Glass Dragon

Chapter 42

He smiles "so yr the one he's been talkin bout all this time." I guess he told him about his ability. He gets up "I'll leave you to your thoughts." I sit for a while until they reopen shop. I work my regular hours but end up thinking about Tenshi the whole time. As soon as my hours are done, I head downstairs to check on him. I enter the room but he's not in his bed, Rea is. I look around for a second "where is he?" She nods to a door I hadn't noticed before then stands up and puts a hand on my shoulder before she leaves "I wouldn't disterb him, though." Her tone is a bit ominous to me and the curiosity pushes me toward the door instead of away from it like it would a normal person. I open the door, half expecting him to jump at my throat but instead I swallow a pang of guilt as I realize why I wasn't to disturb him. He's laying in a bath that can obviously double as a hot tub since the water is moving. I can see in the tilted mirror that his eyes are closed like he's sleeping. I start to turn back before I hear him whisper my name. I look to him again and still can't see his face directly but I can see him staring at me from the mirror. I suddenly feel more interested in the floor than anything else "sorry" I whisper but he doesn't respond. I look up, surprised by his calm silence. I look to the mirror again and realize that his eyes seem much more tired than they did a few seconds ago and he's smiling at me. He doesn't seem angry at me at all so why did Rea want me to stay out. From the steam collecting on the mirror, I assume the water is hot. He whispers something but I don't quite catch it so he repeats "help me." He lifts one of his arms but can't seem to keep it there for more than a few milliseconds. I realize now why she threatened me. I move toward him but as soon as my hand touches the water, I pull away. It's even hotter then I thought it was. I get up the nerve then try again, pulling him out of the water. I help him dry off, dress, and lay him in his bed "Rea threatened you, didn't she?" I'm surprised by his sudden question but nod "why would she do this?" His eyes close for a moment but it seems like he's forcing himself to stay awake "I tried to leave. With everything that's wrong with my body, hot water works like anesthesia." I shake my head "I understand where she's coming from but that's just cruel." He smiles at the comment but his breathing is shallow. I remember seeing a sink in the bathroom and there's a cup on the bedside table. I take the cup and make sure the flow of water is cold. When I bring it back he happily takes it and drinks thirstily. He seems a little less drugged now and can speak smoothly "all of this" he gestures to the room "it's beautiful, I'll admit, and comfortable but it's as Rapunzel is in a beautiful tower. I am only as free as a bird in a beautiful cage." His eyes start to fill with tears though I can tell he's trying to blink them back "Amica, please, I am dying, but I have not yet lived. The last thing I want to do is die here." The tears start to roll down and as soon as one does he doesn't try to stop them anymore "I know Rea is right to want me to live longer but this? This is to much. I can't take it any more! I've been forced to lay down and be still my whole life! I don't want to have life if I can't do anything with it."