Heir of Fury

Chapter 2

I find Lily hidden right where I left her. Her giant brown eyes fill with tears of relief when she sees me entering the empty street. She's crouched between piles of trash, the smell nauseous. I can't believe she actually stayed.

"Hey, monkey," I say, my voice soft as I crouch next to her, her tiny, bony arms immediately clutching on my neck; she starts sobbing, my heart breaking with every tear, "Hey, it's okay; I'm okay."

"I'm so sorry, Sese," she cries, shaking uncontrollably. I repeat calming words, cuddling her until she calms down.

The irony isn't lost on me. I've done worse. Hell, I understand why she does this reckless shit. I've done it all before, countless times, and I've paid the price for every faulty decision. My body carries the proof, scars crisscrossing over my skin. Lily, on the other hand, holds only one because I have been saving her ass from the moment she received that first lash. And I'll keep doing it. I can't help myself, I made a promise to her, and I don't break my promises because I know first-hand what it feels like when someone does. The unwelcome memory of my brother slaps me, and I cringe internally. I will always come back, his voice echoes, I promise. I push him out, focusing on Lily, who has finally stopped sobbing.

"Are you mad?" she asks, her voice tiny, filled with worry. I hold her at arm's length to look at her.

"Yes, I am very mad," I say honestly but softly, "you know you can't be doing things like that, Lily. If you had been caught," I don't let myself imagine what would have happened. The standard punishment is lashes, but for stealing from a guard and getting caught? They could have killed her.

"I know, but I was just so..." angry. She doesn't have to say it because I know, because I have been her. "They called Mom names, horrible ones, and they are so mean, and I just saw it and, and—" I caress her cheek lightly.

"I know, monkey, you know I know," and I do. Because guards walk around the scorns like they own the city, yet they don't even have to live here. They just wake up every morning in their warm, comfy beds, in their pretty homes and come to work, blindly obeying the orders from a sadistic king that hasn't done shit in his life other than sit his fat-ass on his ugly throne and bark orders, "but you have to learn to let go," hypocrite! "Being angry will only hurt you," hypocrite, hypocrite! "And I can always be here to get you out of trouble, sweetie." She nods, and I gift her a smile.

"Now, go find your mom. She's probably looking for you," lie. Her mom probably hasn't even realised she's gone.

With a final hug, she runs down the street and disappears behind the corner.

"You reckless, careless, incorrigible little savage!" Muriel's voice rings out the second I step into the infirmary, echoing off the high ceilings of the building. I drop the half dozen bags of supplies I bought on my way here, courtesy of the guards, and brace myself for the unavoidable chastising. She marches toward me, her tiny, weathered frame moving far faster than her age should allow. Despite her sharp tone, the sight of her always brings me comfort, even if she's about to tear into me.

"You thought I wouldn't find out?" She gives me a shove, her wrinkled hands pushing against my chest with all her strength. I step back, not because the force is enough to move me, but because I'm worried she might hurt herself.

"Find out what?" I ask, feigning innocence, sidestepping her with an exaggerated shrug.

Muriel glares, not buying it for a second. "I thought you were done with those foolish, irresponsible doings!"

"I wasn't looking for trouble," I sigh, this time with absolute sincerity. "Lily stole a guard's dagger and almost got herself caught. I stepped in, made it look like it was me, so they wouldn't go after her."