We Bleed Fire

2- A House

The House, that was what they called the place, Agni had learned. It was a refuge for people fleeing the war or a past they needed to escape.

After returning to the mansion in the woods, she had locked herself in the room they had given to her, fit to keep herself away from the bumbling humans. The humans, however, had made it their mission to talk to her.

"Please," the younger one, Emma, begged from the other side of the locked door. "Come join us for breakfast. Everyone else still wants to meet you."

Agni stayed under thick layers of blankets - keeping herself hot in the breezy room.

"Too bad for them," she bit back. "I'm perfectly comfortable here."

"I mean, that's good and a I'm glad, but..." She paused and there was a silence. "Fine... I'll send Barrow up with food in a while."

Agni didn't dignify that with a response, content to roll in her, admittedly, cozy bed.

It had almost been a week. A week of locking herself in the tiny room, a week of the small girl begging, a week of the older one bringing her meals. A week of comfortable healing without fear of being stabbed in the back.

Well... minimal fear.

She was beginning to fear that, perhaps, she was bit too comfortable. After all, anyone could betray her. These were strangers. They owed her nothing.

She jumped when a knock sounded at the door. Her hands flew to her sides, ready to draw fire. Ready to fight.

"What?" She growled.

"It's me," the older of the two girls Agni had found herself dealing with replied. "I brought food."

Agni jumped from the bed and moved to the door. It unlocked with a click.

Barrow had been a kind of solace for the fiery girl. She came by everyday, usually two to three times, to bring food and check how her wounds were healing. She didn't talk much and kept to herself - happy to be silent when needed. She was the only one who never tried to get her out of the room.

"You know, it wouldn't hurt you to join us for dinner once," she commented, pushing her way into the room.

So much for that.

"Some people are eager to meet you, you know," she continued. "It isn't often that we get fire magus. Especially with their proclivity to- you know."

"Blow up?" Agni asked, eyebrow raised.

Barrow nodded, setting the bowl of whatever their cook had decided to make on the nightstand.

When Agni didn't continue the conversation, Barrow changed the subject.

"I know I told you this before, but I'm not medic." The nature magus pulled a chair from against the wall on the other side of the room - the one that had been brought in earlier when she had first looked at the wounds. "And ours has been on leave for a while."

"I don't need a medic. I don't even need you. They just some cuts and bruises, nothing more."

"And, as much as you like to argue, you did get stabbed in the stomach. So, I brought someone new with me today." The girl looked behind her, to the door. "You can come in, now. I promise she won't burn you."

Agni bristled.

She hadn't even thought of the idea of Barrow bringing in another - too comfortable. She'd been too trusting.

This one was different from the other two she'd met here. He felt different. He was a tall man who worse loose clothes. His hair was black and cut longer, but tied back and out of his face. He didn't carry any weapons one his person. But he didn't need to. He held a flask instead.