The Binding (ON HOLD)

Chapter 7

"Miss who?", Hunter presses.
"The old sailor. Last time I didn't get to say goodbye to him. I'd like that to be different this time around."
"You really don't like talking about your past.", Hunter observes.
"What makes you say that?" We stop at a red light and I turn to face him.
"Everything you say is vague. The old sailor. A boat. You lost your best friend. Does that mean you fought? She died? You answer questions in a way that provide the least information."
I laugh. "You give me too much credit. I don't think that much about my answers. I call him the old sailor because I really don't know what his name is. I'm no boat expert so don't ask me to specify what kind of boat it is. If you want more details I can tell you that it used to be white. Now the color is more a brownish-grey. And I don't want to talk about my best friend. It's something very personal and I don't even know you."
"That's not going to change unless you do something about it." He's right of course.
"Why do you want to become a soldier so badly?" He stiffens at my question. This is sensitive territory for both of us but it's his fault. He was asking to talk about more personal things.
He sighs and looks away. The stoplight decides to turn green and we start walking again. After a minute or so of silence, Hunter says: "My father left us when I was six. I don't remember much about him, but he left me a letter full of advices. One of the advices is that I don't become a soldier. It's paid well but not worth giving up your soul for, he said. Originally, I enrolled in the Academy for that reason. Because my father had hurt my mom and I was hoping that maybe he would hear about what I am doing, and it would hurt him in return. Then I started learning more and more about the Djin. I agree with you that most wars are senseless. We are fighting other people, people who have families and dreams, just because of a human invention called country. Djin on the other hand... They are not human. I don't know how much you know about them...", he pauses.
"Not much.", I lie, and he doesn't even doubt me once.
"Djin have magic like Elementars do. Some argue that their magic is not so different from ours and just a combination of all the elements we can control separately, but I don't agree with those people. It's not physical magic that sets us apart from the djin, it's our souls. You see, djin are capable of creating bodies to shift into and they do that with magic but for them to switch bodies, it must mean that their mind and soul are not connected to their body. They can also leave bodies and when they do that, the form is still alive but not-functional, similar to the coma you were in.
I often wonder if that's the reason they are capable of doing such atrocious things. With nothing to bind them to the physical world, they aren't aware of the consequences of their actions. There's a reason the term loose morals exists. It refers to the Djin and their loose anchor to the world that allows them to do things a normal human wouldn't."
I am surprised at how much sense his arguments make and how much he must have researched to glean all this information. Knowledge about djin is not particularly wide spread or deep. Most simply belief the tales and gossip they hear. I thought Hunter was one of them, but he actually knows what he is talking about. He still managed to get it all wrong, but the basic knowledge is there.
I tell him that much. "In a way you make sense,", I say. "But have you ever had proof of a djin doing the things you're hinting at? Other than stories you heard."
"Of course. They don't only teach us to fight at the Academy, but also why we should fight." A suspicion takes root in my thoughts, but I push it aside. I have the annoying habit of mumbling out loud when I am thinking and the last thing I need is for Hunter to listen in on that. Hunter doesn't notice my distraction and continues. "We have been presented with a number of police reports and reports by the military that narrate first hand the destruction djin cause."
"Could I see those reports?" Hunter hides his surprise at my questions quickly.
"Sure, but they are not allowed to be taken out of the library. You would have to come to the Academy with me to see them." That won't be happening any time soon, we both know that.
As we keep walking, I keep stealing glances at Hunter. In the light of the setting sun Hunter's skin looks golden. Everyone keeps pointing out what a "looker" I am, but Hunter is not too bad himself. Sure, his nose is a little bit too big for his face, but he has these sharp cheek bones and soulful eyes that stand in contrast to his wild eyebrows and harsh jawline. His face fits his personality, I think. At least from what I have gleaned of him so far. He is on his way to become a soldier, but he still retains a softness that neither Elena nor Marc do. And then there is his old-gold hair that surrounds his face like a halo, a nod to his inflated ego.
It takes us about half an hour to reach the harbor, just when the sun is about to disappear in the horizon. When I make my way down the familiar jetty, I feel Hunter tense beside me. Most boats we pass are half run-down and they get worse the farther we walk into the ocean.
"Are you sure this is safe?", he takes a step closer to me and I can see that he has one of his hands half-raised, ready to use his magic should anyone attack us. I roll my eyes.
"Yes. Put that hand down nothing is going to happen." I stop when we reach the boat. "Old man, are you in there?", I yell.
"Gal? Is that you? Where have you been this past month?", comes the croaked answer from inside the boat. A head appears in between the boats and the old man climbs out of it to greet me. He catches sight of Hunter and grins, showing off his missing tooth. "Got yourself a sweet fellow, I see. I hope he's treating you well. If not, my grandson- ", the old man starts but interrupt him.
"How many times do we have to go over this, I'm not marrying your grandson.", I huff. The old man laughs and stretches out a hand to help be onto his boat.
"The stupid boy never did come by to introduce himself. Anyways, it was worth one last try." He winks at me and I can't help but laugh, too.
"Come on, get on the boat.", I tell Hunter. He eyes the plank.
"Are you sure this is going to hold me?", he asks.
"Three generations have crossed that plank, boy. It will hold you.", the old man scoffs. To me the old man says, "Not the bravest one you chose there, gal."
I slap a hand over my mouth to keep the laughter in. Hunter makes it safely onto the boat and glares at me. The old man waves us on. "Let's get a roof over our heads and make some tea."
The old man is shuffling around, preparing the tea while I tell him a short, altered version of what happened in the past four weeks. I don't mention the fact that I am an Espíritu or Hunter an Elementar and instead say that Hunter and I met three months ago in the market. To be honest, I tell him a complete lie. I can feel that Hunter is not comfortable with that but so far, he hasn't given me away. Finally, the tea is done, and the old man sits down at the table with us.
"Tell me, spark, what is it you do for a living?"
Hunter startles. "I am a police man, Sir.", he answers. I sip my tea and pray Hunter doesn't mess this up.
"You look mighty young to be a police man.", the old man replies.
"I am in training.", Hunter relents. He is playing with his hands again and I grab them to stop him. He shoot me a look and I pretend not to see it.
"Do you still have my things?", I ask the old man. He waves at the old box in the corner.
"Save and secure as always. I wouldn't give up on you that quickly." I walk over to the box and open in. There is my backpack, old with threads sticking up in some parts. It looks like five different bags have been sewn together and someone added to straps to turn it into a backpack and I love it. I check that the sea shell I found one day at the beach is in its bag and so is the beautiful green stone I found while fishing with the old man. The old music player I stole from a lost and found is in the hidden pocket of my backpack where it belongs. Then I begin packing my clothes into my backpack. When I am done, I walk back to the table and give the old man a careful hug. "Thank you for taking care of them. And of me for the last two years."
The old man's eyes are shining when I pull back. "Is this a goodbye, gal?"
I nod. "I think so. Hunter is being moved to another city to finish his training. I would have waited longer to be with him, but it was either go with him or lose him entirely."
The old man grabs hold of my hand and gives it a strong squeeze. "I'm glad you decided to go with him, gal. He seems like a good one and he is clearly smitten with you. Sometimes, in life, you just have to take the lunge and see where it leads you." I can't help it and hug him again.
"Tell your grandson I said hi.", I say. The old man pats my back and laughs.
"I will, gal, I will. Now let's not prolong this goodbye. You are moving on to a better life and I'm happy for you." I nod and let go of him again. We climb back onto deck, my backpack secure on my back, and the old man gives me his hand one last time to help me over the plank. It has grown dark and I can hardly see where to put my feet. He turns to Hunter and grabs his hand, saying something to him before helping him over the plank as well. Hunter and I begin walking back to the hospital. After fifteen steps, I turn back one last time and wave. The old man is looking after us but doesn't see me wave. I turn back around and follow Hunter. When I catch up to him Hunter looks at me.
"Why did you tell him we were engaged?", he asks. "You didn't have to lie to him."
"You're right, I didn't.", I concede. "But if I had told him the truth, he would have been worried about me. He's a good person and he has helped me out so many times. It wouldn't be fair of me to repay him by giving him even more to worry about. Now he can think he did something good in his life, that he helped a poor girl through tough times and that girl is now leading a happy life, with a nice husband and a safe, promising future."
"Did you prepare what you were going to say?", Hunter asks.
"Yes, I was planning on lying to him since the moment I decided to go back."
"You do this often, don't you? You lie to people." He doesn't need me to answer this question. The answer is clear as day. Yes.
"You can't hide who you are and not lie.", I try to explain to him. "Trust me. I wish I could be honest but most of the time, I just can't afford it." I realize that I have used the present tense here and hope that Hunter doesn't notice.
"And other times you do it to spare someone else's feelings.", Hunter finishes for me.
"Exactly."
"I'm terrible at lying.", Hunter says after we kept walking for five minutes. I laugh.
"Yes, I saw that. You were fidgeting like a five-year old who was just caught with his hand in the cookie jar."
We walk by yet another fast-food restaurant and Hunter asks: "Would you like to grab a bite to eat before we return to the hospital?"
My stomach grumbles and I accept. "Gladly.", I say.

At night, I'm laying in my bed, unable to fall asleep. It would be easier for Quirrin to have me declared insane now and not risk me running wild. I'm afraid that if I close my eyes, the next time I open them, my future will be gone, and I will be in a white room with soft walls and my hands tied behind my back. I wish I knew how to rig my door to make a sound when it's being opened. All I can think of is putting a chair against the door, although that would raise too many questions tomorrow when the nurse comes to check on me.
If I were captured now, would Hunter try and stop them? I'm his Espíritu but I saw the way he looked at Quirrin. He respects the man, and respect is something hard to work against. Does he respect me? Elementars are usually not taught to respect their Espíritus and treat them more like pets than human beings. I stop dead when I see the direction my thoughts are taking: I plan on staying with him to keep myself safe. My pride and strive for independence immediately rise up to the challenge, beating down on the idea that I could lean on Hunter until Quirrin is out of the picture. The boy can't lie to save his life and living in the Academy, he would cross paths with Quirrin on a daily basis. It's not safe to put my life in the hands of an impulsive 17-year-old.
But it already is.
The realization is about as pleasant as jumping into a frozen lake. Hunter is the only reason Quirrin is keeping me alive, my bond to him and the power it provides is why Quirrin is taking such a risk with me. It's not about Hunter's willingness to stop his colleagues should they come for me. He already is stopping them. The worst thing I can do at the moment is distance myself from Hunter. I may still despise him for who he wants to be and what he has done, but I can't deny that right now, I need him. As long as Hunter is by my side, Quirrin won't dare attack me. He wouldn't want his mask to slip in front of his star student.
I'm on my feet and sneaking towards the window before my brain can comprehend what I'm doing. I pull the curtain aside carefully and gaze into the hallway. It's dark and I can't make out much, but I do learn one thing: Hunter is not sitting, or sleeping, in the chair outside my room. An instant later I'm standing in the hallway, not sure what I plan on doing there.