Royal's Way

Chapter 7

Ruth didn't do a good job pretending to not care when I briefly bumped the wound.

Frost covered the skin around the cut. It made me squeamish, and reminded me of Rachel, but I didn't turn my eyes away from it when I cleaned it.

She had to take off her jacket, armor, and vest, the result being a white tank top and very many scars on her arms. She has done this before. She has ignored her wounds before.

Ruth slowly turned her gaze to me. "Is your mother a healer? Did she teach you how to fix wounds like this?" I hesitated, translating what she meant, before reaching for the disinfectant and replying, "N-No, she's not a doctor. She's a secretary at a dentist's office. She just taught me how to fix cuts like this if I ever need to. Simple thing I need to know." Ruth's head tilted. "What's a 'dentist'?" "A type of doctor who looks at your teeth." Ruth scowled. With her other hand, she reached up and opened her mouth, messing with her teeth. "Oh." I noticed her teeth were much sharper than a normal human's.

A brief silence fell, until Ruth spoke again. "Do you have a father?" I shrugged. "He's overseas. He's in the Airforce, but he'll be able to retire next summer." "'Air force'?" "Planes. You know, flying machines?" Ruth paused. "Oh."

Ruth winced when I began wrapping the bandage. "Sorry."

A pause.
Ruth's head tilted, her eyes on the floor while she thought for a moment. "Enlighten me. You have reacted negatively to many things, much more so to Royal's Way than I expected." I sunk in my seat, cringing as she continued. "You seem like a boy of curiosity. I honestly expected more of that than fear. Especially to that degree."

I frowned, my answer confusing me as well. "I just..." I sighed. "I've been taught science and logic. Everything that's been happening, I've only heard it in stories. I never thought it would happen to me. It doesn't help that normal things scare me, too."

Ruth scowled, watching as I got another layer of bandages out. "I understand that feeling." I met her eyes briefly. "Really?" She smiled. "Believe it or not, I'm not a blank slate. I can understand your fear of the unknown. But from what I've seen of humans, that fear seems to disintegrate. I must apologize if I offend." "No, no. Some do have absolutely no impulse control." I frowned. "Like... my brother." I could feel Ruth sink in her seat. I swallowed. "You don't... seem to worry that much." She wanted to push me about Ian, but decided otherwise. "I don't like opening up." I frowned. "I forgot we just met each other, like, two days ago. We're basically still strangers."
She took in a breath, watching me take the ice pack from the bed and press it on the bandages. "I want to change that. Despite our wishes, this will not end once we get your brother back." I cringed, not wanting to think about what was happening to Ian at that moment.

I took in a shuddering breath. "There. Hold this here, and it'll dull the pain." Ruth hesitantly reaches up. She still had her gloves on. She pressed the ice pack, as instructed, cringing a little for a moment, before her entire body slowly relaxed and sunk into the bed.
I watched her expression softened. "Better?"
She sighed. "Yes. Thank you, Levi."

Her words felt genuine. They were nice to listen to once in a while.
I couldn't help but reply with a smile.

But our moment was cut off when I heard a car pull up to the driveway.

I scowled, standing from my seat and approaching the window.

Mom's car.

I swore under my breath. "Okay, uh..." I turned to Ruth. "I'm not supposed to be home. So... this is gonna sound weird, but... we need to hide."
Ruth rose a brow. "From... your mother?" "I know, it's confusing, but if I get caught home when I told her I wasn't home, she'll know something is up, especially if she finds you, and everything will go bad. So, uh...."