On Thin Ice (Prequel to Guild)

Chapter Forty-Seven: The Lady of the House

             Kissing wounds didn't heal them. His aav always said that, but Ryuu knew that wasn't all the way true. Sure, they didn't close cuts. They didn't stitch them up or make bruises fade away. But they did always make him feel better. Always.

When Ryuu woke up, he felt better.

But he couldn't find his maj anywhere- just that angry boy she and cousin Khasan liked. Ryuu really hoped he hadn't kissed him.

"Where is she?"

The boy turned around, lowering the spear he'd been playing with. Colour left his face and Ryuu thought that was strange because he hadn't challenged him. Not with his words and certainly not with his tone- wobbly and afraid.

"Where is who?"

"My maj!" He sat back, nose wrinkling both at the smell of this place and to keep from crying. It was bad to cry. Especially in front of bigger boys. "I was supposeded to go with her. I'm not supposeded to be here."

The boy laughed meanly, shook his head and went back to slashing and stabbing the air with his spear. Ryuu swore he heard him mutter "No, you're not" under the annoying sounds of his beads which were not like maj's. Not like his maj's at all.

Ryuu frowned and crossed his arms, but then he realized that was gross. They'd smeared something sticky all over them while he'd been asleep. Sticky and stinky. He scratched it off as the boy stumbled around with his weapon.

"You're not doing that right."

"Shut up."

"I'm just tryna help."

"I don't want your help."

"Who are you pretending to fight?"

Dark eyes flashed to him. They looked like sharp, black stones. "Scum."

Ryuu didn't know what that meant. But it didn't matter. The boy kept talking.

"Because they might come for my mother. Because your father's evil and he'll hurt my sisters if he comes here for you." Another stab. It must have hurt the air. "Because you might hurt my sister-"

"I don't want to hurt anybody. I'd push your sisters if they pinch me again and I tell them to stop and they don't. But I wouldn't hurt them."

He snorted, slashing in a bad circle. "So you remember all that but you don't remember Yuaa leaving you behind. She doesn't want you with her."

"She said-"

"She said because you're just a spoiled little princeling who can't take no for an answer!"

"I'm not a prince!" Ryuu snapped. "And I'm not spoiled."

"Whatever you say, Your Majesty."

"Escellency."

"Do you even hear yourself? You're-" Another glance turned bludgeoning. He threw the spear to the floor and whirled on Ryuu. "YOU IDIOT!" he shouted. "What did you do that for?!"

"What-"

But he was pointing at Ryuu's arms. At the sticky, smelly brown stuff he'd wiped off on the sheets.

"So you're not just a spoiled brat but a dumbass too! Don't move," he ordered, jabbing a finger at Ryuu. He sighed and then groaned, "I'll go get some more salve. But you're applying it yourself!"

And with that, he slammed the door.

But didn't lock it.

"Guess I'm not so stupid after all," whispered Ryuu. He took his little white parka off the chair and slung it over his shoulders.