Thicker than Water

Chapter Seven

When we got to the main building, Kant and I stopped in our tracks.  People were outside in clusters murmuring and children were being taken away.  The entire crowd was surrounding the front steps of the building.  When we approached, they turned around to stare at us.  I felt like a mouse caught alive in a trap.  Their cruel eyes glared at me as we got closer.  A child pointed at me and looked up at his mother and began to speak.  Her face twisted in disgust at me then she took him away.  I watched everyone's face shift to the same nasty expression.  This time it wasn't at anyone else but me.

Kant glared at them and stood in front of me.  "Move out of the way, please," he commanded, not at all sounding polite.  They didn't budge an inch.  "I said, move!"  He bared his sharp teeth at them with a growl and they stumbled away from us.  Kant grabbed me by the forearm and dragged me through the crowd to the front step.

What I saw I almost couldn't believe.

Victor was on his hands and knees with his head bowed to the ground.  A small puddle of blood was just beneath his head.  His body trembled and his shirt was torn from what looked like whip marks on his back.  My heart nearly jumped out of my chest at the sight.  My breathing turned quick and panicked, almost making me light headed.  He was bleeding.

A man stood in front of Victor with a long whip in hand.  His extremely long blonde hair was neatly tied back in a low ponytail but save a few strands that dangled in his face.  He wore a black duster and a white button up shirt that matched his pants.  His jaw had three scars staring from the cheek and his satin black eyes glared at Victor.  He whipped Victor again causing Victor to release a low scream.

I lost all reason and stomped up the steps with Kant trying to pull me back.  "Rose," he kept shouting.  I shook off Kant's desperate attempt to restrain me.  The man went to hit Victor again but it caught my arm instead.  I spun the thin leather around my arm and hand before jerking it out if his grasp.  Everyone went quiet as I stood in front of the man and got in his face.  "What do you think you're doing," I snarled at him.

His expression was blank as he stared at me.  He raised an eyebrow at me as he gave me a once over.  "Who are you to get in my way," he asked as his face twisted to one of anger.  "If you're smart, you'll get out of the way."

When I didn't move an inch, he gritted his teeth.  "I warned you," he said slowly as he drew his sword.  He pointed the tip of the blade at me.  I didn't even move, but simply glared at him.  "You're a brave one, huh?"  He pointed his blade down to the center of my chest then pulled up, pulling off my scarf.  The tip of his sword now touched my chin.

A cruel smile grew on my face.  I wasn't one for courage or fights usually, but this was different.  He'd hurt Victor, someone I held close to my heart.  No one was allowed to get away with that.  I'd never felt so enraged in my life.  So with a fire much worse than his, I pinched the dull side of his blade and shoved it aside violently.  "I won't let you hurt him anymore," I said defiantly.  Victor was getting to his feet slowly and I pulled him up by his arm for support.  Once on his feet, he leaned into me and I held him upright as best as I could while glaring at him.  "I won't let you hurt him.  Not unless you go through me."

The man before me stared at us in shock, then it settled into hate.  "That boy has brought trouble within these walls," he said in a low voice.  "We can't afford people turning on each other in this safe haven again.  These people are here for safety, not to kill each other.  He caused a disturbance and must be punished."

"For what," I snapped.

"Bringing a threat within the walls of Sanctuary," he shouted.

"What ever may that be," I questioned.  "I don't see him threatening anybody!"