Wings of Fire: Pyrrhia High (GLORYBRINGER)

CHAPTER 7 - A FRIEND IN NEED

DEATHBRINGER'S POV

When I met Glory for the second time, things in my life seemed to get much better and much worse.

The good things - better friends, better company, and, of course, Glory herself.

The bad things were that the day I met Glory was also the day my older sister Greatness left home. And that very same week, my mother Quickstrike lost her job.

Greatness had always been wonderful to me. She's been kind, caring and defensive. Protective of me (not that I need that, I could look after myself). But then she and her boyfriend, Vengeance, had decided they wanted to live together. Greatness had decided, after the eye infection incident, she was tired of Quickstrike's endless fussing. She didn't want it anymore. So, she told us that same night she and Vengeance had decided to move in with each other.

I remember it like it were yesterday.

"Mum, Death." Greatness had called us to a family meeting, her face set hard. "I want to talk to you about something." We all sat at the dining table. Quickstrike was scowling and I was slightly concerned. She's acted weirdly off all day since I'd come home from detention with Glory, and I'd wondered if she and Quickstrike had had a fight.

"Yes, daughter?" Quickstrike's expression had been bitter. And that was even more worrying, almost.

"I'm moving out." Greatness' voice was determined and flat. "I'm moving into an apartment with Vengeance. Tomorrow."

"What?!" Quickstrike shrieked, standing up. "What you mean? You're only nineteen!"

"So I can go!" Greatness snapped. "I'm definitely old enough."

"You stay here!" Quickstrike insisted, her face flushed with anger.

"You're moving in with Vengeance?" I said, looking up. I frowned. "Why?" I didn't like Vengeance, he didn't like me either. There was something threatening about the way he talked to me. He made it fairly obvious he hated me. But the feeling was mutual.

Greatness stared at me. "Why not?" There was an edge to her voice. A challenge, one that said, Are you against me too?

I didn't want to argue with Greatness, especially because she was leaving, so I quickly changed my tone.

"Oh, I was just wondering." I grinned. "You gonna marry him?"

"What, do you disapprove?" Greatness smiled, obviously realizing that I was on her side now.

"Whatever makes you happy!" I said. Trying to lighten the mood, I added, "By the way, I met this girl at school. Greatness, remember that story I wrote last day of Year Six? The Dragonet Prophecy? The mystery?"

"Of course," Greatness said, waving a hand. "You talked about it for days. And the girl you worked with too." Her face turned mischievous. Quickstrike was silent now, glaring at the table without speaking, but I could tell she was listening intently.

"Well, that girl was the one I met again today. I was, uh, borrowing back my phone from Miss Burn when she had hers stolen too and we started talking in the staff room."

"That's cool." Greatness was listening to me, really listening. Not many people do. I miss that now. I never have that at home anymore, just Quickstrike shouting at me. No more of Greatness' kindness and understanding.

"Her name is Glory," I said. "Glory RainWing. And," I continued, shooting a curious glance at Quickstrike and a naughty glance at Greatness, "one day I'm going to marry her."