Dream and Nightmare

Chapter 22 - What She Knows

Anah dropped the gun, staring at the weapon that had drawn so much blood it left a little puddle on the white vine. The blood slowly began to slide down the curve of the ground, leaving a thin trail of scarlet. Anah watched its progress as Felidy started tending to the deep cut in Rendel's chest.  

"He wasn't dead, Anah," Jack said. She would've appreciated a hug from him, but Jack stayed where he was. 

Anah's pinky finger was twitching from the magic still burning in her arm, but the pain had lessoned. It wasn't like she blamed Jack for hitting her. "He was dying though." 

"Yes," Rendel was on the ground seeming very unconcerned about the gaping hole in his gut. "And hopefully he does die. You were brilliant, Anah. Don't feel guilty about it." 

"Shut the hell up, Rendel. Not everyone is as soulless as you," Jack retorted. 

"Stop!' Anah said before it escalated. "I think there may have been enough fighting for today." 

Rendel completely ignored her attempts at peace. "I had no choice but to kill your grandfather. I didn't know you at the time, and Shritaum would've killed Fe. He died instantly and painlessly, and you weren't supposed to find him. At least not before I cleaned up. He put up a hell of a fight." 

"If you ever talk about my grandfather again, I will kill you." Jack threatened. To his credit, he turned away from Rendel then and made his way over to Anah. "Where'd I hit you?" he asked, his voice still a bit harsh from talking with Rendel.  

Anah held her arm out, seeing the red mark on her skin for the first time. Jack placed his hand over it, bringing her arm closer to his eyes for inspection. "It doesn't hurt," Anah lied. 

"Like hell it doesn't. I was hit, too," he grumbled. 

Anah pulled her arm back, mostly because she didn't want him to notice how much she was shaking. Girls her age were supposed to be worried about school and silly crushes, not whether or not the man they had shot had died from the wound. "Then stop worrying over me. If you can handle it, so can I." 

"But you're a..." He fell quiet, rethinking his words.  

Anah crossed her arms over her chest. "A girl? Just some helpless, little girl?" Really, Jack was saying that? As if she wasn't feeling useless enough. 

"That wasn't how I meant it." 

She took a step back away from him, hearing her voice reach a disgustingly squeaky octave. "No, it's okay. That makes total sense. I'm just some pathetic girl who clearly can't take care of herself. I should just be kept in some secure, padded box where I can't get hurt, and I won't be in the way." 

Jack shook his head. "Anah, I never said any of that." 

"But Fe's a girl, too. Oh! But she's Elvita, so she must be far more capable of protecting herself than I am. I guess I'll just go sit in a corner and try not to break a nail or something equally traumatizing." 

Scowling, Anah turned from him and just to anger him further, went to Rendel's side. He was scary pale, but chatting with an equally sickly looking Felidy.  

"Lover's quarrel?" Rendel teased Anah. She remained silent as she watched Felidy sew Rendel's wound shut. "Yes, it hurts," Rendel said even though she hadn't asked. "But I've felt worse and I'm still rather numb from the magic. It'll hurt like hell in a couple hours, but I plan on being pass-out drunk by then." When Anah was still quiet, Rendel took her hand. "You were amazing. We weren't winning that battle, Anah. You did what you had to, and you should be proud; I am." 

She squeezed his hand, grateful for his support. "Do you remember your first kill?" 

Rendel glanced at Felidy before answering. "Bits of it. I just can't remember who it was: my mother or my father. I feel like I killed him first, but I was so young. I didn't even fully understand who they were. Shritaum kept me isolated for a long time, and I didn't really get the concept of parents until a couple years later. Shritaum made me kill them to prove myself. It was...surprisingly easy. Didn't understand death too much either."