Fury and Flame | 3

8 | 6

G I G I

Arezo returned from the second interrogation at sunset. She searched the room for a split second before her eyes landed on me. In that quiet way of hers, she walked around the perimeter of the room to sit next to me. I knew she felt slightly out of place in our group and that I was the one with the strongest connection to her. Only time would make her truly one of us.

     "How did it go?" I asked, giving her a prompt for a conversation that she looked too unsure to start.

     "One of the army leaders had to be tortured to near-death before she revealed any information," she said, clearly happy I had asked about her experience. "It was very grueling even to watch, but I would be lying if I said I did not enjoy watching her suffer."

      Something in her expression made me ask, "Did you know her?"

      A pause. "She was one of the lieutenants who trained the unit of soldiers I was in. Those first weeks with her were...dehumanizing, to say the least. It is only fitting that she would have the same experience now."

     "If we ever encounter one of the other army leaders outside of the ONNT and you want them to suffer, I could deliver. You can take your choice: exploding their brain in their skull, snapping every bone in their body, atrophying all their muscles. I suppose it depends on how vengeful you're feeling that day." I cocked my head, trying to gauge if her veiled expression held any horror. "Unless you're not as sadistic as me and don't find catharsis in violent revenge."

     But to my surprise, she was not disgusted and said back, "Those options do sound like they could hold some potential good memories." She gave me a small smile then, the first time I had ever seen her with a smile, but the similarity of it to her sister's ruined the pleasantness of the moment. I looked away.

"What is it?" She asked, a look of concern suddenly marring her striking features.

      I shook my head. "Nothing."

      She didn't let it go. "Did I do something wrong?"

     "No, no. You're fine. It's just..." I trailed off, unsure of how she would take it if I told her the truth.

      Realization bloomed in her dark eyes. "It's me, isn't it? I remind you of Neve."

      "You look and act exactly like her. It's almost like having her back. But...not."

      "I know. I don't look into mirrors anymore." She paused, eyes far away. "I'm not like her. Not where it counts. She was always better than me, anyway."

Look who you're talking to, I wanted to say. "I've only known you a short time and I know that's not true."

She faced me, determined. "It is. She only joined Imperium to ensure I was safe. I hardly got to see her all those years, but it was enough for her. Even after everything I did. Even after I basically dragged her into their clutches after me. Sometimes...sometimes I think her death is my fault."

      I should have known she'd be guilty. After all, I felt the same way about her death. "You were a child. You still are," I said, even though Neve informed me that Arezo was eighteen, only a year younger than me.

      Arezo's dark eyes turned glassy. "Even in Pakistan when we starved in the streets as children, she gave me her portion of food if my stomach still ached with hunger. She always gave and gave, never taking anything for herself."

      I struggled with what to say that, my throat suddenly feeling awfully tight. Any more serious talk would threaten to make me break down. "How did she do it—how did she manage herself and us? I can't even handle my own problems."