“I didn’t know what else to do. I’m sorry I had to touch you in order to do it. I can levitate some things, but nothing as heavy as you.”
“Another reminder to not start eating all those pastries again, huh?”
He let out a laugh and sank down beside me, wings slowing but still beating, causing a cooling breeze to caress my face. “Not hardly. Like I’ve said, I like the idea of you being beefier.”
“I’m not sure beefier is a term that goes with pastry eating.”
He shrugged. “Either way, manly. Manly.” He gave me a wink. “Feeling better, I take it?”
I nodded and made a motion to get up.
“Don’t rush it. Take your time, Finn.”
“I’m okay. Really. Just a little weak.” I pushed myself up onto shaky elbows. “Okay, really weak. Nothing hurts, though. We’re kinda getting our asses kicked today.”
“No joke. Hazel knocks me on my ass, and then the voice takes you down twice.” He offered a tentative grin, as if he were trying to decide if it were too soon to joke with me. “At least mine was a real person, not just some voice only you can hear.”
“At least I wasn’t beaten by a girl. At least, I don’t think so.”
He let out a loud laugh. “Wow! Sexist much?”
I shrugged and pushed the rest of the way up to a sitting position. “You accused me of being racist before, might as well add sexist to the list.” I glanced up at the sky, then looked around the Square again. There were a few people milling around, about right for this time of day. The ones that did notice us didn’t come over to offer any help. Actually, I’m sure everyone had been aware of us, as loud as I’d been screaming. Mind your own business, the main rule of the Square. “We’ve probably only got an hour or so till it’s safe to leave.”
“You think? This one was so much worse. Maybe we should give it more time.”
“I’m not going to move in here, Schwint.”
“I know, but you may not have a choice. What happened out there was more than just a migraine. It’s getting worse.”
The thought that he might be right, that I might not be able to leave the Square, sent a rush of claustrophobia through me. “I can’t stay here.”
You’ll do whatever I tell you to do.
I groaned.
I’m not going to leave you alone again. Not until you learn your place. Learn to comply. Learn you’re not above it all, some special little prince.
“Finn?” Schwint’s voice broke through the taunting in my mind.
With effort, I focused on his concerned face. “Yeah, I’m fine. Sorry. Were you saying something?”
He nodded. “It’s okay, it wasn’t important. It’s the voice again, isn’t it?”
“Yeah. I guess the Square may not be as safe as we’d hoped.”
“Well, it’s the best we’ve got for now. We’ll figure something else out.”
There’s nothing else to figure out. You only have one choice. It’s not up to you, as much as you think you’re above everyone else. You’re nothing more than a servant. It’s time you do as you’re told. We’re done waiting for you to make the right choice, to finally let go.
“Oh, for fuck sake! How the hell am I suppose to do what I’m told when I’m not being told a damn thing?”
Schwint flinched in startled confusion. Then his eyes widened as he realized who I was speaking to. I hadn’t even known I’d spoken out loud.
That’s right, little witch needs everything spelled out for him. Gotta have a paint by numbers to be able to make sense of anything. The only thing you’ve been able to follow through on is the desire for Spor. You couldn’t even let that queer kid in the gift shop find his own fate. Not that you were able to stop it.
I didn’t reply. Just waited, doing my best to push the boy’s image from my mind. I reminded myself that not responding was the quickest way to get the voice to either cut to the chase or quit talking altogether. I was fine with either at this point.
You need more than what Hazel told you? You need more than knowing you are called by the Royals?
