It Flows in her Veins

Chapter 6

Chapter 6

After Ayreth and Nerida cleaned up the shop, Nerida sat down on the couch and offered her niece some tea. Ayreth knew what that meant. She took a breath and looked at exit, calculating how long-

"Don't even think about it. Or so help me, the Six Ancestors, I will shove this hot tea down your throat and make you write out an explanation and then break your fingers."

Ayreth swallowed. "You know what? Tea sounds very nice."

Ayreth sat her ass down and her aunt poured her the glowing green liquid.

Ayreth took the tea cup and started sipping it, feeling the scorching heat and wishing it would burn her throat so she couldn't speak. Better than Nerida doing it.

"Now, let's get started. What the hell happened last night and why was Master Tanzin here?"

"And here I thought you were gonna beat around the bush," Ayreth mumbled.

Nerida's eyes narrowed and Ayreth felt it like knives were piercing her. Ayreth cleared her throat.

"Well...what kind of tea is this? It's really good." She then proceeded to swallow the whole cup in one go. She was about to reach for more when Nerida gently put her hand on the teapot handle. But even that gentle touch made it impossible for Ayreth to move the pot.

Stupid super strength.

"Ayreth, darling. You have the next second to explain."

Ayreth gulped and knew she could stall no longer.

"Ugh, fine." She slumped over. "I don't really know where to start."

"You can start by saying where the hell you were last night."

"I had another nightmare. And...I...I kind of helped this stranger escape the Lupine Guard."

"Wait, what?" Nerida's screech burst Ayreth's eardrums. Neida then squeezed the teapot handle so tight it morphed under her pressure.

"Umm...Nerida?" Ayreth could have sworn she saw steam come out of Nerida's ears.

"What do you mean you helped a stranger escape the Lupine Guard? What the hell were you doing outside at night. They don't know you could see in the dark. What the hell were you thinking?"

Ayreth's anger overcame her.

"I was thinking that those assholes almost made me dinner and I will do whatever I can to fuck with them! They think they can do whatever they want. They arrested Milan just for talking with a poisonous lizard. Fucking Tamzin dangled me from a tree over the wolves as if I were chow just for throwing rocks at them. And yeah, I know it's bad to do that, but how the hell do you justify him manhandling me and threatening me when all I did was play a game of stone throwing. They weren't even that big. But, no! Master Tamzin has to always show that he's in charge no matter the crime and I'm sick of it. So, yeah, I helped a stranger. And frankly I would do it all over again. Anything to fuck with that clown. And it's not like I could have slept anyway. Those goddamn nightmares came back."

Ayreth's shoulders slumped, the heaviness of last night weighed down like a ton of bricks covered in a ton of rocks.

Nerida's mouth was opening when they heard a knock on the door.

In a rare sign of outburst, Ayreth heard her cuss.

"What is it now?" She snapped with a scowl.

She marched to the door and swiveled it open. But no one was there. Nerida looked around and Ayreth looked over her shoulder, but nothing. No one. Nada.