Before Hunter would dart after the woman, Lindon caught his arm, stopping him. He knew that if anyone would try to talk to her again, it could make her fury take over. He didn’t know if they would be able to handle whatever she could do then, as she was obviously distraught and incapable of keeping herself calm, even though she tried hard to remain calm around them.
«Give her a little space, Hunter.» Lindon said quietly.
«Let me go, Lindon!» Hunter tried to free his arm, but Lindon held him tight.
«Don’t do anything stupid. She’s in no mood to be subjected to our questions.» the Veluthian shook his head.
«But…»
«I know!» Lindon hissed, feeling anger rising within. «We have to give her time! I know how badly you want to help her, but right now she wants none of us to approach her!»
Wolfin walked on, wondering if his ward would be able to at least tell them if she needed any medical attention or not. Lindon met Hunter’s frustrated and desperate gaze and let go of his arm.
«We need to give her time.» Lindon said. «Please respect her enough to give her this.»
Hunter gritted his teeth and hurried after Wolfin, aching for the woman he loved. Lindon stood for a moment, before following the man.
They caught up to Serena as she approached the captain’s quarters and opened the door.
«Serena…» Hunter called out and she froze for a second.
«I’m in no mood for company.» she replied.
Serena walked into the captain’s quarters and immediately shut the door, locking it from inside. Hunter tried to reason, but no response reached him through the communication device near the door. The man turned to Lindon and Wolfin, standing there with very concerned expressions:
«What the fuck did those Veluthian prison guards do to her?» he asked, his voice cracking from worry and desperation.
Both Veluthians stayed silent, not really knowing what torment she could have lived through inside the prison walls.
Chapter 7. Attempt
Hunter sat at the dining table, barely touching his food and grasping at his head.
«Give her time, alright?» Wolfin sat next to the man.
«Oh, fuck off.» Hunter growled.
«Don’t push us away, Hunter.» Lindon sat on the opposite side. «We’re here to help.»
«What help, huh? She’s been locked in Cipher’s quarters for a week now!» Hunter bared his teeth at the Veluthian. «And you can’t even tell me what those prison guards could have done to her.»
«She suffered defeat, Hunter.» Wolfin shook his head. «To her it’s a bitter thing to go through. She lived her whole life trying to be the best of all of Veluthian and Laithorian warriors.»
«The best warriors stand up and continue fighting.»
«We know that. But give her time to heal, her pride was wounded greatly.»
«Then why doesn’t she want to see me? Or even you? Don’t you think our company wouldn’t help her heal from whatever blow to her pride she took?» Hunter was becoming angry with each word he said.
«Look…» Lindon leaned over the table. «You have to understand that she had never suffered defeat. Never. She was always stronger than all her peers, all her comrades and everyone who ever wanted to take a swing at her. She exhausted herself in ways none of us thought reasonable. And she really became the best. Veluthians love to become stronger, but she made it her life’s goal. And now she was forced to surrender and be taken prisoner for the things she hadn’t done.»
«And what do you propose I do? Give up on her? Forget it and act like nothing happened?» Hunter hit the table.
«We propose you be there for her when she finally comes out.» Wolfin sighed. «She will come out, trust me. She just needs a bit of time to come to terms with what happened.»
«There has to be something we could do to help her through it.»
Lindon glanced at Laneth, who walked into the dining area, engaged in something on the information tablet in her hands.
«Maybe… we could ask for a favour?» Lindon said.
Wolfin and Hunter saw him looking at Laneth and exchanged glances.
«You think Serena would see Laneth and not us?» Hunter growled angrily.
«Well… think about it. If she won’t see us, maybe she would be open to at least speak to Laneth?» Lindon shrugged. «I’m grasping at straws here, Hunter. Don’t blame me for it.»
«Wolfin?»
«It’s a good thought.» Wolfin sighed. «Just… don’t push Laneth to do something we can all regret, alright?»
«I’m regretting allowing Serena to come here in the first place!» Hunter hit the table with his fist.
Wolfin noticed how Laneth looked their way.
«Look, we all know it was her decision!» Wolfin said. «We had to trust her…»
«And look where it got us!» Hunter jumped to his feet.
Wolfin sighed and stood up, stepping aside:
«She’s been cleared of her charges. The son of the man we were investigating is arrested. Her assumptions towards her surrender were correct.» the man headed towards Laneth, who stood there, watching the heated discussion the men had.
Lindon breathed out:
«No matter what happened in prison, Serena was right to put her trust in the Empress.»
«But it does matter, Lindon!» Hunter leaned over the table, gritting his teeth. «I can’t just allow her to be locked up in the captain’s quarters all this time! I have to know what happened…»
Laneth slowly and cautiously approached the men.
«Wolfin said you wanted to ask me something?» she said.
Lindon met her worried gaze and stood, stepping closer to her:
«Look, I won’t be tiptoeing around. We need your help.»
«Is it about Serena?» Laneth seemed to become tense.
«Yes. She locked herself up in Cipher’s quarters, and none of us really know what happened to her. Hunter is worried, we all are, and we need answers. We thought, maybe, you would be able to help us reach out to her?»
Laneth glanced at Hunter and saw him closing his eyes.
«You know I’d be happy to help, I’m just not sure if I can do anything…» she shrugged.
«It doesn’t matter if you think you can… she doesn’t want to see any of us. Just… try and talk to her, maybe? It would mean the world to us.»
Hunter straightened and looked into Laneth’s eyes:
«Laneth, I really need to know what happened to her. Please. Help us. I can’t bear the thought she’s been locked up in that room for a week now!»
«Just… talk to her.» Lindon asked, pleadingly looking at Laneth, who stood there, lost to what she could do to help. «That’s all we ask of you. Talk to her.»
«I mean…» Laneth sighed. «I can try, but… I’m not sure she’s up for conversations right now.»
«She loves fireball…» Hunter gritted his teeth. «Maybe, you can break the