God Bones

Chapter 4: Bullets

Lucy

How shall I describe my training?

Well, let's just say I was coping. Barely. The first time I was handed a gun, I did not know what to do with it.

I accepted Kiernan's request on impulse, I never imagined I would ever have to actually kill anyone, and hopefully I won't have to. I don't think I could if I tried, but I didn't tell anyone that.

I knew I was no soldier. When I was younger, there were times I felt left out, when dad would be teaching Sera how to control her magic. I felt like I missed out on an opportunity to bond with him. And of course I was jealous of Sera. There were times I'd tried to join in when she practiced fighting, but I was so far behind that I eventually just gave up. Kept to myself. Lost myself in my books and tried to imagine what my life would look like without magic. Let them do what they did.

There's no point getting involved with the Family. I'd never do as much as Sera would and my father didn't really care about what I did as long as I was safe. So why bother? Let me shine in my own way. So what if I didn't want to fight? So what if I wanted to fall in love? So what if my world consisted of just my family?

I did the things I liked. I studied history. I babysat children and told them the stories I liked. I read my stupid, clichéd romance books because I liked knowing there would be a happily ever after on the last page. Did I really want a life of adventure?

I'm not sure.

Sometimes I feel like I gave up on it without having a stronger reason to, just because I thought I couldn't. Ever since my birth, my role in the family was like that of a precious piece of porcelain. Protected and full of sentimental value but inanimate and of no practicle use. My father actively pushed me out of the Family for my safety.

And I put my head down and listened.

Maybe that's why I was waiting for it all along, the day the Family would call on their forgotten daughter.

It's pathetic, I know. But in a way, I was doing it for me. I'm just as strong as Sera. The second reason was probably the dumbest reason to risk one's life but fuck it. Sue me.

I'd called Mrs. Hanover, told her to look for a new babysitter. Family emergency. I know I'm going to miss Jaime.

The shooting range was empty aside from a few people from the Family. It was, of course, a private range where the muscle of the Family trained and honed their skills. People stared at me and I couldn't shake away their gaze and I knew that they were comparing me to Seraphina. I was clearly out of place here.

Laith, my instructor was human. He was a black man, standing well over six feet. Seeing him was a surprise, albeit a pleasant one. I never thought a human could be involved in the activities of the Family, but Laith seemed more capable than most sorcerers. He was a stoic man, with no sense of humor. I think I even detected a German accent.

The first time we spoke, he told me how to kill a person.

"You will have two weapons with you," He told me. "This is a pneumatic gun. It shoots gelatin pellets which contain ricin. You can use it to neutralize sorcerers. It will kill them within a few days. If you ever need to get someone out of the way, this will do it. Its undetectable in any autopsy."

Fantastic.

I picked up the gun. It was far lighter than the other one. "Don't you have something...less extreme?"

"No."

"Okay."

"This is a pistol. It's small and you won't be able to aim very far, but you can conceal it easily. You will use it if you're in real danger, only as a last resort. If you're quick enough, you may be able to take down a sorcerer."