"Blood is cold and full of flames, it burns with the ferocity of a malicious mystery."
—#youknowwho, 'The Hollows Of Hiraeth'
_________________________________

T h e   H o l l o w s O f
H    I    R    A    E T H
_________________________________

The voice was strong, confident and was spoken from behind me. I turned around once more, unsurprised to see Avery as the owner of the voice, holding Cassie's hand as a sign of solidarity.

Saph hesitated before pushing herself up awkwardly. It was weird seeing her like this, usually she wasn't one to be ashamed, and instead emitted every burst of confidence she could. Now, she looked like a dark tunnel as she stood next to Avery's shining bravery.

"I did too." Saph put in, her voice remaining calm although she looked as if she was struggling physically to be strong in this moment.

"You're done." A soft voice murmured in my ear as I admired the strength and unity of my friends in a situation like this. I knew who it was, and I leaned into the persons chest for a few seconds before regaining my previous posture. I was about to turn away and sit down when the Judge piped up, the shrill of her voice startling me.

"Anybody else?" Those two words bounced off the walls, the reverb echo probably giving me permanent ear damage at this stage in the trial. The Judge directed the question at me, I soon realised, and I was about to respond when I sensed Jameson tense next to me. Jameson. Jameson knew.

I shook my head, even opening my mouth to tell her no. Jameson would get in so much trouble for this. "No it–"

Jameson broke me off.

"I did, your Honour." The hall went silent. Jameson managed to remember his manners, but I wonder where he left his common sense. Why would he do that? I could've lied ourselves out of that one—he wouldn't have to get into trouble.

The Judge did a double take. I didn't blame her.

"Skande!" She yelled as she hit the table in front of her with her fist, losing her temper with us by the second. I jumped slightly, surprised by her outburst and also by the change in language. Between all the ashamed answers and lingering looks, I hadn't detected an accent in her voice. Now I heard it. It's European, maybe som–

"Court dismissed! Leave!" She screamed, stress just a whisper away from eating her up. I cringed and looked up at Jameson, he too wore an expression of how I felt. Disgrace. Guilt. However, he wasn't trembling in fear.

"Jameson," The Judge called out before we turned and left. "We will discuss this tomorrow at the meeting." She told him, her voice wavering, teetering on the thin wire that held her above the fall of losing her temper. I saw Jameson gulp. So he is trembling in fear. He gave her a sincere nod before grabbing my wrist and pulling me out of the courtroom.

Once we were out, I didn't care if we were surrounded by spectators or not, Jameson should not have done that. I ripped my arm out of his grasp.

"Are you insane?" I yelled and Jameson's eyes widened by a fraction before they flitted around us, looking embarrassedly at all the eyes that were about to witness my major meltdown.

"What on earth were you thinking?" I yelled, continuing on as if there were no curious murmurs around us. You can imagine the scene, blonde haired teenage girl dressed to the nines in a glamorous cobalt gown, screaming at a raggedy looking, also dressed to the nines, fine gentleman who looks rather shamefaced.

"We could've lied you out of that! Are you serious right now, Jameson?" I continued onwards despite my disgraceful description of the scene playing out in front of us. Starring me—the screwup of the century. Jameson huffed before yanking me over to the corner of the room by my lower arm. Nearly falling over, I managed to think of another snide remark, except, this time, Jameson actually spoke up.

"Telling the truth was the right thing to do, Sky." He seethed, his hand still clutching my arm as he glanced around at the slowing dispersing crowd.

"The right thing? Well then we must have different definitions of right because you basically just signed yourself up for free punishment!" I soon realised that I had to quieten down, shouting in an empty hall isn't very suitable when the echoes string on for days.

"If I lied, it would've came back to bite me!" Jameson kept his cool, but the words still bit into me one by one, his fury and annoyance audible.

"And this won't? So all your saying is that the only difference is that this was a quicker way? Ripping off the plaster quickly doesn't make it any less painful, Jameson." I tried to tug my arm out of his hold but it seems that he had a stronger hold on me than I realised as, when I pulled, he came crashing into me. My back hit the wall behind us and Jameson leaned over me, his hands against the wall, next to my head, the only thing keeping him from falling into my grasp.

"Why didn't you tell me?" Jameson whispered and my rage sat on the side for a few minutes.

I frowned, "Wha–"

"Why didn't you tell me what happened in the field?" He asked me, voice wavering.

"Like I said, I didn't want to worry you." I repeated what I had said in court. Jameson clenched his jaw.

"Why didn't you tell me what Eden did?" He then asked, voice sounding on the edge of breaking.

"Would you have believed me?" I asked him, voice as low as a whisper but emotions as high as a scream.

"Yes. Of course I would've." Jameson told me adamantly, staring into my eyes seriously.

Tears pricked at my eyes, "This was back when you guys were still best friends, now tell me, would you have believed me?" I demanded and Jameson clenched his jaw.

"Eden accused us of–"

"Would you have believed me, Jameson?" I screamed, tears flowing freely from my eyes as sobs racked my body. Jameson stared at me, all he did was hold my gaze.

"If you had told me later–"

"So that's a no." I interrupted before closing my eyes.

After a moment or two I reopened my eyes, "That is why I didn't tell you." I spoke with weakness.

We were still pressed against the wall, a diffusing rage crackling between us. His eyes burned into mine as a bout of passion then heated between us. We were both heaving, our intense argument paying us back with loss of breath. Nothing happened. We just stared at each other. I almost melted into those precious sapphire eyes, but the wall behind me both kept me upright and stabled me as I dealt with a whirlwind of emotions. Mostly positive.

The door handle shook and Jameson literally jumped off me. I let out a surprised squeal, not expecting anyone to still be here. But no one came through the door. I frowned at Jameson who only glanced at me for a fraction of a second, too concerned with the trembling door handle. I stayed behind Jameson as his body went stiff, angling towards the door handle as he registered it as a threat. I nervously inched forward, stopping an inch away from Jameson's body as he made sure to keep me out of harms way.

"Stay back." He ordered as he took a few steps forward, holding his hand out behind him. I quivered in the corner, concerned for both of us as Jameson neared the courtroom doors. Jameson reached out and I dug my nails into my palms in anticipation. He touched the handle. He quickly removed it and took a sharp intake of breath.

"It's hot.." Jameson trailed off.

"What does that–" I asked, obliviously taking a few steps forward.

"Stay back!" He shouted and I froze, wishing I could curl into myself. Suddenly, Jameson recoiled backwards as if the door handle started to shoot at him. He grabbed my hand and we shot off, me lagging behind slightly. Jameson did his best to speed us up, his fingers sure to make marks around my wrist as he clamped down on it.

We started for the stairs but didn't get too far before I tripped. Jameson hauled me up and we continued to speed up. I could feel Jameson's fear through his tightening fingers. This wasn't good. I tripped again and Jameson swore. He literally yanked me up and we started storming up the stairs again. Then it happened.

The stairwell blew up.

Jameson's hand left my wrist, our fingertips meeting before I lost him.

Screaming and flailing around, I fell down backwards, my head certain to smash to its death first. But my fall was soon broken as my leg got wedged somewhere. Then I swung. A sickening crack was heard as my leg bent in ways it shouldn't. Then it came loose. I fell, crashing into what could only be the stairs, tumbling down a few before roughly hitting hard ground.

I screeched in pain, tears springing to my eyes as my weak body laid limply on the floor. I could just imagine how I looked. Limbs twisted the wrong ways, my face bruised and bashed up as it laid on what felt like a crack in the ground. But I could only imagine. The lights had been smashed out long ago. So I laid alone, in the dark, with only my cries and whimpers to be heard.

Then the worst thing happened. The stairs started to creak, the walls began to crumble. Had there been lights, I'm sure cracks would've turned into dangerous gaps. I coughed and choked on falling dust particles. That's when I knew: the building was going to collapse. On me. And as the flames burnt up around me, I heard a menacing voice in my ear.

"Blood is cold and full of flames."

_________________________________

Blood isn't cold but I'll take it

#ivejusthitmyhead

I think I fixed it

I'm all for mechanical vision

I do like vision

–specsaver

_____________
Next update: 😉
_____________

CHAPTER NINETY-TWO SPOILER:

Will Sky be okay?

What happened to Jameson?

And most importantly,

Who caused the explosion when no one was in the courtroom?