I curled up on the stone floor with my back against the bars. The guard stood at attention, staring straight down the hall with glazed over eyes and an expressionless face.

"I told you to run. Why couldn't you listen?" Jax pulled himself closer to my cell and leaned against the grate facing me. His right hand clutched the bars as he peered through.

"I couldn't leave Isabella." I looked at the guard and moved further into the cell, away from his line of sight. "If I had known what you were, I wouldn't have bargained for your freedom. You should have told me you were a Spirit."

The previous shock and anguish in Jax's eyes turned to confusion and he opened and closed his mouth, trying to form the words he wanted. I looked from him to the guard and back and Jax followed my gaze. Recognition flashed across his features and he nodded a smirk growing. If the situation hadn't been dire, I assumed Jax would have laughed at my poor lie.

I raised a finger to my lips and smiled. With my other hand, I grabbed the great and pulled myself closer, trying to see his face.

"What did they do to your face?" I whispered, trying to avoid the guards attention. I slipped into French, praying the guard didn't know the dialect.

"They weren't very nice, but I just need a good soak and I'll be handsome and perfect again." I rolled my eyes as Jax chuckled. It only took a second for his smile to fall again. "Please tell me you have a plan and you aren't going to marry him."

Jax moved his hand so his fingers were holding mine through the bars. My fingers warmed for a second, the comforting gesture working. I should be the one helping Jax in his hour of need but instead he put me first.

"I plan on doing whatever may be necessary. If that means marrying him, so be it. For now, we need to worry about you."

"What do you mean you plan on marrying him," Jax demanded. "I thought you hated your fiancé?"

I shook my head at the oblivious man. I looked at him for a moment, waiting for him to understand and, like setting off a firework, his eyes opened wide and his lips formed an 'O'.

Lowering my voice, the sound barely recognizable over the echos around us, I continued the conversation.

"If I need to, I will marry Nicholas as a distraction. I have an escape plan, but it has gone slightly off course." I squeezed the fingers through the metal drinking in the man across from me. "We just have to wait until Liu Ming, a Shifter, comes. She will help us out of here and we can save Isabella. For now, rest. You look as though a demon possessed you."

My words must have been just loud enough because Jax offered me a quick nod and moved back so his shoulders were not pressed against the rusted bars.

"Then I will enjoy my stay," Jax's voice spoke over the dripping water around us, "After all, tomorrow is a wedding and I think we should make it one for the histories."

The last part was meant to lighten the mood, but the already empty feeling inside grew and I began to wonder if I had made the wrong mistake. I slid down the wall and sighed, resting my head against the metal. All I could do now was wait for Liu Ming.

Closing my eyes, I allowed a light sleep to overtake me. The peace was nice and after not sleeping for a day I was ready to bend over despite the situation. From the next cell, I could hear Jax's deep breathing and I drifted off with my chest matching his exhales.

The sound of whistling woke me up later. The dull melody was methodical and I felt my heart soar.

"Jacob Kain, coming to switch out." The dull voice came from the other side of the metal door. The guard inside turned to look through, studying the face.

"Night, Jake. What are you doing here? I'm not supposed to leave until dawn. " The former statue melted into a smile as he looked at Jacob through the bars. Despite his words, the guard had already unlocked the door and was smiling at his colleague.

"Lord de'Laure wanted to make sure all the guards were alert and were switching us out earlier than scheduled." Jacob entered the prison, facing the man as they continued the exchange, door wide open. "You're due to report to the bunks and rest before the event later."

I leaned against the bars and watched as the other guard walked out and continued talking.

"Watch out for the man. He's one of them and can lie his way out of anything. No matter what he says, don't listen." The previous soldier waved a finger at Jacob with a warning look. "You don't want to be the one allowing their escape."

"Don't worry about me," the other guard laughed. "I'll keep a weathered eye on them."

I watched as the other guard disappeared up the tunnel and the door closed again, trapping us in. Jacob took his position and stood, poised and alert at his post. When the boots from the other guard faded, he began to whistle.

"Liu Ming?" The whistling stopped as the man walked forward and stood by the divide.

"Are you two the only ones here?" The deep voice was strange compared to the usual high vocals Liu Ming had.

"Yes, of course." I waited for Liu Ming to open the gates, but she just stood, looking around. Her face was stone cold and her gaze could have cut through diamonds.

"Maurea, I need more time," she suddenly demanded, missing the words. "If there are more Spirits here, I can't leave without looking."

I stared at Liu Ming, my confidence in her slowly fading as she looked at me. Her usual cold face was now desperate, an inner fear surfacing. I couldn't shake the feeling she was willing to do anything for more time.

"Can't you free us and come back another time?" I argued. "You can look like anyone, so search the ground once we've escaped." My face was beginning to heat up at the thought of Liu Ming abandoning us so close to freedom.

"And if they move other prisoners?" she cried, taking a deep breath. Her voice had jumped, real emotion filling in for the first time. "Someone was taken from me and she could be held here. Please, I can't risk them discovering your escape. If there is even a chance she is here, I need to save her. You understand this."

Liu Ming gave a pointed look at Jax who was hovering by the grate, his dark eyes peering through questioningly.

I sat back on my heels, staring at my hands. The chipped nails had dirt under them, the sand from the bottom of the river still hiding. I picked at them as I thought through Liu Ming's words. She was right and I knew it, but was the risk something I was willing to take? If it was just me, I would tell her to go, but I was making the decision for both Isabella and Jax as well.

"What do you think, Jax?" I looked through the bars to find Jax caught up in the scene. "Do you think we could wait, just a few hours longer?"

He looked at Liu Ming who was at the point of pleading. He didn't know her as well, but I could see his eyes soften. "If you are willing to wait, I trust your judgement."

I let out my breath, nodding slightly. "I can promise a few hours, but Jax," I turned to face the man whose life I was bargaining, "I can't say if they intend to keep you alive until tomorrow. My father wants me to bear witness to your death and soon. Liu Ming, please come as soon as possible, I can't hold the charade long."

Liu Ming gave one, swift nod and was gone, her male body disappearing up the tunnel and out of sight before I could change my mind.

"Was she the plan?" Jax's voice carried from his cell and I didn't respond. "She will be back, Maurea. You trust her and I don't think she would leave us down here. We just need to be patient."

"You don't understand," I whispered, despair taking over. "That was the only possible way to get you out of here alive. If she doesn't come back, it's over. I had one way of helping you and it just walked away."

I heard shuffling and Jax's arm reached around the barrier dividing us. He tried to find my hand, but the moment he made contact I pulled it away. Defeated, his hand dropped and rested on the floor.

"You can't possibly know that. She left with only a half explained reason," I felt the tears building in my eyes as the floor began to blur. "I don't know if we can trust her to return."

"Then why did you?" Jax's voice was soft and comfortable, but I wanted to be left alone to my misery.

"Because The Ocean told me to!" I yelled. I hated myself for trusting her and Liu Ming. Isabella was right, I couldn't trust anyone. I added in a softer voice as the anger faded and left me in a depressed mindset, "The Ocean told me to and I listened. I thought Liu Ming understood why I was so desperate."

There was a long pause. "The Ocean itself talked to you?"

"When you pushed me in the river. It encouraged me to keep fighting, it encouraged me to find Liu Ming, so we could help each other. That seems to be my mistake, trusting a selfish deity like that."

"The Ocean told you to help each other, you just did." I turned my head to look over my shoulder. Jax's hand was on his head, running through the mess of curls. "You help Liu Ming get onto the property and find her friend. She is indebted to you. Liu Ming doesn't seem the type of person to forget a debt."

"You may be right," I admitted, but that didn't stop the tendrils of doubt that had worn their way through my stomach, slowly crushing me from the inside.

"Is your sister recovering?"

"She's healthy," I admitted, picking at the skin on my palm, the indent from my thumb was beginning to bruise. "She only knows that we have a plan to free her, nothing else."

"Are you excited for your wedding, the dresses and flowers?" Jax asked bluntly.

"I cannot possibly be serious, but no I am not." I poked his fingers and the man laughed. "Don't joke about such matters."

"Then find something else to discuss. I have spent hours here with no company. Believe me when I say the dripping of water is not a pleasant sound. Would you prefer to sit in silence? I can be as silent as death if you wish."

The use of the word death to describe himself brought back some of the fear his comment had lessened. It was truly a terrifying feeling knowing you could do nothing.

"I never implied that. I was only commenting on your upbeat attitude despite the desperate situation. I think that is your true gift."

Jax swelled with pride, his split lip pulling into a smile despite the dried blood I could see breaking.

"I wish I brought some water with me, we could at least heal your minor wounds." I felt my own lip where his injured wound had been. I should have been smarter.

"It would have been suspicious if your father had seen anything," Jax assured me. "I don't need to heal, once we're free, it will be easy enough to find a water source."

I shook my head. "There are no ample lakes or rivers for miles around. I can't help thinking our estate was built with that detail in mind."

"Damn, that would have been easier." Jax tilted his head backwards and his face went blank. I watched in wonder as he began laughing, his entire body shaking in an effort to express his emotions. "Maurea, close your eyes and listen."

I stared at him, confused written on my face. When he didn't offer an explanation, I did as he requested, closing me eyes and listening to whatever had interested Jax. Nothing sounded different, I could hear Jax's breathing, my heartbeat and the usual sounds from the dungeon. The humid air that flooded the room every few minutes and the dripping of water on stone.

I opened my eyes and groaned. I felt like a fool.

"Do you hear the water?" Jax asked his face pressed against the bars, a smug expression. I nodded and his grin only grew. "Then that is the answer to our problem."

He rose and I paralleled his actions, standing to face the back wall where water ran down into sinking into the space between the stones. Jax ran his fingers along the wall, revealing tiny droplets of moisture on his fingers. He gingerly raised his fingers to his lip and hissed as they made contact with the open flesh. He had to repeat this for a few minutes, but eventually the wound closed to a dull pink. The bruises took longer, but Jax never slowed his pace.

"Do you have any injuries?" He asked as he held his wet palm to his cheek.

"No major ones and I don't want to risk my eyes flashing. You may have been revealed, but I've somehow managed to keep my secret."

"And you managed to convince them that you hated Spirits. I think that is more impressive," Jax laughed. "Could you imagine your fathers face when he realizes the truth?"

"Hopefully that won't be soon, but yes. That would be an impressive feat. The second time in my life I will have stunned him." I laughed bitterly and slid down the wall, legs extended in front of me.

"I think that would only be the second of many," Jax said as he slid down next to me, the metal bars being the only thing separating us now. "He will have to watch as you stop him, Isabella at your side. And me, of course, the rebel who he was unable to contain."

Jax puffed out his chest, his now healed face glowing in the low light. With his determination and confidence, I could imagine a victory, but it was still an imagined event.

"Do you think Liu Ming will be able to free us in time?" I questioned, leaning against the bars.

"I hope so," he relied, the fake confidence faltering in that moment and I could see the weary man next to me.

"Jax," I turned my head to face him, "if you are able to escape, please take it. I will have an easier time running if I know you and Liu Ming managed to flee. Grab Isabella and run. She knows more about the Hunters than I do and I had an advantage," I reasoned, more with myself than Jax," they don't know what I am and what I can do. I can use that to my advantage."

"I'm sorry, Maurea, but you refused to abandon me, I'd like to return the favor. Liu Ming can save Isabella, but one of us needs to guide them to Intutum, I don't plan on going alone."

"I didn't expect much else, but I had to try," I admitted, bitterly. "Just avoid any reckless actions. Do not risk yourself if it is not necessary."

"You don't know me as well as you think," Jax gloated, "I am know in Intutum for my lack of fore-sight."

I laughed at his words, knowing they were true. He was one of the most reckless men I had ever met, but there was no one else I would want to go to battle with. If Liu Ming held up her side of the bargain, we had a chance. The small glimmer of hope was all I needed to relax into the bars and close my eyes.