Alethea has always been awkward - eccentric, even. On a typical day she spends her time cloistered inside a tiny apartment hiding from the world she doesn't really understand. When her therapist encourages her to push herself outside her comfort zon...
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It took almost an hour to calm Roran down from his tantrum - which was exactly what it was and I told him so.
"A tantrum?" he had snarled at me. "You think I'm throwing a fit, like some toddler?"
"Yes, I do," I replied, albeit a bit hesitantly. His skin was still flaming like Johnny Storm and it made me pretty nervous. "And you need to chill because you're seriously. Freaking. Me. the Fudge. Out."
Whether it was my reaction to his anger or my words that finally got through to him I didn't know, but after a minute or two the flames around his skin disappeared and his eyes had returned to their usual orange-ember glow. He also returned all of the items he had thrown out of the cave and repaired a few that he had broken. But I knew he was still angry. I could tell it from the rigid way he held himself and how he kept muttering under his breath.
It made me feel almost indignant, and at the very least a little annoyed with him. After all I was the one dying, yet here I was having to spend my time consoling and calming him. Shouldn't I be the one full of fury and grief over my impending death?
I laid down in the only still usable hammock and stared at the stone ceiling. My stomach growled loudly and I glared down at it with a huff. As if I really needed the reminder that I was starving.
Roran had left the cave claiming he needed time alone. I had protested, afraid he would go after Moroi or do something equally as stupid, but he promised he was just going for a walk. He had suggested I get some sleep while he was gone, but with all that was on my mind and the hunger pangs rolling around in my gut I doubted I would be able to.
To be honest, I really didn't want to sleep. I only had about five days before it was lights out forever and I wanted to make the most of it - even if I was stuck in this monster-filled pit of despair.
A few tears slipped out of my eyes and I swiped them off my face impatiently. Crying seemed like such a waste of time now. Instead of giving in to my misery and sobbing like I really wanted to, I closed my eyes and made a mental list of all the things I wanted to do and accomplish before my time was up.
The sound of raised voices drew my attention to the cave entrance just as I had begun to doze off. As quickly and quietly as possible I snatched up several weapons and crept forward. Upon seeing Roran's glowing eyes in the dark, I relaxed and the breath I had been holding left my lungs in one big whoosh.
Although I couldn't see the other person in the dark, I knew who he was as soon as I heard his accent.
"I do not owe you any favors, phoenix," I heard Nicolai say. "Why should I do this for you?"
"You'll do it or I'll kill you like I should have years ago," Roran snapped.
"Ah, ah," Nicolai scolded. "If you kill me my coven will report it to Moroi and then the girl will surely die."
