Warrior Innocent

by Wendy Knight

  When the Leerha turned to Scout, she shook her head. "I'm fine."

  Trey wasn't blind or stupid. She wasn't fine. Her arms were bloody and scratched, and her back was a mess. Finally able to stand on his own, Trey crossed his arms and scowled. "Scout…"

  She scowled back. "What were you thinking, Trey? You both almost died!"

  "We wouldn't have almost died if you had told me what you were doing, Scout." Trey clenched his teeth and glared harder.

  Scout might have been half his size, but she had the emotional presence of a giant. She raised her chin, her eyes flashing. "I was trying to protect you. I was trying to protect everyone. I was trying to save your parents!"

  "You're meeting with the enemy, Scout! Do you know how easy it would be for him to just send his demons after you? You would never escape, and we don't have the forces to come save you again."

  "He won't do that."

  Trey blinked. "What?"

  "He promised me he won't do that."

  "He just did!" Trey yelled.

  "No. He didn't send them after me. He sent them after you because I broke our bargain."

  Trey rolled his eyes. "How do you know he wouldn't have done it anyway? As soon as you tried to leave, he would have snatched you away and let his demons devour Ashra."

  "No, he wouldn't have. He didn't do it last time, and he wasn't going to do it this time, either. We had a deal."

  "He's the enemy, Scout! You can't trust him!"

  "I can trust him. He won't hurt me!"

  Trey felt like he'd been slapped. He stared at Scout through fits of red, while her words sunk in. And then he realized. "What do you mean, last time?"

  "I rescued my parents. They're with Will and Ari."

  Trey gaped at her.

  "Trey?" Lil Bit poked him. "Did you want to say hi before I take them to Will?"

  Trey tore his gaze from Scout and glared down at Lil Bit. Like her sister, she didn't even flinch. "What?"

  Lil Bit raised an eyebrow and motioned with her head. Trey lifted his eyes and followed the direction.

  His parents stood in the doorway behind Kylin. Not their souls, but his real, whole parents. "Mom?" He forgot Scout. He forgot his anger; he forgot he was a big, tough football player, and he ran to his mom and dad and threw his arms around them like a little boy, and he cried. "You're okay."

  His mom sobbed, his dad hugged him hard, and the broken, scared pieces of Trey's heart slowly healed. "You're okay."

  "Tate? Liam?" his mom asked, as if she was afraid of the answer.

  "They're okay. I couldn't get them to wake up or I would have brought them." Lil Bit rolled her eyes. "Teenagers."

  She slid her arm around Scout's waist and leaned her head against her sister's side. Trey raised his eyes to meet Scout's gaze. He had hurt her, and she was still angry, he could see it in her eyes, but still she smiled.

  "You did this."

  She closed her eyes briefly in acknowledgement.

  "I helped," Kylin growled from her position in the doorway. "If it hadn't been for me, you all would have died probably."

  "You followed us." Trey swore. "Why?"

  Kylin shrugged. "I wanted to see what Wonder Girl was up to. You were so busy following her, you didn't notice us right behind you."

  "We need to get them to safety, Trey. We can talk about how Kylin's going to ruin my life later." Scout gave Lil Bit one last squeeze and moved to Ashra.

  "Heal. Her." Lil Bit planted her hands on her hips and stared her sister down. The top of her head went to Scout's chest, barely, and yet she was probably the only one on earth who could make Scout back down. Obligingly, Scout went to the Leerha and pulled her hair away from her wounds.

  "And someone find her some clothes. Ick." Kylin wrinkled her nose.

  Scout clenched her teeth. "I'll be fine."

  Lil Bit clambered up on top of her unicorn. "Charity is expecting us. Let's get you guys to safety."

  14

  Charity was indeed expecting them. Scout could see her bright white hair from the sky, and her silver eyes sparkled in the dim light of the rising sun. Scout's parents were with her and Ari. The unicorns landed, and Lil Bit raced to her parents' arms. "Hi!"

  Scout smiled.

  "I'm so happy your parents are safe, Trey. We've been worried." Charity held out a hand first to Trey's mom, and then his dad.

  "Scout, can I talk to you?" Ari motioned Scout with her head, long black and red curls catching the light and practically sparkling. Scout tucked her own boring hair behind her ear and slid from Ashra's back.

  "What's up?" Scout felt like a little kid staring up at Ari. She was at least six inches taller than Scout, and she was wearing boots with heels, somehow not wobbling in the grass. Scout snuck a peek at Kylin, wondering if she was jealous. She wobbled all over the place when she tried to wear boots in Paradesos.

  Kylin was glaring at Ari like she could destroy her with one look.

  She couldn't.

  "We're losing this battle against the demons. Our colony here is doing pretty good, but I think it has more to do with the two Prodigies and their Guards fighting in one place. Everywhere else, these stupid demons are taking souls faster than we can kill them."

  Scout frowned. She had no idea what a Prodigy was or the Guard Ari spoke of, but she did know of losing souls all too well.

  "By all means, Ari, pull your forces back. This wasn't your fight—" Scout started.

  Ari shook her head. "That's not what I'm getting at. This is our fight. These demons came after us, and even if we raised a white flag and ran for cover, they would come after us."

  Scout nodded, absently watching Trey with his parents, saying good-bye. Watching Lil Bit with their parents, talking a million miles a minute and acting like the little girl she was. "We need a new plan."

  "That's what we were thinking. Maybe we could have a meeting, get us all together…I usually just go in and kill everything, but that's not working so well right now."

  Scout could only blink at her.

  "Um…inside joke." Ari smiled.

  But Scout hardly noticed. She'd been hit by an epiphany of her own. "We need to work together."

  Ari nodded. "Yeah, get us all together—that's what I was saying."

  Scout shook her head, bouncing on her toes. "No, I mean in battle. We need to fight together. You protect the souls on the ground, we'll go after the ones in the sky. So far, we've been fighting this war as two separate forces. In World War II, the Allied forces had to work together to beat the Axis powers. We have to be Allies."

  Ari's smile grew. "I like the way your mind works."

  Scout could feel the blush staining her cheeks and cursed inwardly. "I like history."

  "I'm more of a math girl. And your plan works well there, too. It's all about the numbers. We just have to find a way to contact you when we're under attack. Cell phones haven't worked for weeks. No one to run the towers."

  "No," Scout murmured. "I don't think they'd work in Paradesos anyway."

  "No, but you have me. And Scout has Lil Bit." Charity beamed at both of them, arriving at their side like a ghost. "I can talk to Lil Bit pretty easily. She can talk to Scout with no trouble at all." Tipping her head to the side, she continued, "I wish she'd teach me how to do that."

  Scout smiled. "I think it's a sister thing."

  "Scout, we have to get back. They're going to notice we're not at training." Trey squeezed his mom's hand once and let go, jumping onto Torz's back.

  Scout nodded. Kylin was already up in the air, and even Lil Bit was waiting on her. "I'll talk to Iros and send a message through Lil Bit. We can meet soon."

  Charity reached out and grabbed her hand. "Scout."

  Scout paused, meeting the eyes so silver it was a shock to her system every time.

  "We'll keep them safe. And we'll keep your secret. We've got your back."

  Scout didn't have any girl friends. She'd learned too well who her real friends were when she'd been in th
e hospital—and only Lil Bit had shown up. But she could feel the kindness radiating from Charity in waves. Impulsively, she threw her arms around her and held tight.

  Ari laughed quietly. "She has that effect on people."

  They landed in the valley, exhausted and dirty but more at peace than Trey could remember being. His parents were safe. They were alive, and they were safe. "Scout, about what I said…"

  Scout shook her head. "It doesn't matter. I understand. You were scared and overwhelmed. I would have done the same thing."

  "That's it?" Kylin screeched.

  Lil Bit sighed and wandered away.

  "That's it? You're just going to kiss and make up, and that's it?" Kylin's voice went higher.

  Scout turned slowly, and Trey, too tired to do anything but watch, wondered if Scout would punch her.

  She didn't.

  "Kylin, we're at war. We've lost so much already because of anger. Why on earth would I hold on to something that has the power to do that? Why are you holding on to it?"

  Kylin opened her mouth and then shut it again. One more time, and still no words came out. Third try finally worked. "Because he was mine, and you took him."

  "Technically, you told me you hoped I would die. So…I think I was never yours to begin with." Trey crossed his arms over his chest so he wouldn't strangle her.

  Technically, Scout had Trey before Kylin ever did. But Scout refrained from pointing it out. She was super nice that way.

  "I didn't mean it! I was mad!"

  Scout shook her head. "Let go of the anger, Kylin. It hurts you more than anyone else. I know you hold on to it because you think it will protect you, but believe me, I've been there. It doesn't do anything but tear you apart."

  She gave Kylin a brief smile and wandered toward the training field, where the recruits were waiting.

  Kylin glared after her. Without a look at Trey, she stormed away toward the huts. A dark knot of foreboding clenched Trey's stomach. He knew her well enough to know she wasn't going to let this go. He just wondered how far she would take it.

  They knew soon enough.

  The sun hadn't even reached the highest point in the sky when Iros thundered down on them. Trey had often thought Iros looked like an ancient Greek god, but he'd never looked more like one than he did then. Aella followed at a distance, her expression unreadable.

  "Scout?" Iros growled.

  Scout froze, her back to him. Slowly, she turned.

  But she wasn't cowed. Her chin rose, and her eyes sparked. Trey almost smiled, until Iros glared at him, too.

  "Yes, Iros?" Scout asked, quiet but firm.

  "A word?"

  "Go ahead, guys. You've got this." Scout gave the group she was helping an encouraging smile and left them behind. Trey followed, whether he was invited or not.

  "Iros, give her a chance to explain herself," Aella said.

  "You said yourself there was a—a bond between them!" Iros thundered. Several recruits looked over, apprehensive.

  Scout watched silently.

  "Iros—" Trey started.

  "And you!" Iros bellowed. "You went with her! I trusted you. You're the level-headed one, Trey! What were you thinking—"

  "Stop it." Scout moved in front of Trey. "Trey went unwillingly, and he almost died because of it. Leave him out of this, Iros. Yell at me, but leave him alone."

  Iros sucked in a breath, his face reddening.

  "No." Trey pulled Scout back. "I went highly suspecting what was going on—"

  "Yeah, you went to save me, not to aid or abet in any way."

  "You're not a criminal, Scout!"

  Iros finally snapped. "Do I get to talk at all?"

  They both fell silent. Scout raised her chin.

  "You're meeting with the enemy, Scout. How could you do this to me? To us?" He spread his arms wide. A crowd was growing, waiting, straining to hear what was going on. Trey turned on them, hoping he looked half as dangerous as Iros did.

  Apparently, it worked, and they scattered. But the damage was done. They had heard enough to draw their own conclusions.

  "I had to rescue my parents, Iros. And Trey's. You promised me we would save them, but it never happened. I did it myself."

  "You put everyone in danger, Scout—"

  "How? Tell me how, Iros. I put me in danger, and I put Ashra in danger, and I will take full responsibility for that. But I couldn't leave them there to rot."

  "I left Aella there for hundreds of years, Scout. We have to make sacrifices in this war." They all heard the pain in his voice. The torture in his face was something Trey would never forget.

  "You had no choice, Iros. You were the only immortal human-figure in this war. You had no one to take your place if something bad happened. You had no backup. I'm just me. No one needs me. There are a hundred other people out there more qualified than I am to be fighting this war."

  Iros stared at her, his blue eyes practically shooting sparks. Trey had no words, either.

  Aella, though, Aella did.

  "You've said that from the beginning, Scout. That Lil Bit was the warrior and you are just her big sister. But you have it wrong. You are the warrior. Lil Bit is not. She never was. She tried to protect you because she is such a pure form of love that, of course that was her reaction. But think of this, Scout. You fought. You took the risks. You took on Ariston alone, and you saved the souls. You lead us into battle. While Havik is leading the forces, you and Ashra are plunging ahead, trying to save as many lives as you can. It is time you believe that you're the warrior here, Scout. And we cannot replace you."

  When Trey finally looked away from Aella to meet Scout's eyes, she had tears soaking her cheeks. Hastily, she brushed them away with shaking hands. "I don't know what to say."

  Aella smiled.

  Iros frowned. "Wait a minute. I'm not done being angry."

  Scout sucked in a shaky breath and turned to Iros. "Be angry. Be angry for as long as you want, Iros. I won't apologize for what I've done, but I will promise not to do it again."

  The rage faded from Iros's face. "You should have come to me, Scout."

  She nodded. "I know."

  "And Lil Bit? She knows of this also?" It wasn't really a question, but Scout lied anyway, as they all knew she would.

  "No."

  Iros sighed. "Scout…"

  "He just wants his soul, Iros. He wants it so he can die." Scout's eyes shot open like she couldn't believe what she'd just said. Her hand twitched at her side. Trey dropped his chin to his chest.

  "What?" Iros asked, quiet and deadly.

  "We could end this war. Give him his soul and let him die. That's all he wants."

  Iros spoke slowly through clenched teeth. "Do not think, Scout, that because you've danced for him you know my brother better than I do. I've fought with him for hundreds of years, and before that, I fought by his side for thirty. There is no one in this world who knows him better than I do."

  Scout shook her head. "I wasn't saying that."

  "We will not speak of this again, Scout. He is manipulating you, and you're letting him. This is done." Iros spun on his heel and stormed away, recruits and unicorns alike hastily clearing a path for him.

  "You were very brave, Scout," Aella said. "But he's right. Ariston wants revenge. He's using your kindheartedness to get it."

  15

  "Well. Bet you're not feeling so high and mighty now, are you?" Kylin leaned through Scout's window. Her hair had been short and trendy, once. Now, it was grown out so her dark roots were showing, and not in a good way. It was long and scraggly, and her professionally done fake nails had been torn off weeks ago, leaving the nails underneath weak and chipped. Scout noticed all these things while she counted to ten, so as not to leap from the bed and tear Kylin's wrecked hair from her head.

  "No, Kylin. I'm not."

  Kylin's sneer slowly died. "That's it? That's all you're going to say? You haven't left your hut for two days."

  "Because I went several days wi
thout sleep, and I crashed, Kylin. Stress does that to a person." It was the truth. Scout's body had shut down big time, and she had barely been able to lift her head since. "So thanks, for that."

  Kylin rolled her eyes. "You have no idea what everyone is saying about you."

  Scout shrugged, pushing herself to a sitting position. "Nor do I care." After the accident, the whole school had been full of rumors. Scout had learned quickly the only way to survive was to not care. This was no different.

  Lil Bit bounced in, dark eyes dancing. "Iros is bringing Mom and Dad here, Scout. And Trey's parents, too. We'll all be together!"

  Kylin growled and shoved herself away from the window. Scout watched her go before swinging her feet off the bed. "Really? Are they not safe with Ari?"

  "Iros thinks you need them." Lil Bit grinned.

  "He thinks he caused this." Scout motioned to her weak, exhausted body.

  Lil Bit nodded.

  "Did you tell him that wasn't the case?"

  Lil Bit's eyes opened wide. "I do my best never to lie, Scout."

  Scout sighed and flopped backward. "We're going to need a bigger hut."

  Lil Bit giggled. "Now eat. They need you out there."

  Scout ate. By the time she finished, Iros was in her doorway, both frustrated and apologetic. It was a strange combination.

  "Please tell Ari I have your permission to take your parents from their compound. She is adamant they aren't there."

  Scout's heart warmed. "They have my back," she whispered.

  "What?" Iros leaned forward, cupping his ear. He'd been to see her several times over the last two days, but she'd been too sick to talk to him.

  Now, she shook her head. "Nothing. I'll tell them. We had a plan I wanted to talk to you about, Iros."

  Iros took a suspicious step in. "Will I like this plan?"