Fledgling

by Tabatha Palomo

Chapter Thirteen

  “Are you sure that you want to leave?” Virginia asked after dinner. Demitri and Garry were playing a board game in the kitchen and had already said their goodbyes, but only after Austin promised to come back, “It’s getting dark.”

  “I’ll be fine,” Austin rested her hand on the doorknob and smiled, “It was really nice to meet you.”

  “Come back any time,” Virginia said, her voice growing quieter after Austin stepped out the door. She shut it behind her and walked onto the empty streets. The lanterns were lit, but the moon, barely a sliver in the dark sky, didn’t provide much added light.

  She walked through the streets and tried to remember how to get back to the training grounds. She took a left, since that looked familiar, but was completely lost after that.

  “Maybe I was supposed to go right,” she mused. She turned around and almost walked straight into a man. She didn’t bother trying to figure out how old he really was. She was tired of doing that, so she just settled on the fact that he looked twenty. From what she could see, he was kind of cute, “Oh, sorry.”

  “It’s okay,” he said, looking at her with bright eyes, “It’s my fault for bumping into you in the first place. I mean, there’s a lot of space on the streets at this time at night.”

  “It’s my fault for- oh well. What’s your name?” she asked, shifting her weight from one foot to the other. It couldn’t have been past midnight and Aiden had never given her a time to be home by, so it couldn’t hurt to chat.

  “Davey,” he smiled, “Man, you’re what all the trouble’s about? I don’t see it.”

  She took a step back, ready to run away. She didn’t know what he was on about, but whatever it was, it didn’t seem good for her. The boy, Davey, grabbed her arm and pushed her against the brick wall before she could move.

  He looked into her eyes, his face empty of all emotions. He started whispering words in a language that she didn’t understand, but she knew what he was doing. She could feel him there, in her mind.

  She felt her vision go blurry.

  “Austin?” she heard a voice, and then the man was off her. She didn’t open her eyes. She heard an almost silent thud, the sound that flesh makes when it’s being hit, and then someone was helping her up. She cringed away from the person’s touch.

  “Austin, it’s me. Kai,” the person said, distress clear in his voice, “You’ve got to let me see if you’re alright. I know that you’re scared, but you need to let me help you.”

  She opened her eyes and saw the person in front of her. Blond hair, light blue eyes that were no longer icy, and clean glasses filled her vision. Kai.

  She nodded, and his hands appeared on her shoulders again. He frowned, “Slight bruising, but that’s all. I’ll take care of it when we get back.”

  “Back?” she repeated. She didn’t want to go to her tent. She didn’t know why. She wasn’t scared of being assaulted again. The man was lying unconscious only a few feet from her, and she wasn’t scared. She just felt numb.

  “To my shop,” Kai leveled his gaze with hers, drawing her eyes from the man’s body, “Are you okay with that?”

  “Yeah,” she nodded and took another look at the guy. He wasn’t moving.

  “Don’t look at him, Austin,” Kai said, leading her out of the alley, “I’ll take care of it.”

  “How long is he going to be unconscious for?” she asked, and watched as Kai swallowed. He couldn’t find his words, “I think he’s a chaos.”

  “A long time,” he finally answered. She felt herself being pushed into the door of a building, and she smelled books. Kai’s shop. She did her best not to bump into any bookshelves, but Kai had to help her a few times.

  “Is he alive?” she asked. Kai nodded, and she felt better. She doubted Kai, had thought that he killed, but she didn’t feel bad about that. She had seen a person die just a few days ago. Dustin had killed people in front of her, had killed her friends, as she was growing up. It was natural to suspect someone of murder now, even Kai.

  She was suddenly aware that she was in Kai’s shop, sitting in the reading room with the smell of books thick in the air. Kai was sitting a hot cup in her hands. When had he gotten a drink for her?

  “Drink it,” Kai instructed, his hand folding around her own, “I used to live in Britain fifty or so years ago. I learned that tea solves most everything.”

  “Does it now?” she murmured, taking a sip of the earthy drink. It slid down her throat, warming her from the inside out. Kai’s hands tightened and a shot of pain went through her arms. She cursed, spilling the tea on herself.

  “This might feel a bit different from when I healed your shoulder,” Kai’s warning came too late, “You had only pulled that, and it was only one injury. I’m fixing all of your bruises, and you have a few cuts on your hand, so-“

  “Thank you,” she said. Kai looked up at her again and smiled in spite of the situation.

  “No problem,” he said and let go, “Done, but I’m not going to let you leave.”

  “What?” she asked. She found the book that she read earlier that day and ran her fingers over the paper cover.

  “I’m not going to let you leave,” he said calmly, “You look like you’re about to faint.”

  “I don’t faint,” she argued. Sure, she didn’t want to go back to her tent, but that didn’t mean that she wasn’t able to. She would be perfectly all right if she went back.

  “You did last time,” he pointed out. He wrapped a blanket around her, his actions fluid. She couldn’t come up with a good comeback, so she changed the subject.

  “You seemed so moody today, but last night you were so happy,” she pouted, drawing the blanket higher. It was cold in this room.

  “I just don’t like Tuesdays,” he chuckled, patting her on the head. That gesture, little more than what one would do to a dog, made her feel unimaginably better, “I promise that I’m usually much cooler. Now, can you do something for me?”

  “Depends on what it is,” she said, her words soft and running together. She yawned.

  “I just need you to go to sleep,” he said. Austin nodded.

  “Promise not to do anything weird while I sleep?” she teased, but in the light of what had just happened, she wasn’t completely teasing. She wanted his word.

  “You’re not going to have to worry about that with me,” he assured her, standing up, “I’ll be right upstairs if you need me.”

  She closed her eyes and slept, only to be rudely awaked a few moments later. The door banged against a wall and the person who entered was shouting.

  “Kai, have you seen Austin?” Aiden gasped, frantic. Austin’s eyes fluttered open and through the open door, she could see him. He was wearing the same clothes as yesterday and his face was pale.

  “Aiden?” she called. It was still dark out, “I’m right here.”

  “Why are you here?” Aiden rushed over to her and pulled her out of the chair. She tilted, the ground moving under her feet. He sounded angry.

  “I brought her here,” Kai appeared at the door, staring at Aiden disdainfully, “I found her about an hour ago. I already sent out a notice that a chaos was unconscious in the alley behind The Lucky Tavern.”

  “She was…” Aiden trailed off. He didn’t seem capable of looking Austin in the eye, and his fists were clenched. He didn’t have any trouble believing Kai.

  “She could have died, Aiden,” Kai said, glaring at him.

  “I,” she interrupted, “Am perfectly fine.”

  Her voice was steady, never faltering once. She was the most surprised out of all of them.

  “That’s my girl,” Kai smiled, winking at her. She glared at him. He hadn’t believed in her. But...she wasn’t going to blame him for being worried.

  “I’m not your girl,” she said flippantly.

  “I guess that I’ll take my leave then, since you’
re perfectly fine,” Aiden used her words, but he was relieved now, “Make sure to come back to the training grounds tomorrow, before it gets dark.”

  “Yeah,” she nodded. Before she could say goodbye, Aiden swept her up into a big hug, squeezing her tightly. His arms were restraining hers so that she couldn’t hug back, but he seemed okay with that. He burrowed his face in her hair and tightened his hold on her.

  “Bye Austin,” he let go of her after two minutes (she counted) had passed. Aiden walked out the door and she stared after him. For some reason, her heart was racing.

  “Try going to bed,” Kai said, regaining her attention. He had a bad case of bedhead and his glasses were crooked, but she didn’t bring that to his attention, “If you can.”

  “He’s not mad, is he?” she asked, looking back towards the door, which had already swung shut, “Since I didn’t come home?”

  “He’s just glad that you’re okay,” Kai promised her, “Now Austin?”

  “Yeah?” she said.

  “Go to bed.”