Beautiful Darkness

➵Two Branches of a Dying Tree

My body took its time recovering. When I finally woke it felt like an eternity had passed when in actuality it had only been three short hours. Previous events were hazy along with remembering Roman's words. I find it difficult to differentiate between reality and the dreams that consumed me. I decide to push everything from my mind altogether.

Glancing around the room I notice I am inside the inn, comfortably swaddled into a warm bed. Any exhaustion or discomfort that weaved into my body has been thoroughly cleansed. Slowly, I bring my hands out from under the covers and examine them. They hold a slight tremor that leads me to believe Davina was unable to get all of the substances the Dark One transfused into me out of my system. I exhale a heavy sigh. Voices nearby in the hallway lead my shaky legs to stumble their way to the door.

"How is she supposed to fight in her condition?" I recognize the whisper as Lincoln.

"This is a minor setback. Arailia is much more capable than you give her credit for." Orion responds. Lincoln responds with an exasperated breath.

Orion defending me gives me a small amount of peace knowing that somebody has some form of trust in my capabilities. I have already begun to question myself.

"She doesn't have a choice in the matter. If she does not fight, the descendants will drag her by her hair- that is if they decide to spare her for the massive insult it would be taken as. We have to be smart about this. Hasty thinking will get us nowhere." Roman's clear tone captivates my thoughts.

Through a slight crack in the door I can see Lincoln's blue eyes glow dangerously due to his wolf genes. Emotions must be linked to more feral traits and tendencies. At that moment my weight shifts onto a creaky floorboard. The noise is loud enough to gather their attention. With my cover being blown, I steadily open the door further.

"You aren't as quiet as you think." My weak voice announces. Empathy is littered in their various expressions. I force my gaze to meet the floor before I can see anything else in their eyes.

"How are you feeling?" Orion rushes in front of me. He lifts my chin roughly to inspect my face. I shrug his hands off.

"I'm fine."

"Are you hurt? Are you feeling weak? Do you want me to go get Davina?" Questions overflow from his lips like a waterfall.

"I said I'm fine." A sharpness overcomes my tone in an aggressive nature. He doesn't deserve my disrespect and irritation but I'm too far gone to care. Orion's nature changes completely as my words settle. Roman's eyes, however, never waver from mine.

His gaze is an eclipse that I cannot look away from despite the burning. His expression tells me that he understands everything I am feeling; He understands my bursts of conflicting emotions. The thought makes me wonder how he learned to so effortlessly conceal his own. I can't imagine it being easy.

"We should train." I state to Roman. He gives a curt nod.

"Like hell you are." Orion interferes. I glare heavily at him.

"I train, or I die. You pick." I snap. Regret is immediate but I can't manage to keep my mouth closed. Thoughts and fragments are shooting out of me. My lips are the gun; my smile is the trigger. My words are bullets, slowly piercing through skin.

This shuts him up completely. I watch as he storms off. His movements are furious as he slams the door behind him nearly ripping it off of its hinges.

Roman has already headed outside. I quickly jog to catch up to him.

"We aren't training anymore."