Book 2 Season's Change Spring's Revenge

Part 10 What is it About Revenge

Avriel woke covered in sweat with empty arms to a brightly burning fire and the rich smell of something cooking. A set of silver glowing eyes moved into the dark void that led to the back chambers of their cave system. His dagger was up and thrown into the darkness with power and precision before he took a solid breath. He heard the blade hit another and fall with a loud clatter to the stone floor of the cave. "Well done, Kotas. When did you wake?"

As his confusion cleared, Avriel took mental stock of his situation and assessed the voice of the form that continued to move toward him slowly. "Kotas? Please answer." The form stopped moving until he did as was requested.

"Kat?" His hand was on the hilt of his blade and he was prepared to attack. His heart should have been hammering in his chest and fear running its course through him, but he was barely awake, calm, and prepared to defend himself if needed.

"Yes, Kotas." She walked into the light of the fire squinting against it.

"Are you hurt?"

The look she gave him reminded him how stupid he could be at times, the dagger fell to the floor, he heard that.

Because she had a bad habit of undressing him while he slept, he checked to make sure he was dressed before uncovering himself. She caught him and giggled. He blushed then pulled off the furs. "How long?"

"The moon has not set."

"Oh, okay." He hadn't slept long, but he had slept hard, hard enough that he didn't feel her move out of his arms or hear her as she moved about preparing their evening meal, though he didn't ever expect to hear her moving unless that was her intention. She had slipped out of his arms while he slept, tended to the fire and finished preparing their meal while his dreams had him completely tangled in their web. With rosy cheeks and a soft grin, he didn't know he gave, he looked up at Katana as she sat next to him.

"Shut up, Stupid Human."

He laughed. "What," then shrugged innocently. Given what he had witnessed before they fell asleep, he wanted to be worried about her. He honestly knew better. She was powerful and strong. He'd never known anyone who could recover themselves as quickly or completely as she could. He was so proud of her. "What did you add to the food?"

"Stuff." She moved to get him a bowl. "You will like it."

"I hope so." She glared at him and he laughed.

He thanked her as he accepted the bowl of food she gave him and waited for her to sit again before he started eating. "Water?" He actively avoided discussing finding the caravan for as long as he could. He didn't speak again until their bowls were empty and set aside. "Do you want to train?"

"Later, Kotas. We need to plan. What are we going to do now that we found him?" Her eyes shone and reflected the fire. Avriel was very slow to respond for more than one reason.

"There are too many of them for just the two of us to take on all at once. We need to observe them a little longer and see what we can see before we make any battle plans. I don't know how we are going to take him to justice or where we would do that." He fought hard to keep his voice even and his emotions under control. If he thought of the thug, he could see him in his mind's eye. He could feel the anger burning him and his hatred for the brute unfolding in his heart. "I want to kill him." Avriel's eyes fell over Katana, heavy and distant, devoid of the love he usually gave her with them. "I want him dead, gone and I want him to suffer. It scares me. I want to murder him, even though I know it is wrong."

Katana took his hands and held them in her lap. "I know, Kotas." Her eyes held his as they sat knee to knee. "I know. But you say murder is wrong."

"It is. Very, but I can't help it. I want him dead. What he did is wrong. I want him to feel the pain. I want him to suffer. I know the punishment for crimes should match the crime, but I will not do to him what he did. Cannot! I want to kill him. Force my blade between his ribs to nick his heart, twisting as I go so he will suffer a long time before he dies."

"But he did not do what he did to you."

Avriel looked at her for a moment with a shocked blank expression. He wanted to pull his hands away from hers, to stand up and scream at the top of his lungs because his anger was so complete. Then the shock wore off and her words just hurt. It took all of his strength not to pull his hands away and cry. "No. He did it to you and to the gods know how many others. He needs to be stopped. Do you not know what he does with the rest of the people he puts in cages? It's not just that he did it to you, but that he has done it before and will do it again until somebody stops him. I intend to stop him. People do not deserve what he does to them. No one does." He blew air through his nose and tried again to calm himself as he fought the battle against his burning rage and growing hatred. He was honestly surprised that he could hold so much anger or hatred for another in him.

He'd felt the need for vengeance only once before, sought it and achieved it, but it had come at a heavy price. That was simple and the actions of a child. He was not a child anymore. What price would he pay for murder if he murdered the man? He had to refocus and find his thoughts, his honest thoughts and separate them from his feelings. He was emotionally charged rather than being logical and that needed to change. He took a long deep breath and squeezed Katana's hands gently as he looked into her eyes. "I need to train. I need to focus. I cannot go out there and face that man thinking this way. I will kill him, just outright murder him. Though I believe that he needs to be stopped, there has to be a way that does not include taking his life."

Katana smiled a beautiful and loving smile that Avriel was too distracted to notice and nodded. "Yes, we shall train."