The Rise of Isaac, Books 1-3, page 35
"What are we going to do?" Oliver whispered as the wagon lurched forwards.
Ely slowly shook his head.
Oliver gazed at his grandfather: the man he had come to depend upon and trust, the man who had always known what to do in a crisis since the day May had fallen ill to the curse. He waited with bated breath for Ely's answer.
"I don't know," Ely said, his face as pale as ice.
2
Into the Freezer
Gaps in the wood allowed Oliver glimpses of the outside world. Glacio's landscape was nothing but snow, mountains, rock and ice. They travelled for over an hour in the wagon, climbing higher and higher.
The air was freezing so their silent breaths hung before them over and over again. Oliver shivered uncontrollably but wasn't sure whether it was from the cold or shock.
"We need a plan," Oliver said, looking around at everyone. "We might not get another chance to make one."
Larkin's face didn't even flicker in response to Oliver's words. He had eventually calmed down and was now sat on a bench, staring through a small hole in the wood. His puffy, red eyes were illuminated by the shaft of daylight that shone through it.
"You're right. See if you can get my harness off," Rogan said, twisting around.
Oliver shuffled forwards and looked at the contraption. It was held in place by a tight winch that was locked by a key. Oliver tugged at his own arms uselessly.
"There's no way I can get yours off even if I had my own hands free," Oliver said.
Ely frowned. "I've heard about these harnesses. Queen Lacine spent a lot of money developing technology to allow her a defence against mages. They're her biggest fear. That man, Xen, he's the commander of her army and is the only mage she allows close to her."
"But they can't just lock us all up. We haven't done anything wrong," Oliver said angrily.
"They closed the Gateway and we went through. We broke their law. They have every right to arrest us," Ely said.
"But what punishment can they really give us? Won't they just send us back to Aleva?" Rogan said.
"Doesn't look like it, does it?" Larkin muttered quietly from the corner, his voice laced with bitterness. "They're going to kill us."
"Don't say that!" Oliver snapped.
"Look what they did to Arrow," Larkin hissed, swinging around to face them with a look of fury.
"I'm sorry...I know he was your friend," Rogan said quietly.
Larkin let out a shuddering breath in a clear attempt to stop tears from falling again. "We have to escape."
"How? We can't get these things off," Oliver said, wriggling his arms against the harness for the hundredth time.
"We have our legs. Let's kick the door down then at least we can make a run for it," Larkin said.
"Even if we could get away we're not leaving the girls," Oliver retorted.
Rogan and Ely nodded their agreement.
"We may have a chance yet. They didn't kill all of us so Xen must be under orders," Ely said. "We'll most likely be put in prison until we can be given a trial."
"Yeah, then they'll sentence us all to death," Larkin said hopelessly.
"They can't do that. It's not like we've murdered someone is it?" Rogan said, sounding more confident than he looked.
"Yes and Xen won't be involved in the trial. He's probably just in charge of rounding us up," Ely said.
They all fell into a thoughtful silence as the wagon continued along the rocky road. Oliver sighed and rested his head back against the wood, the sway of the wagon making his head loll from side to side. Eventually, it came to a stop and Oliver's heart was set pounding again.
Outside, Soldiers shouted commands to one another as they dismounted their horses. The door of the wagon flew open and Oliver squinted from the light glaring off of the snow.
"Out," commanded an enormous, olive-skinned soldier.
They shuffled forwards and the man dragged them out of the wagon one at a time.
Oliver took in his surroundings. They were at the base of a high mountain, around which was a city. At its highest point, clinging to the steep mountainside, was a palace that looked as though it were forged from ice. Sharp spires pierced the sky and glinted in the sunlight.
The city beneath it was built of wooden shacks and small stone houses. Smoke rose up from their chimneys in little coils, winding toward the pale grey sky. The sweet, earthy smell of charcoal reached them and Oliver could hardly believe such peace and warmth lay so close by in people's homes.
An enormous cave greeted them, set back into a structure of compacted ice. It looked man-made, disappearing down a sharp descent of stone steps into the abyss. Oliver tensed at the thought of entering the dark hole.
He and his friends were forced into a line, their harnesses linked together by chains. A soldier pulled Oliver forward to link a chain between him and the other row. Anna was in front of him; her dark hair hung down over her shoulders, fluttering a little in the icy breeze that swept around them.
Oliver shuffled up close behind her and whispered in her ear. "Are you okay?"
"Yes. Are you?" Her voice was shaking.
"Yes. Just do what they say. Don't let them hurt you," Oliver said, clenching his teeth.
Xen trotted past them on his horse, now untethered from the hinny. He held his fiery broadsword above their heads.
"Take them into the Freezer," Xen commanded and the soldiers nudged them forwards.
Oliver could see Quinn leading the front of the line, her chin held high in the air. A soldier walked ahead of her, guiding them down into the cave.
The steps were slippery with ice and the tug of the chains made it difficult to descend. Torches were set into brackets on the wall, lighting the way far off into the depths of the tunnel. The restraint of Oliver's hands made him uneasy as he was unable to steady himself.
The cave eventually opened out at the bottom of the stairs into a long corridor of cells contained within iron bars. Xen continued to the end of it, moving in swift strides.
As Oliver passed the cells he caught glimpses of people within them. Most were curled up on the floor covered in ragged blankets and none looked up as they passed.
Guards stood at either end of the corridor in grey uniforms that barely distinguished them from the stone walls. Their group veered right down a long tunnel that descended further into the ground and, far along it, was a fork.
Xen stopped and turned back to them then the young boy stood in front of him. A group of soldiers surrounded their chained line, watching them closely.
"Now," Xen said, placing a hand on the boy's shoulder. "We need to figure out what we've got here. I want you all to make this nice and easy for me. So you're gonna tell me your name and whether or not you're a mage. Got it?"
A soldier stepped forward and separated Quinn from the chains.
She moved towards Xen who surveyed her. He raised a questioning eyebrow. "Well?"
"Quinn Thorn. Mage," she said, her voice quaking only a fraction.
"Good girl. Please stand on my left," Xen said.
Quinn stood next to him, staring back at them all with a look of fear in her eyes. She looked over Oliver's shoulder at Rogan.
May was released next and Oliver's stomach clenched so hard he felt he might be sick.
"And who are you?" Xen asked her.
"May Knight. I'm not a mage," May said calmly.
"Good. Come stand on my right. And if you're lying, let me tell you now, my magic is far superior to yours and if you attack me I'll turn you inside out before you'll know what's happened."
May nodded stiffly and joined his righthand side.
Anna was released and joined May after announcing herself then Oliver stepped forward.
Xen surveyed him with an even and steady gaze.
"Oliver Knight. I'm not a mage," he said, grimacing at the man.
"Another Knight? Brother of blondie?" he guessed.
Oliver nodded.
"Very nice. Well, Mr Knight, you wouldn't do anything to get your beloved sister hurt now, would you?" Xen said softly.
Oliver shook his head and joined Anna and May, standing between them.
Rogan was next and joined Quinn after admitting he was a mage then Larkin joined Oliver and the others. Then it was Ely's turn.
"So?" Xen asked.
"Ely Knight. I'm not a mage," he said and every muscle in Oliver's body tensed at the two lies.
Xen nodded and let Ely join Oliver and the others.
"Right, Nex and I will take the mages through first. Sergeant Knole, take the others and I'll check on them momentarily," Xen said.
Oliver assumed Nex was the name of the young boy as they both stepped ahead of Quinn and Rogan down the corridor and out of sight. Oliver hated being separated from them but was glad they had each other.
Sergeant Knole gestured for their group to walk ahead of him with three other soldiers in tow. The corridor led to a large cell which Knole directed Oliver, Larkin and Ely inside of, removing their harnesses one at a time.
Oliver turned and gripped the bars with his numb fingers as he realised Anna and May hadn't followed.
"No-wait!" he shouted, his heart wrenching as they disappeared down the corridor and out of sight.
3
Lurking in the Dark
Oliver rested his head on the bars, his knuckles turning white from stubbornly clutching onto them for so long. His face was still turned in the direction that Anna and May had be taken.
"S'no use," Larkin mumbled.
Oliver blinked but didn't respond further.
"They aren't coming back," Larkin said.
Oliver heard Larkin sliding down the wall onto the floor.
Ely touched Oliver's hand lightly and he looked down to meet his grandfather's gaze.
"It's alright. We'll get them back, I can get us out of here," Ely whispered so only Oliver could hear.
Oliver shook his head. "You shouldn't have lied. It's too risky."
"It's the only chance we have to get out of here, it's worth the risk."
Oliver stepped away from the bars and turned, glancing at Larkin on the floor as he moved to the opposite side of the cell. The wall at the back had a concealed alcove that contained a single, grimy toilet.
Oliver sat on the cold stone, resting his elbows on his bent knees. Ely took a seat beside him and the silence stretched on between them all.
"I'll kill him," Larkin muttered a while later.
"Xen?" Oliver guessed.
Larkin nodded, visibly digging his nails into his palms.
"And how do you plan on managing such a thing?" Ely asked.
"Somehow. I just need to get close, take him by surprise," Larkin said, a dark look entering his eyes.
"He's a mage," Oliver said softly. "There's no way-"
"There is a way. I'll find a way!" Larkin spat, sending saliva flying out of his mouth.
"The way you're feeling is perfectly understandable but, well-" Ely paused, glancing at Oliver for support.
"If you throw yourself at Xen you're going to end up dead. And what good's that?" Oliver finished for him.
"You don't know that," Larkin said but the strength in his voice had diminished.
The quiet stretched on for an age and the cold air made Oliver shiver. He had nothing better to suggest and felt a niggling guilt inside him at rebuking Larkin, despite how insane his plan was.
***
Ely was dozing against the wall, snoozing softly. Oliver stood and moved back to the bars as he did daily. Three days in the Freezer was enough to make anyone miserable and he knew all too well how it had got its name. Oliver ground his teeth as he gazed between the bars, their familiar icy presence pressing against his jaw.
A while later he heard someone move behind him but didn't turn to see who. Larkin appeared, resting his forehead against the metal bars.
Up close, Oliver could see that Larkin's shoulders were trembling ever so slightly. He felt a pang of sympathy for him but didn't know what to do with the feeling. It was as useless to Larkin as it was to Arrow. Instead, Oliver turned his thoughts to escaping once more.
"We'll get out of here," he said in a low voice.
Larkin expelled a short breath through his nose, making his doubt apparent.
"We will," Oliver repeated with a spike of irritation in his chest. "You were all for believing you could kill Xen a few days ago, where'd that idiot go?"
"I guess, what three? Four days? In this stupid place kind of takes away your fight," he mumbled, sounding defeated.
"Not mine," Oliver said determinedly, gripping the bars tighter.
"Hmph," Larkin responded. "My father always taught me to accept when you're beat."
Oliver glanced at him. "Won't your parents come looking for you? Maybe they can get us out of here?"
Larkin snorted. "It was their idea for me and Arrow to go through the bloody Gateway."
Oliver frowned. "Why? Where were you going?"
"None of your business," he muttered defensively. Oliver thought he spotted Larkin's cheeks redden but couldn't be sure in the low light emitting from the solitary torch outside their cell.
He shook his head. "What are you hiding?"
"Nothing," Larkin hissed through his teeth.
Oliver didn't respond just turned away from him in frustration.
Larkin walked away towards the far wall.
Oliver waited, hoping a guard would arrive soon. He knew it would be almost time, the patrols went past every hour or so but that didn't mean the guards would talk to him.
It wasn't too long before Sergeant Knole appeared, walking purposefully past their cell in the direction that Anna and May had been taken.
"Hey!" Oliver called out.
Knole ignored him, the rhythmic footfalls of his heavy boots fading as he marched out of sight down the corridor.
Oliver bashed the heel of his palm against the bars and the dong it made rang off of the stone walls.
"Oliver," Ely said in a raspy voice.
Oliver snapped around but softened at the sight of his grandfather. His face looked pale. Oliver moved over and knelt beside him.
"Are you alright?" he asked.
Ely nodded, pressing a palm to his chest where a flash of green light emitted momentarily. He sighed with relief. "That's better. This place doesn't agree with me."
Ely smiled but Oliver frowned in concern.
"Can you break us out of here or what?" Larkin asked from across the cell.
Oliver glanced at him, not approving of his tone but couldn't help but want to know the answer himself. He looked back at Ely with raised eyebrows.
"Perhaps. I think if I rest a little longer..." he trailed off and his head lolled to the side a moment later, a snore escaping his mouth.
"What's wrong with him?" Larkin hissed.
"I don't know," Oliver said, gazing at his grandfather anxiously.
He sighed and returned to his feet, starting to pace in front of the bars. The lack of space had left his muscles longing for exercise. Walking helped eased his nerves even though he felt like an animal pacing a worn path in a zoo enclosure.
Sergeant Knole returned from the direction of the girls and Oliver halted, watching the man as he walked by. Knole glanced at him then paused. The soldier reached toward his hip, running his fingers over a sleek, black baton.
"You know, that blonde girl has a smart mouth on her," Knole said and the hairs all over Oliver's body bristled.
"You'd better keep your hands off her," Oliver said in a low tone, moving toward the bars and clenching two in his fists.
Knole took the baton from his hip. "Do you know what this is?"
Oliver eyed the weapon, unmoving.
Knole struck it through the air and the end sparked to life with crackling, green lightning. Energy emanated from the device, so strong that it seemed to charge the air between them. Oliver gripped the bars tighter, not letting himself be intimidated.
"A couple of blows from this rod quiets a smart mouth," Knole breathed, stepping closer to him.
Rage coursed through Oliver, making the cold leave his bones for the first time in days as hot, pounding blood flooded his body. Someone gripped the material at his back and he snapped around, expecting to find Ely. Larkin stood there, his eyes filled with warning.
Knole laughed and walked away as Oliver shrugged out of Larkin's grip.
"He's trying to get a rise out of you," Larkin said. "I doubt he did anything to May."
Oliver let out a shaky breath and nodded.
Larkin dropped back into his favoured place on the floor and Oliver hesitated a moment before joining him.
A muffled silence filled the cell, occasionally punctuated by Ely's snores.
"I'm sorry about Arrow," Oliver muttered, pulling a ragged blanket up over his knees.
Larkin shifted his position slightly. "Thanks."
"Had you been friends a long time?" Oliver asked, eyeing Larkin's expression in case he overstepped the mark.
Larkin gazed at his feet as he responded. "Our parents are friends. But I only got to know him properly this last year when we trained together for the race." His voice became throaty and Oliver decided not to question him further.
Oliver's thoughts strayed to Anna. She hadn't been planning on coming to Glacio and now she was wrapped up in all of this when she could be home with her family. He was certain her parents would be going crazy with worry. From what Oliver knew of her mother, she wasn't a woman to be trifled with and he pitied whoever was getting the blame for the Gateway's closure back in Aleva.
Oliver rested his head against the bars behind him that led on to an empty cell. Despite the cold trying to keep him awake, somehow he found sleep.
***
Oliver awoke to someone shaking his shoulder. He went to speak but found a hand clamped over his mouth. His eyes flew open but he relaxed as he spotted Ely above him.
"I feel stronger than I have in days. We need to make our move now," Ely breathed as he removed his hand from Oliver's mouth.
With a surge of adrenaline, Oliver stood. Larkin was already up, hopping from foot to foot with anticipation.
"What's the plan?" Oliver asked.
"We'll go to the girls first then head for Rogan and Quinn," Ely said, wheezing a little.
Ely slowly shook his head.
Oliver gazed at his grandfather: the man he had come to depend upon and trust, the man who had always known what to do in a crisis since the day May had fallen ill to the curse. He waited with bated breath for Ely's answer.
"I don't know," Ely said, his face as pale as ice.
2
Into the Freezer
Gaps in the wood allowed Oliver glimpses of the outside world. Glacio's landscape was nothing but snow, mountains, rock and ice. They travelled for over an hour in the wagon, climbing higher and higher.
The air was freezing so their silent breaths hung before them over and over again. Oliver shivered uncontrollably but wasn't sure whether it was from the cold or shock.
"We need a plan," Oliver said, looking around at everyone. "We might not get another chance to make one."
Larkin's face didn't even flicker in response to Oliver's words. He had eventually calmed down and was now sat on a bench, staring through a small hole in the wood. His puffy, red eyes were illuminated by the shaft of daylight that shone through it.
"You're right. See if you can get my harness off," Rogan said, twisting around.
Oliver shuffled forwards and looked at the contraption. It was held in place by a tight winch that was locked by a key. Oliver tugged at his own arms uselessly.
"There's no way I can get yours off even if I had my own hands free," Oliver said.
Ely frowned. "I've heard about these harnesses. Queen Lacine spent a lot of money developing technology to allow her a defence against mages. They're her biggest fear. That man, Xen, he's the commander of her army and is the only mage she allows close to her."
"But they can't just lock us all up. We haven't done anything wrong," Oliver said angrily.
"They closed the Gateway and we went through. We broke their law. They have every right to arrest us," Ely said.
"But what punishment can they really give us? Won't they just send us back to Aleva?" Rogan said.
"Doesn't look like it, does it?" Larkin muttered quietly from the corner, his voice laced with bitterness. "They're going to kill us."
"Don't say that!" Oliver snapped.
"Look what they did to Arrow," Larkin hissed, swinging around to face them with a look of fury.
"I'm sorry...I know he was your friend," Rogan said quietly.
Larkin let out a shuddering breath in a clear attempt to stop tears from falling again. "We have to escape."
"How? We can't get these things off," Oliver said, wriggling his arms against the harness for the hundredth time.
"We have our legs. Let's kick the door down then at least we can make a run for it," Larkin said.
"Even if we could get away we're not leaving the girls," Oliver retorted.
Rogan and Ely nodded their agreement.
"We may have a chance yet. They didn't kill all of us so Xen must be under orders," Ely said. "We'll most likely be put in prison until we can be given a trial."
"Yeah, then they'll sentence us all to death," Larkin said hopelessly.
"They can't do that. It's not like we've murdered someone is it?" Rogan said, sounding more confident than he looked.
"Yes and Xen won't be involved in the trial. He's probably just in charge of rounding us up," Ely said.
They all fell into a thoughtful silence as the wagon continued along the rocky road. Oliver sighed and rested his head back against the wood, the sway of the wagon making his head loll from side to side. Eventually, it came to a stop and Oliver's heart was set pounding again.
Outside, Soldiers shouted commands to one another as they dismounted their horses. The door of the wagon flew open and Oliver squinted from the light glaring off of the snow.
"Out," commanded an enormous, olive-skinned soldier.
They shuffled forwards and the man dragged them out of the wagon one at a time.
Oliver took in his surroundings. They were at the base of a high mountain, around which was a city. At its highest point, clinging to the steep mountainside, was a palace that looked as though it were forged from ice. Sharp spires pierced the sky and glinted in the sunlight.
The city beneath it was built of wooden shacks and small stone houses. Smoke rose up from their chimneys in little coils, winding toward the pale grey sky. The sweet, earthy smell of charcoal reached them and Oliver could hardly believe such peace and warmth lay so close by in people's homes.
An enormous cave greeted them, set back into a structure of compacted ice. It looked man-made, disappearing down a sharp descent of stone steps into the abyss. Oliver tensed at the thought of entering the dark hole.
He and his friends were forced into a line, their harnesses linked together by chains. A soldier pulled Oliver forward to link a chain between him and the other row. Anna was in front of him; her dark hair hung down over her shoulders, fluttering a little in the icy breeze that swept around them.
Oliver shuffled up close behind her and whispered in her ear. "Are you okay?"
"Yes. Are you?" Her voice was shaking.
"Yes. Just do what they say. Don't let them hurt you," Oliver said, clenching his teeth.
Xen trotted past them on his horse, now untethered from the hinny. He held his fiery broadsword above their heads.
"Take them into the Freezer," Xen commanded and the soldiers nudged them forwards.
Oliver could see Quinn leading the front of the line, her chin held high in the air. A soldier walked ahead of her, guiding them down into the cave.
The steps were slippery with ice and the tug of the chains made it difficult to descend. Torches were set into brackets on the wall, lighting the way far off into the depths of the tunnel. The restraint of Oliver's hands made him uneasy as he was unable to steady himself.
The cave eventually opened out at the bottom of the stairs into a long corridor of cells contained within iron bars. Xen continued to the end of it, moving in swift strides.
As Oliver passed the cells he caught glimpses of people within them. Most were curled up on the floor covered in ragged blankets and none looked up as they passed.
Guards stood at either end of the corridor in grey uniforms that barely distinguished them from the stone walls. Their group veered right down a long tunnel that descended further into the ground and, far along it, was a fork.
Xen stopped and turned back to them then the young boy stood in front of him. A group of soldiers surrounded their chained line, watching them closely.
"Now," Xen said, placing a hand on the boy's shoulder. "We need to figure out what we've got here. I want you all to make this nice and easy for me. So you're gonna tell me your name and whether or not you're a mage. Got it?"
A soldier stepped forward and separated Quinn from the chains.
She moved towards Xen who surveyed her. He raised a questioning eyebrow. "Well?"
"Quinn Thorn. Mage," she said, her voice quaking only a fraction.
"Good girl. Please stand on my left," Xen said.
Quinn stood next to him, staring back at them all with a look of fear in her eyes. She looked over Oliver's shoulder at Rogan.
May was released next and Oliver's stomach clenched so hard he felt he might be sick.
"And who are you?" Xen asked her.
"May Knight. I'm not a mage," May said calmly.
"Good. Come stand on my right. And if you're lying, let me tell you now, my magic is far superior to yours and if you attack me I'll turn you inside out before you'll know what's happened."
May nodded stiffly and joined his righthand side.
Anna was released and joined May after announcing herself then Oliver stepped forward.
Xen surveyed him with an even and steady gaze.
"Oliver Knight. I'm not a mage," he said, grimacing at the man.
"Another Knight? Brother of blondie?" he guessed.
Oliver nodded.
"Very nice. Well, Mr Knight, you wouldn't do anything to get your beloved sister hurt now, would you?" Xen said softly.
Oliver shook his head and joined Anna and May, standing between them.
Rogan was next and joined Quinn after admitting he was a mage then Larkin joined Oliver and the others. Then it was Ely's turn.
"So?" Xen asked.
"Ely Knight. I'm not a mage," he said and every muscle in Oliver's body tensed at the two lies.
Xen nodded and let Ely join Oliver and the others.
"Right, Nex and I will take the mages through first. Sergeant Knole, take the others and I'll check on them momentarily," Xen said.
Oliver assumed Nex was the name of the young boy as they both stepped ahead of Quinn and Rogan down the corridor and out of sight. Oliver hated being separated from them but was glad they had each other.
Sergeant Knole gestured for their group to walk ahead of him with three other soldiers in tow. The corridor led to a large cell which Knole directed Oliver, Larkin and Ely inside of, removing their harnesses one at a time.
Oliver turned and gripped the bars with his numb fingers as he realised Anna and May hadn't followed.
"No-wait!" he shouted, his heart wrenching as they disappeared down the corridor and out of sight.
3
Lurking in the Dark
Oliver rested his head on the bars, his knuckles turning white from stubbornly clutching onto them for so long. His face was still turned in the direction that Anna and May had be taken.
"S'no use," Larkin mumbled.
Oliver blinked but didn't respond further.
"They aren't coming back," Larkin said.
Oliver heard Larkin sliding down the wall onto the floor.
Ely touched Oliver's hand lightly and he looked down to meet his grandfather's gaze.
"It's alright. We'll get them back, I can get us out of here," Ely whispered so only Oliver could hear.
Oliver shook his head. "You shouldn't have lied. It's too risky."
"It's the only chance we have to get out of here, it's worth the risk."
Oliver stepped away from the bars and turned, glancing at Larkin on the floor as he moved to the opposite side of the cell. The wall at the back had a concealed alcove that contained a single, grimy toilet.
Oliver sat on the cold stone, resting his elbows on his bent knees. Ely took a seat beside him and the silence stretched on between them all.
"I'll kill him," Larkin muttered a while later.
"Xen?" Oliver guessed.
Larkin nodded, visibly digging his nails into his palms.
"And how do you plan on managing such a thing?" Ely asked.
"Somehow. I just need to get close, take him by surprise," Larkin said, a dark look entering his eyes.
"He's a mage," Oliver said softly. "There's no way-"
"There is a way. I'll find a way!" Larkin spat, sending saliva flying out of his mouth.
"The way you're feeling is perfectly understandable but, well-" Ely paused, glancing at Oliver for support.
"If you throw yourself at Xen you're going to end up dead. And what good's that?" Oliver finished for him.
"You don't know that," Larkin said but the strength in his voice had diminished.
The quiet stretched on for an age and the cold air made Oliver shiver. He had nothing better to suggest and felt a niggling guilt inside him at rebuking Larkin, despite how insane his plan was.
***
Ely was dozing against the wall, snoozing softly. Oliver stood and moved back to the bars as he did daily. Three days in the Freezer was enough to make anyone miserable and he knew all too well how it had got its name. Oliver ground his teeth as he gazed between the bars, their familiar icy presence pressing against his jaw.
A while later he heard someone move behind him but didn't turn to see who. Larkin appeared, resting his forehead against the metal bars.
Up close, Oliver could see that Larkin's shoulders were trembling ever so slightly. He felt a pang of sympathy for him but didn't know what to do with the feeling. It was as useless to Larkin as it was to Arrow. Instead, Oliver turned his thoughts to escaping once more.
"We'll get out of here," he said in a low voice.
Larkin expelled a short breath through his nose, making his doubt apparent.
"We will," Oliver repeated with a spike of irritation in his chest. "You were all for believing you could kill Xen a few days ago, where'd that idiot go?"
"I guess, what three? Four days? In this stupid place kind of takes away your fight," he mumbled, sounding defeated.
"Not mine," Oliver said determinedly, gripping the bars tighter.
"Hmph," Larkin responded. "My father always taught me to accept when you're beat."
Oliver glanced at him. "Won't your parents come looking for you? Maybe they can get us out of here?"
Larkin snorted. "It was their idea for me and Arrow to go through the bloody Gateway."
Oliver frowned. "Why? Where were you going?"
"None of your business," he muttered defensively. Oliver thought he spotted Larkin's cheeks redden but couldn't be sure in the low light emitting from the solitary torch outside their cell.
He shook his head. "What are you hiding?"
"Nothing," Larkin hissed through his teeth.
Oliver didn't respond just turned away from him in frustration.
Larkin walked away towards the far wall.
Oliver waited, hoping a guard would arrive soon. He knew it would be almost time, the patrols went past every hour or so but that didn't mean the guards would talk to him.
It wasn't too long before Sergeant Knole appeared, walking purposefully past their cell in the direction that Anna and May had been taken.
"Hey!" Oliver called out.
Knole ignored him, the rhythmic footfalls of his heavy boots fading as he marched out of sight down the corridor.
Oliver bashed the heel of his palm against the bars and the dong it made rang off of the stone walls.
"Oliver," Ely said in a raspy voice.
Oliver snapped around but softened at the sight of his grandfather. His face looked pale. Oliver moved over and knelt beside him.
"Are you alright?" he asked.
Ely nodded, pressing a palm to his chest where a flash of green light emitted momentarily. He sighed with relief. "That's better. This place doesn't agree with me."
Ely smiled but Oliver frowned in concern.
"Can you break us out of here or what?" Larkin asked from across the cell.
Oliver glanced at him, not approving of his tone but couldn't help but want to know the answer himself. He looked back at Ely with raised eyebrows.
"Perhaps. I think if I rest a little longer..." he trailed off and his head lolled to the side a moment later, a snore escaping his mouth.
"What's wrong with him?" Larkin hissed.
"I don't know," Oliver said, gazing at his grandfather anxiously.
He sighed and returned to his feet, starting to pace in front of the bars. The lack of space had left his muscles longing for exercise. Walking helped eased his nerves even though he felt like an animal pacing a worn path in a zoo enclosure.
Sergeant Knole returned from the direction of the girls and Oliver halted, watching the man as he walked by. Knole glanced at him then paused. The soldier reached toward his hip, running his fingers over a sleek, black baton.
"You know, that blonde girl has a smart mouth on her," Knole said and the hairs all over Oliver's body bristled.
"You'd better keep your hands off her," Oliver said in a low tone, moving toward the bars and clenching two in his fists.
Knole took the baton from his hip. "Do you know what this is?"
Oliver eyed the weapon, unmoving.
Knole struck it through the air and the end sparked to life with crackling, green lightning. Energy emanated from the device, so strong that it seemed to charge the air between them. Oliver gripped the bars tighter, not letting himself be intimidated.
"A couple of blows from this rod quiets a smart mouth," Knole breathed, stepping closer to him.
Rage coursed through Oliver, making the cold leave his bones for the first time in days as hot, pounding blood flooded his body. Someone gripped the material at his back and he snapped around, expecting to find Ely. Larkin stood there, his eyes filled with warning.
Knole laughed and walked away as Oliver shrugged out of Larkin's grip.
"He's trying to get a rise out of you," Larkin said. "I doubt he did anything to May."
Oliver let out a shaky breath and nodded.
Larkin dropped back into his favoured place on the floor and Oliver hesitated a moment before joining him.
A muffled silence filled the cell, occasionally punctuated by Ely's snores.
"I'm sorry about Arrow," Oliver muttered, pulling a ragged blanket up over his knees.
Larkin shifted his position slightly. "Thanks."
"Had you been friends a long time?" Oliver asked, eyeing Larkin's expression in case he overstepped the mark.
Larkin gazed at his feet as he responded. "Our parents are friends. But I only got to know him properly this last year when we trained together for the race." His voice became throaty and Oliver decided not to question him further.
Oliver's thoughts strayed to Anna. She hadn't been planning on coming to Glacio and now she was wrapped up in all of this when she could be home with her family. He was certain her parents would be going crazy with worry. From what Oliver knew of her mother, she wasn't a woman to be trifled with and he pitied whoever was getting the blame for the Gateway's closure back in Aleva.
Oliver rested his head against the bars behind him that led on to an empty cell. Despite the cold trying to keep him awake, somehow he found sleep.
***
Oliver awoke to someone shaking his shoulder. He went to speak but found a hand clamped over his mouth. His eyes flew open but he relaxed as he spotted Ely above him.
"I feel stronger than I have in days. We need to make our move now," Ely breathed as he removed his hand from Oliver's mouth.
With a surge of adrenaline, Oliver stood. Larkin was already up, hopping from foot to foot with anticipation.
"What's the plan?" Oliver asked.
"We'll go to the girls first then head for Rogan and Quinn," Ely said, wheezing a little.
