Growing Into You (First Draft; Unedited)

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Aoife

I dragged my feet as I followed Devi to the circle of Guards in the middle of the field. Their lanterns cast an eerie golden light across the Guard’s faces as they stepped back to reveal Jinan. He was sitting on the ground, his arms and legs bound in chains. His face was burned badly in a spiderweb like shape. I nearly gagged as his blindfold rubbed across the burn, taking a few layers of flesh with it. Jayen cringed and moved closer to Alexandra.

“Is this everyone?” Captain Markus asked, his voice was grave and his mouth drawn in a straight line.

“Yes, this is everyone,” Joshua said quietly.

Alexandra’s chest rose and fell rapidly as she looked at Jinan. I had nearly forgotten that she was the one who caused that damage. I could only imagine what she was feeling at the sight of his grotesque face.

“Begin when ready,” Yain said slowly. 

Devi moved forward and held the orb in both hands. That's what Jinan was going to be sealed in, what he would be unless she released him. . . I shivered, I couldn’t imagine being stuck in an object for all of eternity, to lose myself like that. She loosened her shoulders and stopped directly in front of Jinan.

“Get the fuck away from me!” He yelled through hoarse vocal cords. Devi only scoffed but didn’t say anything. “Is that bitch and her whore here?! Are you going to kill me?!”

Kuna

“For once in your life Jinan, shut up.” I took a step forward. “You only have yourself to blame for this.”

He choked out a laugh, “I wasn’t the one who decided to kill me.”

“You’re not dying. Grow up,” Devi said through gritted teeth, “We’re performing a Celestial Taking.

I grabbed Maj’s hand and leaned into her. I had known Jinan for years and I had watched him turn from a shy and reserved boy who had a crush on the gardener to a violent and unstable man who tried to kill two people. If I squinted I could almost begin to see who he used to be but it was fleeting, he had changed too much to preserve who he was.

“I bet you had to fight them for them to agree to this didn’t you?” Jinan snarled, making the burns on his face snift and seep blood into his blindfold.

“Lady Dupon was the one who suggested this,” Maj spoke up, “You should be thankful.”

“More importantly you should be quiet,” Devi hissed, “All of you. I need to focus. This isn’t easy.”

She held out one hand and raised it over Jinan and squeezed her eyes shut. Jayen clutched onto Alexandra’s arm and a faint blue light began to pulsate from Devi’s hand. The light reflected against the Guards who stood up straighter as it grew brighter, just a little bit before Devi dropped her hand and lowered her head. 

Maj

I couldn’t stop a tear from spilling out of my eyes as I looked on at Devi and Jinan. I knew he was a terrible person but I had known him for years. I watched him turn into who he was today and I did nothing to stop him. If I did, maybe I could have helped him, maybe I would still have my leg. . . 

I wrapped my arm around Kuna’s broad shoulder and looked around at everyone around me, at their sullen faces. Jayen looked as if she was going through every stage of grief at once and Aoife kept her eyes trained on Devi, watching her try again and again to bring that pulsating light to life.

By not stopping Jinan after I suspected he was abusing Jayen had I let out a monster? Was it my fault that he was sitting on the ground before us with a maimed face? No, I couldn’t think like that. He might have been young when this started but he was old enough to know what he was doing was wrong, beyond wrong. I couldn’t and I wouldn’t blame myself over someone else’s actions. 

Devi’s hand began to pulsate a deep blue color this time, shrouding everything in ghoulish blue light. Out of the corner of my eye I saw Joshua wipe his eyes from tears. Devi raised her hand even higher and I could see that the light wasn’t coming out of her palm, her entire hand was glowing a deep blue and it was spreading down her arm and up her neck. Captain Markus closed his eyes and turned away slightly so that Jinan was out of his field of view. The rest of the Guards followed his lead. 

“I’m sorry,” Jinan whimpered.

“You should be,” Devi said, her voice a million miles away yet pounding in my head.