War of Phantoms.

Chapter 5

Anna's shop was closed since it was late, I hoped that she'd be sleeping so I wouldn't be obliged to give explanations for my mood.

I stopped my horse near the doorway and got down holding my bow and the basket of arrows.

"Good night." I turned to Carla before entering.

She smiled and tied her horse near mine. "I'm coming in with you."

"Huh!"

"If you didn't notice yet, Anna and I are good friends_ beside Leo and Finn."

I felt bad again, as I heard his name and because I had to be pretending for an extra time, I didn't want them to know it 'cause I didn't want to appear as a little whiny kid before them.

"Okay." I nodded and got in with her.

Anna wasn't asleep actually, she made dinner and prepared a fancy table full of dishes that I've never seen before, but they smelled good.

She was sitting next to the window, under the moonlight cleaning a little boy's leg. "Don't play with fire again." She warned him.

I thought that she should be busy with her shop, making the herbal medicines and taking care of patients, how could she find time for dinner?

Carla stepped inside and announced. "We're here."

"Hi," Anna replied without lifting her head. "How was your day?"

I threw my weapon on the floor, took my mask off and sat next to the table, not answering her question.

Both of them stared at me for a moment then Carla replied. "It was nice, I think that Diana is a fast learner and she's really good in archery. However, Leo gave her hard times."

"Sometimes, he could be a bit harsh with the new trainees."

"A little harsh!" I repeated loudly. "He's sadist."

"Why are you saying that?" she asked. "What did he do to you?"

"I don't want to talk about it."

Carla sat near me and put her hand on my shoulder. "He raised his voice at her, was so mad with her and eventually, I saw him squeezing her face."

"What! You've seen that?"

"Yes, and I'm sorry for not saving you."

"Just forget it." I shook my head.

Anna joined us after walking the little boy to the outside.

"So was he so cruel with you?"

"Not just cruel," I made a very gloomy face. I thought I wasn't going to talk about it, yet I started to complain. "At first he kept being angry each time I missed the target, he yelled at me several times and made me shoot nonstop, with no break, till it was getting darker. I told him that I was tired but he said that I had to feel that way only when he says so. Finally, I lost control and shouted saying that he had no control over me. After that he held my chin fiercely and dared me to rebel against him."

I took a breath after saying all that at once.

Anna chuckled saying. "That's a long sad story."

"Isn't it?" I began to cry. "He shouldn't treat me like this. I am stranger here, or more like a guest."

"He treats you like this because you're stranger," Carla replied. "Listen, he's not that tough always. It is true that he looks heartless and mad all the time, but we can't blame him for this, he's just defensive around you since he still believes that you're a threat."