Secret War

Chapter 5

5

"She's good isn't she?" Zana asked and I span to see her leaning casually against the door frame. "Can I come in?"

"Sure," I nodded. She took a seat on the edge of the bathtub.

"She's young you know." Zana gestured at Riya through the window.

"What'd you mean? Isn't she the eldest out of all four of you?"

"Yes but she lost everything at a very young age." Zana shook her head. I was beginning to think that they really did still have their feelings.

"How do you know this? Sorry I don't mean to be rude or anything, it's just that Riya doesn't seem like the type to talk." I said hastily.

"You're right, she isn't. I've only heard bits and pieces of it when she was talking to Dimitri and then I just sort of worked a few things out myself. I have a feeling that she holds inside her a lot more than what anyone in the world would know and I think that should anything ever get out, the world just might fall apart. She's so intelligent and so kind. She cares for the town's people when she doesn't have to. If she wasn't still staying here and being my friend, the town would be dead by now. The only reason why none of us harm the innocents in the town and not attack unless we absolutely think without a doubt that that's what Riya would've done is because we know how hurt and disappointed she would be. And to make it worse we know that she'd blame herself for thinking that we were ready and as controlled as her. The truth is that we're not; we're all still fighting the inner desires a lot more than Riya needs to. I can tell that she's been through so much and it's not fair. Because she shouldn't have to go through so much, she died when she was 15 you know." Zana said sadly.

"15." I repeated with a shocked tone. "But she said she died when she was 17!"

"Yeah she lied, that's what she's told everyone. She didn't want anyone to know when she really died. Her entire family was killed by Strigoi and the Guardians did nothing for them. Word has it that the council here knew about the attack, knew that Strigoi were planning to attack them. See, her family was quite well known for its guardians. Anyway, they got attacked and most of them were killed properly, Riya and a few others were turned. I don't know about her family who were turned since she never talks about it but what I do know is that the Guardians could've supported the family, yet they didn't under someone's orders."

"Whose?"

"I don't know, I've never heard her say. Sorry." Zana shook her head. "So you see, she's very special to so many people. She's one of the living proofs of friendly Strigois."

"Wow, tough life." I whistled.

"Tell me about it. At least I had a shot at a life even if it did end early, she never even reached 16. That's gotta be rough and on her birthday as well."

"It was on her 15th birthday?!"

"Yeah. That's what I gathered. I spoke to Dimitri a few times when he was here and while Riya was off somewhere else."

"Bloody hell, to have to deal with this for half a year after you just turned 15 cannot be easy." I shook my head disgustedly. "I don't really understand what you meant about the council though..."

"Basically, the Strigoi had planned an attack against her family. The Guardians found out about it somehow and that person is now dead. Someone though I'm not sure who had condemned Riya and her family to death by forbidding Guardians to help them. Any who dared to try either died in prison or died in the fight that took place at her house."

"But why would anyone condemn someone to death like that?"

"Because it'd look like an accident if you don't dig like we do." Luka explained. "Mind if I join in the conversation?"