REVOLUTION: A Rebel Among Monsters ✔

Fifteen••The Prodigy

Valnia spent the remainder of her day going about her regular duties—following up with her recruits, researching, meetings with Attendants to discuss reports from the four Forbidden Side walls. And after that, she squeezed in a Strategy class, which yanked the last bits of energy from her core.

She never bumped into Melaynia. Her younger sister never requested to see her, never wandered out of her room. Guilt bit into her belly as she imagined her curled up on her bed, alone, confused—and her feet nearly directed her towards the girl's door, but she halted herself.

I should have been more compassionate... but she brought it on herself.

A part of Valnia yearned to comfort her sibling, to ease her into her new life—but she couldn't. No one did the same for her; she had no one when she arrived in the Lair. Melaynia had to learn the hard way, as she did.

In the Supervisor washroom, she bathed, her stress trickling into the water, her worries evaporating with the hot steam. It would take time, but Melaynia would adjust. She had to.

Back in her quarters, Valnia slipped into her nightwear and lounged on her bed, waiting for Wylan to sneak in—and again the guilt from earlier carved into her. The hypocrisy of her situation caught up to her. How she expected Melaynia to stay in her chambers, or cry for her big sister, while she awaited the man she loved, anxious for him to bypass all rules and snuggle with her. Rules... that were bent in allowance of their relationship.

But no one allowed us to sleep together—that's still forbidden.

A light tap on her door frayed through her woes, and a familiar set of bright eyes appeared as the barrier creaked open.

****

"I don't know what to tell her to keep her satisfied," said Valnia, lying in Wylan's arms. Hours had passed, and though he did everything to put her at ease—including a few things other recruits would surely turn tomato red at the thought of—she struggled with all that happened in the past day.

Her room, larger than regular recruit spaces, appeared darker than usual, as if the obscurity wanted to scare her, warn her, seep into her soul and cause her to panic.

Wylan stretched, then brought her closer to him. His bare torso was warm against her naked self. "Honey, you don't have to keep her satisfied. That's not your job. You're not required to tell her everything." When Valnia looked up at him, she found his eyes sparkling, showering her with hope and relief. "Don't you remember how you were when you got here? My Sacrificial day was worse than hers, I guarantee it. I screamed. I'm pretty sure I tried to run from the Monsters." He chuckled and squeezed her. "We all go through curious phases. Her attitude will fade. Ours did."

She wished to believe him, but the flashes in her mind and the tingling in her extremities wouldn't cease. "I don't know, babe. I... was so wrong about her. She's nothing like the girl I spied on."

"No, she's not," said Wylan, cruising his fingers over Valnia's forehead, swiping a few matted curls from her skin. "She's like you. Almost a spitting image, physically and emotionally. You wait—she'll grow into a prodigy, following in your footsteps! Hey!" He jolted, moving up against the wall in a half-sitting, half-lying position. "She might become your boss!"

Valnia shoved him lightly, and then dragged him back under the covers, where she nuzzled against him. "You're right. You have to be."

Far be it from her to question Wylan's logic—he always seemed to have answers, always predicted things. Yet now, despite his love swarming her like a million delicate butterflies, she couldn't erase the hunch in her brain, the odd flavor bubbling on her tongue.