What was it the other woman had called the girl who so dearly wanted to help Alice? A Protector. That sounded like someone she wanted to keep on her side. Which was strange, she realised, since this girl was still culpable. She was still contributing to Alice’s captivity. But who knows what she’d need to be protected from?

Alice heard a pair of heavy boots get up, walk a few steps, and exchange short, sharp words with the driver of the cart. The footsteps reverberated through the floor and made Alice’s bones rattle.

She was almost sure that it was just her and the Protector girl now.

In the quiet, she tried to relax. On one or two occasions, the Protector accidentally brushed the wound on her temple with the damp cloth, and Alice involuntarily flinched and then held her breath, hoping that the girl hadn’t noticed. Her hopes were dashed after the wound was caught for a third time and she flinched, hard.

She felt the girl shift her weight and then she lifted Alice’s head so that it was supported. Alice realised that her head was now comfortably in the girl’s lap. She flickered her eyelids, about to open them, but something made her stop.

With open eyes, she would have to face the frightening situation she was in; unconscious, she was bound to be left alone.

‘Shh,’ the girl whispered, and it took Alice a few seconds to realise she was talking to her. ‘Don’t open your eyes. I know you can hear me, but they must think you’re still unconscious or they’ll put that awful bag over your head again.’ Alice twitched her eyebrows a tiny bit, hoping that the girl would interpret her curious frown well enough to continue talking. She clearly got the message because she continued in hushed tones. ‘I convinced them that it was pointless to keep you covered up when you were passed out anyway. You were getting so hot and feverish, so I told them that I’d keep watch over you and make sure you stayed unconscious. They’d kill me if they found out I’d let you wake, but it just doesn’t feel right, treating you like this. I had to do something.’

The girl moved a little, rearranging her seating position so that Alice would be more comfortable, and when she took Alice’s hand to help her lie on her side, Alice took the opportunity to squeeze it gently. She hoped that would be enough to show her gratitude for now. Having an ally couldn’t be a bad thing, and as strange as Alice felt, she knew the Protector was on her side. That could be key in escaping later.

The pain still seared through her head and the Protector had fallen into a peaceful silence, still dabbing Alice’s head with the damp cloth. The gentle swaying of the cart sent Alice into a fevered sleep once more.

Chapter Twelve

Screams cut through the air like a knife through flesh.