Worry consumed my thoughts. By time the sun rose the next day I had barely shut my eyes. Fear crept in about someone coming in and taking Eydis. So silently, I watched as she slept, curled up like a cat in her bed. 

Bang. Bang. Bang. 

I jumped. 

Someone was knocking at the door again.  

I sucked in my breath as fear washed over me. I watched as the door handle turned. 

My hearted raced as I glanced at sleeping Eydis. I needed to be ready to protect her. Whoever was on the other side of the door was here for her, I was sure of it.

"I know you don't want to see me, but I want to make things right. I want to help you get her out of here," Ezra said as he walked in. 

I wasn't sure if I was angry at him or grateful to see him. He knew the Motherwealth. If I was going to get Eydis out of here, he was my ticket. I couldn't do it alone, and we both knew it. 

Memories of yesterday flashed back in my mind. He knew what this place was and he did nothing about it. He didn't even bother warning people. It made my stomach twist into knots. 

I stepped back from him. 

"Telvi, you need to go to practice. You need to show the Motherwealth that everything is fine." 

I shook my head. "I can't. I need to go with you guys."

Ezra sighed as he ran his hands through his hair. "Look, Telvi, I can only get Eydis out of here. I can't bring you with me. It will be too obvious." 

My eyes welled up with tears. I couldn't just leave her with a man like Ezra. 

"I know you don't trust me. But I am your only hope. You know that, right?" 

I nodded as I wiped my eyes. I did know that. But I didn't want to admit it. 

"I promise that I'll keep her safe. But you need to go," he said as he handed me my skate bag. "Go. Before you're too late." 

My hands gripped the bag with fever. I couldn't force my feet to move. 

"Telvi, you have my word that she will be safe." 

"Where are you going to take her?" 

"I have a few friends in the Commonwealth. I'll have them keep her safe."

Deep down, I had to move, I knew I had to. Ezra would take her and I would have to trust him. Although I didn't. 

My eyes drifted to Eydis who was still sleeping. Should I wake her? Tell her that I cared for her? Did I have any last words for her? I knew I would probably never see her again. I just prayed she would be safe in the hands of Ezra. 

With a nod, I forced myself out the dorm room without another word. 

________________

It wasn't until I stepped on the ice that tears came down my face. With the cold air hitting my extremities, my eyes welled with tears. 

I would blame my tears on the cold if anyone asked. 

"Telvi, are you alright?" Ari asked as he skated up to me. "I missed you at practice yesterday."

"I wasn't feeling well." 

"I understand. Just so you know though, the program keeps track on those sick days. You can't miss to many because they will send you home." 

I stopped on the ice. A few days ago, I would believe him, but now I wasn't sure if they sent anyone home. "Do you believe that?"

He shrugged. "Why not? It's what everyone says." 

I nodded as I wiped a stray tear. Now was not the time to discuss such a topic. But soon, I would. Ari needed to know what I found out. He deserved that. Everyone did. 

Air spun then stopped to look at me. He knew something was wrong still. "Are you feeling better then?" 

"Better," I said, forcing the words from my mouth. They didn't feel natural, as if they were rocks I was spitting out. "It's just a little colder today in here."

He nodded in agreement. "I heard they finally fixed the cooling systems. The ice finally feels great to skate on. Not the sticky stuff we have seen for the last week or so." 

"Telvi, come here," Irena shouted to me from the wall. 

"What's got her upset?" Ari asked as he rolled his eyes. "It's like something lit a fire under her butt." 

I shrugged, although I had a feeling what she was upset about. I was late on ice. I skipped practice yesterday. There were a lot of things to be mad at. 

With my head down, I skated towards her, preparing for the worst.

"You need to be here on time."

I nodded as I wiped another tear from my cheek. 

"Don't cry. People will see," she said firmly. "How is the girl?" 

"She left," I said, being as vague as I could. I didn't want to drop any names or hint where she was going. The less I said the better it had to be.

"Good. That will keep you safe." 

"But won't my fate be the same as hers?" I asked, finding my voice. 

Her eyes widened as she shook her head. "Not everyone shares the same fate. Now go, please, I have already said too much. Skate as if nothing happened." 

With a stiff nod, I pushed off the boards then skated around the rink for a warmup. 

Every push I took, I tried to clear my mind. I knew there was no use lingering on what Ezra was doing or the mess I was in. But I couldn't help but think about all of it. It consumed my thoughts like a boat filling with water. I couldn't bail the water out fast enough. 

"Telvi, that was terrible. Take another lap but correct you shoulders," Irena shouted towards me. 

I rolled my shoulders back and skated backwards. I just needed to last these two hours' worth of training. 

____________

I sat on the bench, taking off my skates after practice. Even though I had taken off my skates 100 times before, today, I couldn't manage to take them off fast enough. I needed to get back, to check to see is Ezra really did take Eydis or if she was still in the dorm. 

"Do you want to get lunch together?" Ari asked as he walked over to me.

I shook my head. "Too busy."

"I get it. I'll see you at off ice in the evening." 

I waved him goodbye then with my bag in hand, I ran out the door towards my dorm. 

I wasn't exactly sure what I would see when I walked through the doorway of my room, but a trashed room was not one of the things I was expecting. 

matrasses lay on the side, clothing on the floor along with papers scattered. It looked like a twister ran it's course in this space. But twisters couldn't be inside. 

"Son of a twister, Telvi, what is this?" Odett said as she peeked into the room. 

"I don't have time," I replied as scanned the room, looking for anything that could give me answers on who did this. But I already knew who came. It was the Motherwealth. I wasn't supposed to see Eydis, but I did and now they were trying to find her. 

"Where is Eydis anyhow?" 

I paid little attention to her words as I started cleaning up. 

"Telvi, what happened to her?" She repeated a little louder. 

I turned to her. "She went home," I said confidently, as if I knew what was where she went. 

"I didn't think she wanted to go back to the Commonwealth. I thought she would at least say goodbye to me..."

She started to ramble on which made a frown appear on my face. The last thing I wanted to hear her voice in my ears. "Don't you have something better to do, Odett?" 

instantly her rambles stopped. 

I met her eyes as they started to well with tears. "Do you think she loved you more than me?" she whispered. 

I bit back my tears. I couldn't think of such a thing right now. I couldn't linger on the thought that Eydis wasn't here, that somehow my heart seemed less full because of it. Ezra said she was going to be safe, but I couldn't help but worry still. 

She wiped her tears with a sniffle. "I saw the way she looked at you. I never got that look... You know when we are done with this training, we always talked about going somewhere and starting a life. But I think she would have preferred to start a life with you."

The longer Odett stayed, the harder it was to keep my emotions at bay. "Please, leave me alone."

"I don't know what she saw in you," she said before turning on her heels without an and left. 

In Hell I knew people said similar to me. I was use to it, but this time around, it got under my skin. Tears pricked at my eyes as I quickly shut the door behind me, providing some kind of privacy. But I knew that wasn't enough. The Motherwealth had eyes on me. They had eyes on everyone. 

I took a deep breath and let it out slowly. Eydis was gone and I had no idea where she went. For now, I couldn't focus on that. I needed to focus on cleaning and keeping myself safe. I just prayed that she was safe too.