Only Skeletons Remain

Chapter 37: The Lost Host

Back in DEMA, Blight threw Tyler down, pressing her boot down on his back. She bared her fangs at him as the rest of the High Council joined them. Harper stayed where she was, watching with wide eyes. Lisden brushed behind her, and Harper met Tyler's eyes.

"Well what do we have here?" Blurryface's deep voice came from behind the Council members. He chuckled, motioning for Blight to get off of him. He grabbed Tyler by the collar, getting nose to nose with him.

Harper glanced at Lyra, who was just watching with wide eyes. She took a step back as Blurryface threw Tyler onto the ground, causing the man to land in his back with a groan.

"How dare you?" Blurryface snarled, pushing his foot on Tyler's chest. "Do you understand what happens when people defy the High Council?"

"You won't kill me." Tyler sputtered, glaring up at Blurryface.

"And why's that?" Blurryface spat, pushing his foot further on Tyler's chest.

"Because if I die, you go with me. You're already weaker than before, and I've only been gone a couple of weeks."

Blurryface growled, pulling his foot off Tyler's chest. Harper could tell Blurryface knew Tyler was right. "You're right. I can't kill you, but I can make your life a living hell." He then stomped on Tyler's chest, earning a yell of pain from the man.

"Stop!" Harper yelled in English, causing Blurryface to stare at her. She swallowed thickly, her fists clenching and unclenching.

Blurryface stared at her, baring his teeth, and as he took a step towards her,"You will learn not to interfere." He went to grab her, but Lisden snapped his beak at him, causing Blurryface to jump back.

"Leave my apprentice alone," Lisden said cooly, his wings twitching. He tilted his head. "Do as she says. Soon, she will outrank you."

Harper stared, not liking the way Blurryface glared at her. Her brows twitched a bit. She didn't quite understand what was happening, but Blurryface picked up Tyler and tossed him at Harper's feet.

"Since you care so much, you can watch him." Blurryface hissed, staring at Harper with angry eyes.

"Blurry, she's just a child." Blight said. She glanced at Harper before turning back to her brother.

"What is he saying?" Harper turned to Lyra, who was still watching with wide eyes. What was going on, and why was this man at her feet?

"That you'll be watching Blurry's host. He's mad you stopped him." Lyra replied. 

Harper stared down at Tyler, blinking a couple of times. "He doesn't even speak Spanish. How can I talk to him?"

"You will work on it," Lisden replied in Spanish, looking over at Harper. "Tyler can teach you." He switched to English, staring down at the man.

"I can help too," Lyra suggested. "Harper and Tyler can stay in the library with me." At Lisden's hesitance, Lyra added, "It won't interefere with my studies."

Lisden's beak clicked, and he narrowed his eyes. "All right, I'll allow it. Harper, you will still continue your studies, but on your off time, Tyler will be under your watch."

Harper nodded, gently helping the man up. She felt weird about this, but she wouldn't say anything about it. She motioned for Tyler to follow as Lyra began walking back to the library.

"What are you doing here?" Tyler asked.

Harper glanced back at Tyler, furrowing her brows when he spoke to her. "I don't understand..."

"He's asking what you're doing here." Lyra hummed, giving Harper a smile. "I was curious about that too."

"We flew here on an airplane, but when we landed, we left the airport and ended up here. Sacarver met us, and she brought us in. We don't know why we're here." Harper said.

Lyra relayed that to Tyler, who nodded in response. There wasn't much he could say. Harper looked at the books as they walked into the library. She ran a hand over the books, feeling the covers beneath her fingers. She was wondering what her brothers were doing. She hoped they were being safe. 

Harper sat down on a chair near the old wooden desk, and her stomach growled. She was starving. She looked over at Lyra. "Can we get something to eat?" She asked, moving to stand up again. 

Lyra nodded, motioning for them to follow after her. Harper followed after her again. The dining hall buzzed with the chatter of other apprentices, the clatter of dishes echoing through the high ceiling. Lyra, Harper, and Tyler entered, their footsteps soft on the worn stone floor. Harper, with her eyes scanning the room warily, nudged Tyler ahead of her while keeping her voice low in broken English.

"Tyler," she said, her accent thick, "you... sit here, yes? You eat... this." She pointed to an open seat and then the food on the table. Her brown hair fell in loose waves over her shoulder as she leaned up slightly to try to meet his eye level.

Tyler glanced at her, confused but not defiant. He hadn't spoken much since they'd been forced into this strange situation an hour or so ago, but his silent compliance unnerved her more than if he'd argued. It was as if he was waiting for something.

Lyra, seated beside Harper, offered a small, reassuring smile to her sister. "You're doing fine," she whispered in Spanish, then nudged Harper's shoulder. "Just keep talking to him. He needs to feel safe, especially with Blurry's constant threats."

Harper's brows furrowed. She wasn't used to this—being responsible for someone else's safety, a grown man's nonetheless. She could barely string the right words together in English, let alone provide any sort of comfort to a man who probably didn't trust her. The fact that she was forced to watch him only made it worse.

She exhaled sharply, trying again. "Eat. It... good for you." She motioned to the bread on his plate, her voice wavering with frustration.

Tyler looked at the food for a moment and finally picked up a piece of bread, though his movements were slow, hesitant. His brown eyes flickered up at her briefly before he spoke, his voice small and quiet.

"You're from Puerto Rico right? English isn't your first language," he said, his words uncertain, not meant as an insult, but Harper winced regardless.

"I... still learning," she said, her words deliberate, her mind working to make sure each one came out correctly. She glanced down at her plate, feeling strange, like this was all some test she wasn't ready for.

Tyler's expression softened slightly, but the quiet tension between them remained. It wasn't trust—not yet—but maybe it was the start of something else.

"I can teach you," Tyler offered after a moment, taking a small bite of bread, his gaze darting between Harper and the others around the room. "Seems like we're stuck with each other, so we should be able to communicate with each other."

"You... teach?" Harper pointed to herself. 

"I can teach you." Tyler replied with a nod.

Harper nodded, moving to sit down and beginning to eat the food in the plate in front of her. She didn't trust Tyler, and he didn't trust her, but this might've been the start of something new. Maybe Harper would be able to fit in here after all.