Milo led Loralai, and Loralai led me--as we were still tied together.

I couldn't tell exactly where we were going, but very quickly came to the conclusion that we had left the city and reentered the forest.

Back into the fire we went, and I'm not really that surprised, knowing my luck.

Birds chirped around me, but not in the way morning birds do. The sun attempted to bathe my skin, but was blocked by the thick trees.

I decided that it was probably about... 4.

Maybe.

Milo snapped, "Pick up the pace."

Loralai sped up, almost pulling me into the dirt behind her.

I always took my time, but I had no time that I could take anymore.

I used to walk one step at a time, but I couldn't anymore.

There had been a lot of changes in my life over the past week or so.

I didn't like most of them. I couldn't control most of them.

There.

That's the word.

"Control."

I hated that word with a burning passion. Just hearing it makes a fire of rage in my heart.

I had no control.

No control over being blind. No control over taking my mother's life. No control over my father building a city. No control over my father re-marrying. No control over my father dying. No control over Zaila killing my father. No control over Zaila trying to kill me.

I had done nothing.

I had no control.

Nothing I did ever mattered, everything would turn out the same in the end.

If I did nothing, I'd get killed.

If I Did something, I'd get killed.

It was all the same to me.

I found myself clenching my fists unconsciously.

No one noticed.

How much did I really mean to anyone?

To Nicholis? To Adyson? To Calik? To Milo?

Or even to Loralai?

Nicholis saw me as nothing. He pretended that he cared, but when it came down to the wire, he left without a second thought.

I saw Nicholis as a traitor.

Adyson saw me as a bringer of death. She saw me as the reason Grace died. She probably thinks I'm dead. And I'll bet she's happy. She has Nicholis all to herself.

Have him. I definitely don't want him.

Calik confused me. I don't know how I feel, and I don't know how he feels. He seemed to trust me for a reason I don't understand, but maybe it's only part of Zaila's plan.

Maybe Loralai is right.

Milo doesn't care about me one bit, I can tell. He sees me as currency, in that strange world of his. Favor for favor, life for life.

I don't care for Milo either. Anything he does or says won't hurt me.

Loralai though...

Calik was confusing, but Loralai was more so. Loralai seemed to care about me--she's saved my life several times, no doubt about that.

But why? Why does she care what happens to me?

Why did she feel the need to save me once? Let alone twice?

I didn't understand. I couldn't understand.

But should I understand?

Is there something so clear that I should know?

Does she pity me? I've had plenty experience with that.

Does she want to use me? I've also had experience with that.

What else could she possibly be doing this for?