Heathen

|24|

Elodie

      After the doors close, I slip down on the couch, shoving my face into a pillow as Barre stalks around the room. Salsh nudges my elbow with his cold, wet nose. I groan, tucking myself in further to the cushions, wishing they would just swallow me whole.

       I can tell that Barre is pissed. I don't want to deal with it.

      "Elodie." He snarls. "I don't like this."

     I huff into the pillow, biting the fabric as I clench my teeth. I know this. I know he hates Locanas and this whole situation. No one hates this more than me though. None of it's fair.

     But when Empress Jane offered for me to talk with my attacker, it just felt right.

      "I don't want you being near him."

      I throw myself up into a sitting position, looking at the gladiator over the cushions.

      He has his muscular arms crossed over his wide chest. His brooding expression would make a human man pee his pants, but to me he's simply an overgrown toddler throwing a tantrum.

      "You think I want to see him? Don't be ridiculous. I have to make this decision. It wouldn't be fair to decide his fate without at least having a conversation with him." I demand, pushing the mass of red waves out of my hair in frustration.

      Barre suddenly runs a hand over his stubble that has slowly turned into a beard.

     "I don't want him to..."

     I stand from the couch, tripping over my gown in my haste. I glare up at him, suddenly angry at his harsh tone. He's almost 2 feet taller than me, but I'm not intimidated.

      Planting my hands on my hips, I stand up to him.

     "What? You don't want him to what?" I demand, Barre glares, his jaw clenched tight.

     "I don't want him to hurt you anymore. He scared you enough with his touch, his words will just make things worse." He scoffs, shaking his head. "And I don't want him to convince you to let him go free. He deserves death for what he's done."

     I see the turmoil on his face, and hear the fury in his voice. I'm still getting used to understanding his words. We had so much wordless communication, I can read him like a book.

     "He won't know that I get to decide his fate. At least, I don't think so."

     I sigh, walking past Barre and towards the bed. I sink down, sitting on the edge and looking down at my hands.

     "I like this idea that Jane has, I think it's fair, I'm just not in a great place to be making this decision."

     A confused expression crosses his face.

     "Jane?"

     "The Empress." I provide.

     I throw myself back on the bed, running my hands across the soft fabric beneath me and staring at the too ornate ceiling. I just want to be back in our little cabin in the woods.

     "And yeah, Locanas" I choke trying to say his name, "did hurt me. Mentally, physically, but I need to know who he is. I haven't understood a thing out of his mouth. I need to know why he did what he did. I can't send a man to death without even knowing him."

     Barre comes to stand in front of me. He chews on the inside of his cheek, turning to sit down next to me.

     "You didn't understand me until yesterday." I hear the timidness trickle into his normally gravelly tone as the mattress dips beside me.