Owen Changes His Mind

2. A Jaguar's Spots 1/3

"Here, have some soup," someone said, handing Owen a bowl. A group of three clustered around Owen's bedside, worrying like hens.

"Owen," Graecie started, "can you tell us what happened?"

He'd miscalculated, that's what had happened. His purpose was to hunt. He was a hunter. Owen had miscalculated with Apo, but that didn't matter. It only meant the hunt wasn't done. What could account for the change in Apo? What variable had he forgotten to account for?

"Owen?" Graecie asked again. "He's fading... give him space! Maybe he needs sleep?"

"No, it's okay Graecie," Owen said reflexively. He needed to act. He needed to discredit Apo. "Apo attacked me in the maze." Graecie gasped. Soup let out a horrified denial. "When my back was turned," he added, as if it was an afterthought. "I really thought-" Owen allowed his voice to break, letting his frustration through. Show them some distress, enough emotion to make it believable. "I thought we were friends. They were meant to be-" Owen broke off in a sob, letting their voices wash over him.

Graecie's voice was dripping with pity. "Oh Owen, I'm so sorry-" she spoke over Soup.

"can't believe they would-" Soup shuttered.

"-even after all that time, I thought-" Owen continued.

In a moment of silence, Magic interjected. "It's not your fault, Owen."

"I just," Owen gasped, feeling wrapped up in the moment. "I guess I wanted so badly to trust them that I ignored the warning signs..."

Owen turned to stare at the wall and let listlessness pour off him. His thoughts turned inward. Had he miscalculated? He was sure Apo would plead, then run. What had he missed? Were his instincts dull from so long without memory? No. Even without knowing, he'd been cataloging the demons. Their strengths, weaknesses, abilities. Apo wasn't violent. They wasn't meant to be able to strike Owen, their beloved friend. They were meant to be struck down. But that wasn't what happened. Owen came back to himself with Graecie shooing everyone out.

"Owen, you just get some rest, okay? We'll take care of everything, don't you worry."

Owen didn't have to fake the exhaustion, confusion, or pain. "Alright," he conceded, and let himself sink into sleep. Maybe he could see the bigger picture while sleeping, think of new possibilities, perhaps find out why Apo wasn't what he expected.