Reborn

Chapter Thirteen

When I suffered at the hands of my father, being abused on a daily basis, I had frequently imagined what it'd be like to stand up to him but had been too weak to do so. The fact I managed a whole speech the night he kicked me out was fueled only by the fact I would soon be free or I doubted I'd have managed to summon the strength to do so.

I had never stood up to him before that, out of fear mostly. As a result, I became withdrawn, only speaking to Rose. Even then, I didn't speak of things that mattered, the things that went behind closed doors. I'd been controlled by the fear he instilled in me. Fear motivated a lot of my decisions back then so I suffered in silence, knowing that was the better option.

So I never imagined that one day, I'd actually be free of that fear. It was something I never thought possible because of the emotional scars he left behind.

He had broken me into millions of tiny pieces, to the point I hadn't thought it possible that one day those pieces could be glued back together. I may never be able to go back to the way I was before my mum left but I felt stronger than I'd ever been. I was more in control than I'd ever been and perhaps that was why I was able to stand in front of someone who was staring at me without feeling an ounce of fear.

I had no idea who the man was, I didn't recognise him from anywhere. Though I could be pretty oblivious to my surroundings, I had been trying to pay more attention to the people around me so I knew I'd remember him. He had a vibe about him, one that would have had me on edge under any other circumstance.

The way he was staring at me would have creeped me out if I wasn't becoming increasingly frustrated by him. I studied his features while waiting for him to talk some more, hoping I'd be able to give Shadow a description so he would know who I had been speaking to. It was obvious that the man had no intention of giving me his name.

Black hair with numerous grey strands, black beard also with numerous grey strands and eyes so dark they may as well be black, there wasn't anything about him that stood out. I trusted that Shadow would know who he is though because if not, I wasn't sure whether anything he said was worth listening to.

"You want me to deliver a message to Shadow?" I asked, double checking that I had heard him right. The man wasn't exactly talkative. Actually, that was putting it mildly.

"Yes."

"But you won't tell me who you are?"

"No."

"Will Shadow know who the message is from?" I tried again to get more answers out of him, attempting to keep my calm facade. Inside, I was becoming increasingly more frustrated.

The man wavered. "Perhaps."

Resisting the urge to roll my eyes, I then said, "Can you please give me a little more information? I have no idea who you are and whether you're on Shadow's side or not. What message do you want me to give him?"

I had dealt with more taciturn people but this was ridiculous. How was I supposed to deliver a message to Shadow if the man was simply staring at me and speaking in monosyllables? Apart from telling me he wanted Shadow to know something, he hadn't spoken much since. Did he expect me to read his mind or something because that was just stupid. 

"Look, dickhead," Rose spoke up, seeming tired of the lack of talking coming from him almost as much as I was. "Violet is Shadow's girlfriend so you can trust her."

The man's eyebrows raised just a little, surprised by the news. He looked at me, as if asking silently whether Rose had spoke the truth.

Mutely, I nodded.

"Shadow is an ally," The man finally started to say, finally coming to the conclusion he had to say more than one word. "While we aren't necessarily friends, we are not enemies either. The message I want delivered is simply to warn him of an oncoming attack. As he saved my life once upon a time, I feel this is how I can repay him. I have owed him for that feat for an incredibly long time and I wish to pay off that debt."