Above me stood a pair of blue eyes, unlike Eleazar's majestic cerulean eyes, these were a menacing blue. Hard to describe, but much like the blue licks of a flame, only darker. I immediately recognized Lilya.
Those piercing blue eyes rolled back, irritated. "Please tell me you're not one of those people who screams in their sleep often. If you are, then I swear I'll feed you to the wolves, and I don't care what Eleazar does to me.
"Um, sorry? Did I wake you?" I asked carefully.
She straightened. "I was awake anyway."
I wondered if she was going to provide an explanation. After a few minutes, she had only provided silence.
Lilya was sitting on my bed, gracefully positioned on my lower leg, which was awkward... and painful. Ever since I jumped off that cliff, my left leg had been experiencing unbearable pain at times. When I winced at the pain, she flashed me a sarcastic smile.
"Where's Eleazar?" I asked, trying to distract myself. It wouldn't make a difference if Eleazar were sleeping, surely the sound of my screams would wake him from the dead.
"He and Kasper went out to hunt. That means I have you all to myself." she told me with a dangerous smirk on her face.
"They just left unannounced?" I asked, ignoring that last part.
Lilya fidgeted with a leather necklace she was wearing. "They had been wondering whether or not to for a few weeks. We've been running out of food. So they finally left last night. Their freaking hospitality is going to be the death of me. But, I did remind them to get more turkey. Stock up, you know?"
At every dinner that Kasper cooked turkey at, I tried to pretend that the turkey was delicious. When in truth, I had always thought that turkey was one of the most repulsive things on Earth, so dry, so bland. Meat in general I didn't favor. Yes, I was a vegetarian. So my personal laws had been violated many times here. I tried to conceal my revulsion to meat, for I knew that they worked hard to get their food here. I'd hide the meat in a napkin, skarf down what I could bear. Kasper and Eleazar didn't notice, but Lilya sure did. And she never missed a chance to insist that I have seconds, or convince Kasper that I was still too weak and needed bigger servings. It scared me, because she watched me like a predator watches a prey. I wouldn't be surprised if she knew I was a vegetarian.
"Lilya," I sighed, "Why do you hate me so much?"
The question seemed to catch her by surprise. "Why would you think that?"
I almost laughed. "Why would I not think that?"
She paused, her expression turning more somber. "You're one more mouth to feed, Rosamaria. One more bed occupied, one more body to medicate. We... we don't just survive easily here."
"Is there any way I can help?"
She paused for less than a moment, then said, "Really, no. There's no way you can stop, but I just cannot stop being resentful for it."
There was an additional pause to absorb this. It made so much sense, so much that I couldn't blame her. And I couldn't bring myself to be accusing of her at all, ever since I heard of how she spent her youth tring to survive in a Mexican jungle and raise Eleazar at the same time.
"So that's why you're so... hostile?" I questioned. She nodded.
"Mainly. There are other little things that make up my hostility. But that's the main point." she replied.
I bowed my head. "I'm sorry I'm taking all the food away from you."
"And I'm sorry that I hate you for something you can't help."
I looked up. For the first time, I swear I saw past that threat and danger in her eyes. I saw... humanity. And compassion. And warmth. I took it all in, because I figured that I would not see that look again. At least not soon.
"But I guess that's the way things are." she said finally. Then she turned back to me. "Go back to sleep, Rose. When you wake up, Kasper and Eleazar will be back."
I did, too tired to catch her for saying Rose instead of Rosamaria. I did sleep, comforted by the midnight lull between us.
