Tam was sitting on the edge of Linh's bed. They were at the Healing Center. She had been out of it for two days now- he was getting worried.
Everything seemed to be so stressful since that night. Sophie and Keefe had gone missing. No one still knew where the actual heck Marella was, and all Mr. Forkle would say was, "We don't know yet."
Numbly in the back of his head, Tam could picture a gravestone marked with the words, "In memory of when I cared," which were probably the truest things he had ever known since he left Exillium- especially with this old loser.
But all he could care about right now was his sister. His sister who lay motionless with hands burned and scarlet, covered up in bandages.
She opened her eyes.
Tam let out a sigh of relief and said, "Well look who's awake."
Linh smiled, which made his heart ache.
"How bad does it look?" she asked.
"Not bad, it's just- it's just your hands."
"My hands? Did they get burned off?"
"No! No, nothing like that- they're just really, really burned."
"Oh."
Silence.
Awkward tension started to rise between them until Linh said, "I'm sorry."
Sorry?
"Sorry!? You could've died! You should've listened to me, Linh! You can't keep doing that."
"Well, I'm just as capable as you are to make my own decisions-"
"But this was stupid! All your risky little move back there did was get you a pair of roasted hands!"
"At least I tried," Linh said softly.
"Trying isn't good enough anymore," Tam said as he stood up, "It isn't helping anymore. We have to be careful- Linh, you have to understand that you won't get so lucky next time."
"I KNOW!" Linh shouted, making Tam take a step back.
Tears started to form in her eyes.
"Believe me, Tam, I know! I- I've paid the price too. . ."
"Linh. . ."
She looked at him, her eyes shimmering.
"I- I was awake once, and Elwin examined me. . . Tam- I- I'm not a Hydrokinetic anymore. I'm talentless."
After a moment, Tam said, "You can't know that!"
"Yes, I do! I can feel it too. The water doesn't call to me anymore! I can't understand its language. I will never be able to control it- and it will never be able to control me. The blaze burned through my talent. It's gone."
"Talents don't go-"
"This one did. It's fine Tam," Linh pulled the sheet up closer to her head gingerly.
"All acts have a price to pay. This one was just a little more expensive. I'll be alright."
She started to drift off, murmuring, "I'll be alright."
When Linh had fallen back asleep, Tam heard something whisper in his ear. Perhaps it was the water calling him one last time through Linh's voice.
"I'll pay the price, you won't."
***
YOU ARE READING
These Broken Tears || Kotlc
Fanfiction"holding back will break you. holding on will kill you. letting go will destroy you." "maybe it's time to turn back" "we're only kids!" "you were never kids" "please make it stop" "wake up, please let me wake up" "you can't if you're not dreaming" ...
