Weather Control

Chapter 9

In the morning, it wasn't the commander waking us up, but rather Han. I checked my bag to make sure everything was still there. I smiled at the red knitted hat Kim had made last winter. It took me a while to convince him that thieves didn't wear bright red when they snuck around. I still wore it once. 

I pulled on my boots and laced them. this routine was already starting to bug me. The daytime was not a time I enjoyed. 

Sunshine came over to my bed. He held a red cloth in his hand. "Do you want this back?"

"No!" I wrinkled my nose as I realized that used to be a clean white cloth that was now covered with blood.

He chuckled. "Alright, Thorne." 

Down in the kitchen, we had the same food as before, but food was food so I was content. During breakfast, Lohan and Trevor also got into a small fight that a look from Han quelled. I ground my teeth when Han made us sit at the table long after we had all finished eating. Apparently, we were going outside to the city.

Han took us outside of the training building. "Today, we want you to get used to the city and finding your way around, so we will be giving you one gold coin each. You can use that coin to buy whatever you want, but be aware that we will not round you up until long past dinner time. you are free to go where you would like." As and after though he added, "Stay with your partners and travel with them. You may need to get to know each other before the next competition. It will be a bit harder." 

With that said, he turned around to the building and went through the double doors, leaving us to do as we pleased for almost the entire day. One of the guards handed each of us a coin. Some of the groups were gone before Sunshine even worked his way over to me. His limp was so evident. How had I not known that he was missing a leg?

"I suppose you already have an idea where we are going?" Sunshine said raising a brow.

I nodded and he rolled his eyes. "There are a few people you need to meet, Sunshine," I told him.

He followed me into a tavern without question. I slammed the coin I was given onto the counter, ignoring Gust's shock.

"What ever you're willing to serve," I muttered as I made my way to the back of the room. Not everyone had cleared out from breakfast yet. 

"What are you thinking?" Sunshine hissed at me. He awkwardly at down at the table. He kept one knee bent and the other false knee remained straight. How had I not noticed? "It isn't even close to lunch time and you already spent all of your money. We're going to be out here past dinner. Don't you think?"

I shook my head. "It doesn't matter. I already owe all of the workers here too much to ever repay them in my lifetime."

"How much?"

I didn't answer. My focus was instead diverted to a head peeping from the kitchen door: Jason. He grinned and waved. I smiled back. I looked at Gust. He mouthed at me. Talk to me when clear. No food for you. I rolled my eyes at him but kept my mouth shut when Sunshine looked at me as if I grew an extra arm. 

"Just wait," I told him.

He nodded. I didn't know when I decided to trust him, but for some reason I did. Trust was dangerous, and trust with a person I don't know in a life-and-death situation was unthinkable. And here I was, trusting this stranger with secrets even Jace and Kim never knew, only had guessed at.

That last person besides us left the tavern. I got up from the table and Sunshine followed suit. Jason attacked me with a hug that I gladly returned. We went into the kitchen. 

I introduced Sunshine. "This is Sunshine, Sunshine meet my brothers Matt, Drew, Jason, and Gust. Then this is Mrs. Chase." I pointed at each of them as I said their names. 

"I'm Sam, actually," Sunshine said shaking Mrs. Chase's hand. 

mrs. Chase surveyed Sunshine, then me. She said, "You both look like you could use some rest."

Sunshine nodded. 

"May we go upstairs?" I asked. 

Mrs. Chase looked at me sadly. "You don't need to ask. This is still your home no matter how long you are gone. Go upstairs."

Matt grinned like a lunatic, and before I could escape, he picked me up around that waist and slung me over his shoulder. I twisted to see Sunshine laughing at me, as well as the rest of my brothers. Matthew was shaking underneath me.

"Not funny," I muttered.

Matt roared.

"Raving lunatic," I said as he carried me up the stairs.

He dropped me in his own bed despite my protests that I was dirty and the sheets would become that way as well.

My grin faded when I noticed the two empty makeshift beds on the floor by the door. One of them used to be mine and the other...

"I'm really sorry about him," Matt said, noticing my gaze. "He asked me to let him go without a fight. I did it. Thorne, I'm sorry I did it."

He was so sad, so guilty, that I almost cried. Almost.

"Don't be. There is no sense in having to lose both of you at once," I said

My older brother shook his head. "I could've killed every single one of those Frostickers. There were only ten."

Only ten. 

Matthew showed Sunshine the bed to sleep in and left.

If Sunshine noticed the feelings of the other people in the room, he didn't show it.

But there had only been ten. Matt could've kill almost all of them before it became too much to handle. Spike had asked him not to fight. I waited for anger rise again Matt, but it never came. When I was sure Sunshine was fast asleep, I stalked out of the room.