Arranged by Jessica Spears Page A

air, while trying to hold down his bile. His arms quivered as he braced himself on his knees. His heart was pumping furiously; however, he had achieved his goal. His mind was quiet. He had a moment of peace.
    He tossed the sword down onto the dirt floor of the courtyard and staggered toward the door. He knew that now that he was done thinking, he'd be able to sleep. Finally.
    Alison curled her legs to her chest as her back pressed into the wall. She glanced at the door again. She had finally gotten under the covers; feeling too exposed just standing there. Now that she was awake, she knew she would have a hard time falling back asleep.
    As she watched the shadows, she kept expecting him to step out, watching her with his dark eyes that seemed so haunted they almost made her want to cry. She told herself that the only reason she felt safer when he was around was that he was the only one who was speaking to her.
    She shivered. She couldn't deny that he intimidated her, yet she felt safe. He was hard toward her. Why? She had done nothing to him, but he had mentioned that humans had hurt his people. Was that reason enough to kill her? She had filled in the gaps to her own questions. He told her she was no longer a prisoner, yet he wouldn't let her leave, which only led her to believe they meant to kill her. Perhaps they ate humans. When she had been carried through the enormous doors and into this world, she had seen a few of the monsters with large, sharp teeth.
    The hairs on her arms rose in fear. However, she got the feeling that he wouldn't hurt her. She immediately shook the thought out of her head. She could trust no one here. The light in the strange cavern brightened, but not enough to chase away every shadow.
    Jabr stood before Qwinn's large bed with his arms crossed. "Still in bed at this hour?" he clicked his tongue. "It is well past midnight!"
    Qwinn pushed his head deeper into the pillows. "I was having a good dream," he groaned. Then he froze. He had been dreaming about Alison, again. This time he'd held her close, circling her in his arms. Those emerald green eyes twinkled up at him. In all his other dreams, he had never touched her. But in this dream, her skin had been as soft as silk.
    He quickly shoved the thoughts away. She had too much power over him. "What is so important that you had to wake me?"
    "Your presence is needed at the south gate."
    Instantly Qwinn shot up in the bed. "Has there been another attack?" He was already up, grabbing his discarded clothing from the floor.
    "No attack. The builder has finished repairing the wall. He is waiting for you're approval."
    Qwinn growled slightly. "That is what you woke me for? I only just fell asleep." He grit out. Jabr stood his ground, not intimidated by the Vidarian king. Qwinn sucked in a few deep breaths, knowing it would do no good to yell at Jabr, he wouldn't not fight back, which sometimes made Qwinn angrier.
    But that was why Jabr was one of his closest friends. He was one of the few who could handle the king's rages. Qwinn continued to dress. He tied his sash around his shoulder and waist and ran his hands through his dreads. "I cannot return to sleep now that I am awake."
    Jabr nodded. "There is more."
    Qwinn's dark eyes fell upon his friend, the anger he had just reigned in, threatening to bubble forth again.
    Jabr took everything in stride. Most of Qwinn's subjects would have melted in the heat of his gaze, but his friend lifted his chin. "The girl, Alison, is awake and banging on her door."
    Qwinn swallowed hard at the mention of her name. He nodded, his anger subsiding as quickly as it had come. "We will see to the wall first."
    Without another word, Qwinn breezed past Jabr and out the door.
    The entire ride to the wall passed by in a blur. The only thing that Qwinn could concentrate on was the fact that Alison needed him. He had given the guard outside her door the order to not enter her room until he return. Now, however, he couldn't seem to do