Hush

Chapter Thirteen

Hush would've comforted Rune immediately if not for the shadow sitting off to the side. He looked at it, realizing that it was a solid, human-like shadow. It was clutching its head, hissing in pain. An inai, Hush recalled, finally remembering its title.

Hush glared at it, then almost felt bad for it. Almost. It had tried to destroy Rune, and one of its kind had tried to destroy him years before. He watched as it started to fade away, then made a rash decision.

Hush reached out and grabbed its wrist. Immediately, it started to pull away, shouting obscenities again. Hush glared at it once more. There was no way to destroy these things as far as Hush knows, but he wasn't just going to let it get away. It could attack them again.

Hush could feel the house writhing in hatred and anger. It had expected the inai to succeed and tear Rune apart then take Hush down, and probably tear him apart, too. He could feel the permanent gap in his mind where one had destroyed a few of his memories.

Hush dug out his flashlight and flicked it on. The inai's black eyes widened and it tried to scamper backwards, but Hush held it down. He wouldn't hurt it unless needed.

Let me go! its voice echoed through his mind. I can still hurt you, destroy you!

"So can I," Hush stated, his eyes locked onto it. He could capture it, if he wanted to.

"Hush," Rune muttered from behind him. Hush turned, keeping his fingers around the inai's wrist. It was small, probably only a child, or possibly just very frail. "Are you okay?" Rune asked.

"I'm fine," Hush said, directing his flashlight at the floor and shutting it off, his eyes used to the darkness by now. He made his way over to Rune, tugging the inai along behind him. Hush scanned Rune's face before asking, "But are you? Your nose must be rather sore..."

"Yeah, kinda..." Rune said quietly, rubbing it slightly. He winced. "Did you bite it?"

"I might have," Hush said with a soft smile. "It was the only way I could think of to get the inai to let you go."

"An... inai?" Rune asked. "I thought I just... blacked out."

"No," Hush said as Rune started to rise. "I thought I told you to cast a protection spell over yourself?"

No spell can keep me out, the inai's voice echoed, slightly mixing with Hush's own thoughts. It said it as a sort of low growl.

"Obviously, there are spells," Hush stated. "You couldn't get hold of me."

Hush waited a moment but the inai was silent. He sighed and Rune spoke up again, saying, "Can we get out? My head hurts." Rune was sitting up now, leaning against Hush.

No, the inai hissed. Hush knew that Rune heard it too because he flinched. The house won't let you leave.

Rune glanced at Hush, his brows furrowed. It was too dark to see Rune's eyes, but Hush could tell that he was worried. Hush laid his hand on Rune's arm, reassuring him. "We'll get out," Hush said confidently, though he had no idea how.

You won't, the inai hissed again, to Hush only. Hush closed his eyes and shook his head. He didn't care. This house might be disorienting, but he'd find a way out. He'd find a way to make it safe.

Hush sighed and helped Rune up, keep a firm grip on the inai's wrist. "There's only one thing to do now," Hush stated. "We search the rest of the house."