Demigodess

Chapter 2 Escape

"Bronwyn?"
"Bronwyn?" I hear whilst fading back into consciousness.
"Bronwyn?" I hear again and open my eyes to see blaide standing over me. I look confused at him, I could have sworn Lillian had just killed him but all I see is a pale scar on his lower abdomen. Lillian didn't even look at me and disposed of what I assume is his appendix.
"Your...fine?"
"Yes I keep my word." Lillian introjects.
"But I thought..." I say putting a hand on my head. Blaide helps me up and Lillian brushes off her glowing hands.
"Let's get to the horse, he's all better." she says getting her stuff. She is so un-phased, I'm kind of glad I didn't see what happened. As long as Bladie is ok I don't care. I gather the few belongings that I have and pick myself up nervously and walk with blaide out the door.
"I'm really ready to go. I'm so glad you found a way out Bronwyn. This girl really does seem strong. She told me that she was a demigod and-" I zone out to his talking looking at the dirt trail and I just smile weakly.
"Yeah. thanks." I say. I am filled with this deep dread, this deep dread that I can't place. This is becoming far too easy, something must go wrong. It always does. I swallow my anxiety and hook up a wagon to Lillian's beautiful white arabian horse, oh to be a horse, oblivious to the horror. I think I have a problem with zoning out when I'm stressed because I am snapped out of it again by Lillian calling to me.
"Bronwyn! Get in the wagon, we don't have a second to stand around unless you want to get killed." Lillian is beginning to irritate me, I really hope she calms down a bit, she must be stressed as well Or maybe she is always this uptight. Although blaide doesn't seem to notice which is good, I think. I do sometimes not give my little brother as much credit as he deserves for being only sixteen he is very observant. I walk next to Lillian while she is getting on her horse admiring her physical strength. As we start quietly making our way out the back of the forest, I try to start a conversation with Lillian admittedly a bit awkward though.
"Um, Lillian, what did you do back there?"
"What?" she says, looking at me.
"To blaide?" I clarify.
"Oh right you fainted." she says almost as if she was mocking me
"I used my healing abilities to extract his appendix, it looks more violent than it is."
"Oh I see, um, I have one more question." I say a bit nervously.
"Who is this---Nico? I think I have the right to know."
"He's nobody." She says with a flat tone she goes quiet and stares at the lack of trail in front of us. Irritated at this point I say,
"He can't be, you don't seem like the kind of person to help someone with a situation as dangerous as this unless you had too. You look human, you could have hidden, lived a normal life. You want him back." She just laughs a bit, but it's written all over her face that this small laugh is a defense.
"Lillian, who is he?" I say in a more genuine tone.
"He was my best friend, I kind of raised him that's all." she says, still looking straight forward. I am beginning to Already see what we must have in common, except Blaide didn't disappear. I begin to feel a tinge of sympathy for her.
"I'm happy to help you get him back. I can see he meant a lot to you." Hoping I was right, I look to her face for some kind of signal, she still doesn't look at me but her usually cold face softens with a slight smile. I look up and sigh, The trees are beautiful. I feel slightly at peace looking at them, the sun reflecting on every pine needle. Time continues on as we walk for miles, mostly in a tense silence but it's interrupted by Lillian, her tone as blunt as always.
"Let's stop and eat now." she says stopping and getting off her horse. She never really asks people for things she mostly just...says them. I roll my eyes not because I didn't want to eat. Does this demeanor ever get tiring for her? It can't be that hard just to be a bit nicer can it? I think to myself while sitting down with her. It had begun to rain and it was almost sad seeing Lillian sit down with the food hair flat, wet and sticking to her face, her expression even more misrable than before.
"Hey um...Lillian do need any hel-'' Blaide says, finally breaking the silence.
"No." Lillian cuts him off harshly. Blaide then sits next to me, shivering. I hold him as close as I can using my body and cloak to keep him dry. Lillian just looks down, I imagine she must miss Nico. Maybe even miss taking care of someone. Lillian starts to sort out the food, rationing it between us. The despair on her face drops to a whole nother level of sadness as she looks at the food. She lets out a sad quick exhale and gives Blaide his ration which is now, getting wetter with the second. She gives the rest of the food to me and sits back on a tree.
"Lillian?"
"Bronwyn don't." she says annoyed.
"You're the one doing a lot of the physical work you need to eat." I say with concern.
"There just isn't enough food ok." she says slumping down even more
"Please take it." I push back.
"You deserve this food Lillian. You deserve to eat. I will be ok I promise." I say with a soft smile. She looks down annoyed and then back up at me, her face softening once again. And for the first time there is genuine kindness in her voice, she says a simple.
"Thank you Bronwyn."