How Shadows Turn to Ash

Chapter 33: Octavia

As Kore and Octavia got closer to Dainn, Octavia had the very reasonable reaction of trying to stab him.

It was to no avail. In an infuriatingly fluid movement, he pushed her arm to the side and shoved her to the ground. He didn't seem surprised to see her or the siren.

When had he and Kore met? Was Kore the one who had told the Revolutionaries she was here?

"Husband," she spat in a mock greeting. Dainn sneered back at her.

He looked exhausted, hair mussed and dark shadows under his eyes. There was a nasty gash over his cheek that would probably scar, and the crutch he had been using was gone, replaced with what looked to be a fake leg that was strapped to his thigh.

"What's this?" she asked Kore as she raised her katars again. Kore sighed and pushed her wrists down. Octavia turned back to Dainn. "Look at this. You and your damn Revolutionaries caused this bloodshed," she said, voice rising as she gestured to the battlefield further behind them. Staël's lifeless body flashed in front of her eyes. "Innocent people were killed!"

Dainn's brows raised, an indignant look crossing his face. "If you wanted innocent people to survive, then maybe you shouldn't have hidden with innocent people," he said calmly. Octavia stared at him, aghast by the callousness, before screaming with frustration, trying to stab him once more.

"Enough with that," Kore muttered, slapping her hands down. "You don't know how to even use those-"

"Then let me practice!" Octavia growled, pathetically trying to throw her fist forward so that the point of her blade would pierce any part of Dainn. Kore snapped her fingers, and the weapons vanished. Octavia screamed again. "What do you want?" she shouted, now directing her anger at the siren. "You brought me to him? You-"

"And they claimed you were the smart one," Kore cut in, grimacing. She snapped her fingers again, and Octavia's katars returned. "I am here to help you."

Help her. A likely story.

"Why?"

"Because Htraehean prophecies are foolish, and I am a child of necromagic."

A pause followed. Octavia turned to Dainn, hoping he might have an answer to whatever the hell that meant, but his expression was just as disgruntled and bewildered as Octavia's.

"...are we getting no other explanation?" Octavia finally asked. Kore tilted her head. "What does that mean?!" she shouted. Dainn snorted. "Oh, shut up. Why are you here?"

Dainn scowled. "I am a worshiper of Death. Sirens have necromagic, meaning they are creatures of Death. I don't have a choice when a creature of Death tells me-"

"That's a stupid reason to be here."

"I'm not thrilled with the situation either!"

"I hate you," Octavia decided, shaking a finger in his face. The katar on her wrist almost cut him as she did so. Ironically, it would have been the first damage she managed to inflict on him with those blades. "You're a no-good, slimy, pathetic-"

"Your hair looks ridiculous."

Octavia spluttered, hand flying to her hair. Did he think she cared about her hair at this moment? Did he think she was that shallow?

"It isn't very manageable when you're on the run for your life," she spat back, touching the frizzy curls. "What's your excuse? Why do you look like you've been run over by a horse?"

Dainn gaped at her, turning to Kore as if to check if she was also hearing this. "I was fighting in a war?" he asked, voice rising incredulously.

Octavia crossed her arms over her chest. "On that leg?"