Adelyn

*47*

I glare at the smeared black and blue paint on my face, the only evidence besides my pounding heart that Leon kissed me.
"Why does she want to do this to me?" I hiss, swiping at the paint on my cheeks. Soon I am only a mess of blue and black like a giant bruise.
"Adelyn?" A voice draws me out of my mind. Theo leans in the doorway with a concerned look on his face.
"Theo," I rush into his arms and press my face against his chest.
"Shhh," he runs his fingers through my hair. "It's alright. I'm here."
"Theo..." I pull back to look into his face.
"I'm proud of you, you became a warrior today. There are more wars than battles of metal and blood though. Like your heart." He smooths down the hair on either side of my face and cups my cheeks. His thumb brushes under my eyes and wipes away my tears.
"How did you know I was upset?" My lower lip pouts and I look up into his blue green eyes.
"I walked past a very flustered Leon, and he's not normally flustered." A small smile touches his lips and I chuckle.
"Is it that obvious?" I huff and press my dry lips together.
"You're my little sister, of course it's obvious." His warm lips press against my forehead and a small smile spreads across my face. "You're a warrior now, Ad. You've gotta start acting like it. Not to mention you'll be nineteen in three months." Nineteen? Had it already been nine months since that stupid ball where my stepfather tried to marry me off?
"It doesn't feel like it's been that long..." I whisper and grip the light blue fabric of his shirt.
"Well, we've been here for four months. We haven't heard or seen any evidence of Arend following us here. They probably think Earth is still a radioactive waste land. Lucky for us," Theo closes his green eyes and sighs. "What will you do about Ilana?"
"I can't do anything, she's the queen and chief here. And she is my friend. I didn't come here to take her throne from her. We ran away from the throne." Leon nods slowly at my words and rakes a hand through his dirty blonde hair.
"You're not wrong, I wouldn't have made a very good king after Arend." He rolls his shoulders back in a shrug.
"You would have made an amazing king, Theo. You're smart, kind, and you loved our people much more than I did. They would have called you 'King Theo, the Generous'." I tussle his hair and lean back. "Thank you, for checking up on me."
"What else is a brother for? Now, you had better get some sleep. Tomorrow is Monday, who knows what your new title will make you do." He stands up and hugs me one last time before waving goodbye. What would my new title hold?
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"Hunghheehhh!!" I strain under the weight of the tree I am lifting, much smaller than the rest of the men. My jaw tightens and my teeth clench and I push one last time, sending the log forward onto the truck. "Mother Hubbard!" My arm muscle spasm and feel all tingly and my gut feels like I've developed a hernia.
"There's still ten more trees," our troop leader points toward my stack and I groan. Why me? Some of the large men lift their trees with ease, balancing it on one shoulder. Others have friends and work into teams of two. I am alone. My boots crunch in the fallen red and orange leaves, feeling like foreshadow for when my body gives out under one of these trees. I wrap another strip off cloth around my bleeding palms and stoop down to heft the next tree up. Even though it is only about six inches in diameter, it is twelve feet long and weighs around one hundred pounds. My training with Leon built up my muscles, but lifting one hundred pounds over and over again is not easy. My fingers close around the gray bar and I lock my leg muscles, slowly bringing myself to an upright position. Beads of sweat build on my forehead and drip lazily down my nose and bud on my chin. The hot sun burns into my skin and makes my head feel fuzzy.
"Just. Keep. Moving." I grit my teeth and take my first step, wobbling due to the twelve foot length of my doom. My eyes blink quickly, brushing the sweat away, and black pin dots start to appear on the outsides of my vision. My lungs can't fill to full capacity because of the heavy weight on my shoulders. The tree digs into the soft flesh on my neck and I wince, feeling a tear slip down my cheek. I won't be weak! Each step feels like trying to move a rusted metal joint in jelly. My lower lip hangs ajar and I feel my eyes start to glaze over. My whole face feels waxy and like it's drooping. My hot breath and the blood rushing in my ears are the only sounds I hear before my eyes close and my body drops.