conversation he has ever been a part of, but somehow, it breaks a wall down between the two of them. Orem sits at the table, and the two quietly talk about their family troubles, slowly letting out things that they’ve both been keeping in for a while. And Teval just sits and listens. Sometimes, that’s all another person needs.
“How about you Teval? What’s messed up about your family?” Orem asks, nudging him.
Teval’s mind goes blank and he just replies, “Nothing.” And then something he never expected happens—Taka shoves him as Orem boos, and laughter spills from Teval. “Well, you know I was a Northcoast Academy member, so that should tell you about my teenage years.”
“His team leader beat him up,” Taka tells Orem.
“Well, that was after I left.”
“That somehow seems worse since he had to go find you.” Now, Orem is giving him a look of sympathy.
“Yeah.” Teval touches his nose. What will Lexton think when he sees it? His chest tightens suddenly at the thought.
“We can have books and stuff, right?” Orem asks, pointing at Taka’s sketchbook.
“Yeah, but Teval is the one who gave me this a while ago,” Taka answers, and Teval could swear these last few days hold a speaking record for Taka.
“Do… Do they have board games?”
Taka stares blankly as Teval recalls seeing a few guys playing strategy games. “Do you know where they’re kept?” he asks Taka.
“The guards have them locked in one of the cabinets near the cafeteria.” Taka nods toward it.
“Do you want to play?” Orem asks.
“I’m game,” Teval says.
Taka glances down at the mess on his hands and sketchbook. “I’ll watch.”
In no time, Teval and Orem have a game set up, a few of Taka’s friends wandering closer to pretend they aren’t watching. Teval beats Orem two of the three times they play before he turns to the guys lingering nearby and encourages them to join and play a four-way board, which is much harder.
“Keep an eye on Rain,” Taka whispers to Teval, pointing at the tawny-skinned man as the paler one grins at him in amusement.
“Don’t tell!” Rain smacks Taka’s shoulder before he admits, “This is one of my favorites. Never got to play much when I was a kid because we were always missing pieces or my siblings would steal it.”
“So, he made me play during lookout shifts on jobs,” Taka mutters, already concentrating on smudging deep grays together on a new page.
Teval smiles as the others all bicker, lighthearted complaints and intimidation filling the area as he resets the board. If he did belong in this place, he might just let himself get used to it.