The Jem

~16~

Hunter was trying to find Crimson for her training, but she wasn't in her room. He began running through the hallways, when suddenly he saw Crimson looking raging, hurt and upset. She was limping and her face had a long scab on it.

He stopped her, she was still looking at the ground cursing under her breath. Hunter lifted her chin up so that she'd look at him.But instead of softness dancing around in her eyes like usual, she glared at him with disgust, just like the first time they ever met. He noticed that day he had first taken her up to the Throne room, he saw how she stared at him. Hunters heart squeezed tightly inside him."What's wrong?" His voice was hoarse.

She turned her head away from him and pushed his hand away from her face. "Who did that to your face?" He Asked more sternly this time.

When she still didn't respond, he grabbed her by the arm and started to sprint. "Slow down! I can't even walk properly." Crimson shouted as she tried to keep up with him.

He scooped her up and ran down to her room.

Propping her down, he shut the door and asked again, "Who did that to your face? And whats wrong?" Crimson turned to her bed and went to sit on it, pushing away the pile of clothes. He took in a deep breath after he realised she had been packing-packing to leave.Leave without him! A twinge of panic shot through his veins.

But he exhaled and went to sit in front of her. "Cassava came and saw I was packing to leave so she fought me, I tied her up but it didn't hold her for long, she cut the vines with her sword." She lied, and although Cassava pissed her off she was going to keep her word about not telling anyone she wasn't a human. That would be her choice to make not Crimson's.

"Then she told me I could not leave the Queen's palace because I was tied to the Queen for the whole year. She also said she wanted me to fight in the war with her soldiers." Crimson said it with such a bored tone, that Hunter wondered if it was even Crimson who he was talking to.

"Then when I went to tell Deeja she agreed with everything Cassava had said, which made me even angrier than I had been before." She finished then frowned.

"Well the news I have won't make you feel any better unfortunately, do want me to tell you later?" He asked kindly placing a hand on one of her crossed shins. She winced with pain so he quickly ripped his arm away from her, his face filling with apologies. "It's fine." She gestured.

"No it's not fine." He began rolling up her jeans and gasped when he laid his eyes upon her leg.
Even she had gasped. Maybe she hadn't even seen it, he thought. It was redder than a fully blossomed rose with black splotches that almost looked like charcoal. It was burnt. It was terrifying.

Hunter jumped off the the bed and retrieved the medical kit. Quickly but gently rubbing the salve on the burn. She still grimaced even though the salve was cool and soothing. "How the hell did that even happen?" His question was more of an order. But she only shook her head. "I don't know, I only thought she had kicked me really violently. I didn't know she burned my skin off!" She admitted. After that none of them spoke.

He slowly wrapped a bandage over it, she just stared at him either with admiration or hatred, he had no clue but currently he didn't care he was just worried about her. He'd never felt like that about anyone. Which made him quite angry and confused.

"What's the news then?" She finally said. He met her hollow gaze.

"Well as you know now the Queen wants you to fight in the war-

"Did you tell her about the other element holders." Crimson interrupted.

"If you'd let me finish, you'd know." He grunted she rolled her eyes. "But yes I told her and she said it was a waste of time."

He saw her tiny shred of hope get crushed just then. "She also wants to come down and see you train." He continued. "Damn it" Crimson gritted her teeth. "Damn it!" She repeated.

"And she wants me to use my powers in the war." He muttered so quickly  and hoped she didn't hear but she did and he knew she did. Her eyes widened, "She wants you to What?"