The Fire Sorceress

Chapter Eight

I stumbled into the house with the first zombie's moan. Fern and Ember greeted me warmly. Well, more like this:

"OH MY NOTCH ARE YOU OKAY??!"

"Are they gone? Did those filthy robbers leave?"

"DO YOU NEED BAND-AIDS? DO YOU NEED MEDICAL TAPE? DO YOU NEED SPANDEX?!?!?!"

"Did they take our stuff? I'll find them and kill them if they took my stuff..."

"OH MY NOTCH WE NEED TO CALL THE AMBULANCE HE'S DYING IT'S TOO LATE! HE'S DEAD! SETO DIIIIED!"

Fern was in hysterics and Ember was plotting revenge against Team Crafted.

"Fern! Ember! Calm down!" I barked sharply, ending their rants immediately. "Let me tell you what happened."

I told them the story of my epic battle.

"So, what you're saying is...the rest of Team Crafted became criminals...and now you've given them shelter in our backyard?" Ember murmured incredulously.

"Yes..." I muttered. "But they won't be taking anything from us!"

Ember just sighed and walked away. "I'm going to bed."

"See you in the morning," I called weakly. Abruptly, exhaustion hit me like a cold, hard stone. I just now registered a stinging pain on my shoulder from where Mitch's arrow had grazed it. I gulped and looked at the wound. Oh. My. Notch. The arrow tip had been poisoned.

*Ember's POV*
I was just dressing into my nightclothes when I heard a cry and a thump. I quickly finished and dashed into the living room. Seto was crumpled on the floor, blood staining the top of his cloak's sleeve. I took his cloak off and eased the sleeve off of Seto's shoulder. There was a small gash leaking blood. The skin around it was turning black and a sickly green. I screamed and my parents came rushing out. "Sweetie, what is i--OH MY GOD...SETO!" My mother shrieked.

"I-I don't know what happened! I just found him on the floor!" Tears leaked from my eyes as I gasped to my mother. The carpet sizzled and little scorch marks appeared where my tears fell.

"Romani, get some healing potions! I think this is going to be a long night," Fern commanded grimly. Her sudden change in demeanor was astonishing. "Ember, go to bed."

"Mom, no, I want to stay with Seto!" I protested. "What if he dies?"

"Tomorrow is your first day of school. I want you to be rested!" Fern snapped.

"B-but what about Seto? H-he's going too!"

"Just go!" she snarled and pushed me into my room. I ran into my room and collapsed on the bed, sobbing. I cried myself into an uneasy sleep.

***

*Fern's POV*
I was faced with a dying boy and a whiny daughter. Who should I be focused on? Well, obviously the one in a critical condition. I pushed Ember away and grabbed a medical knife from Romani. I used to be a nurse in the Squid War, so I knew how to treat these kinds of wounds.

I cut a blackened portion of flesh from Seto's shoulder. A low, pained moan escaped from his parted lips. I dressed the wound in healing serum...but it took no effect. The healing potion was ineffective to this poison. I smiled gravely. Seems we'll be doing this the hard way.

***

*Ember's POV*
I walked out of my room and into the living room. I saw a lump of sheets by the coffee table. "Huh. Laundry," I muttered. I picked up the sheets to fold it, but there was a body underneath.

A body I knew.

Seto's body.

Shit.

(A/N: Pardon the language. It was just what one of my friends did and I found it really funny.)

***

I woke up screaming. Moonlight filtered through the window. I got out of bed, shaking, and checked the living room. Seto was lying peacefully on the ground, his shoulder heavily bandaged, blood staining the white strips. I sat on the couch with a book, afraid of what I might imagine if I went to sleep. I absentmindedly fiddled with Seto's brown hair as I flipped the pages. I dozed off soundly and had a dreamless sleep.

When I woke up, Seto was gripping my hand tightly. His face was pale and covered in a sheen of sweat. I gasped and got down to his level. And slapped him.

"Wha? Wha was that for?" He demanded thickly, his voice slurred. Mom...may have used drugs...on Seto...oh no.

"You okay?" I asked sharply. Seto was either half asleep, influenced by drugs, or both. I was guessing the latter.

"Oh, hi Ember. Can I...can I have a hug?" Seto blinked drowsily.

"Uhhh..." Sure, I'd be happy to give him a hug. But at this state...He didn't wait for a reply and dragged me into his grasp. I awkwardly patted his back, a blush creeping onto my face. After a few minutes, I spoke up. "Okay, maybe that's enough." I tried to slip out of his arms, but an iron grip had my hand. I looked at his innocent face and sighed. He was asleep. "Seto...let go..." I growled. My inner voice screamed, LEAVE THE POOR KID ALONE! I sighed again and twisted so that I was splayed out on the floor with my hand in Seto's grip. I fell asleep...sort of.

***

When I woke up, I was next to Seto in his arms again. I mentally facepalmed and slapped him with my free hand. He jerked awake. "Um...how did this happen..." He started to color and so did I.

"Um...I-er..." My face was probably the shade of a tomato. Seto let go of my hand and I scampered onto the couch and curled up.

"What happened..." Seto was still blushing, but a slow smile crept onto his face.

"I woke up from a dream I had of you--."

"OOH! What was I doing?" He asked cheekily.

"You died," I replied bluntly.

"Oh."

"Anyways. I woke up and came to read a book. I sat on the couch and my hand was off the side. You grabbed it and hugged me against my will and I fell asleep."

"...well then..." Seto murmured uneasily.

I stood up awkwardly and shuffled over to the kitchen.

"Okay, what's for breakfast?" Seto dismissed the matter and got up. He stretched and winced at the pain in his arm.

"...Seto, it's six a.m. There's no breakfast for another hour," I said. Seto's head drooped miserably and he gave me a look of pure sadness with those big brown eyes...I sighed and walked to the toaster.

***

Soon we had egg sandwiches ready. I scarfed mine down happily, realizing I hadn't eaten for at least two days. Seto wolfed his down messily and grinned, wiping his mouth with a napkin.

I heard a yawn and snapped my head up, erasing the smile on my face. My mother walked in. "My, aren't you two up early!" She smiled warmly. "Dear, how's your shoulder?"

"Uh, it's fine, it only hurts when I move it." Seto replied.

"Poor dear," my mother walked away mumbling.

I changed the subject. "So, are you ready for Sorcery Academy?"