He sawnow that Zaria’s hands were bloody.There were long lacerations across her arm,some of them already scarring over from the touch of necrotic magic.He turnedhis head as much as he could, and his nose went tickling through the thicktufts of fur on her neck, finding them wet and red.The bones had nearly slither throat.
“Sorry,”he said.“I’m sorry.”
“Isaac—”
“I’msorry.I—”
Hewould’ve killed her.He would’ve killed all of Berith’s thralls.Hehadkilled a number of them.They were people from his village, all of the sameage.They had been students, just like him.
Theirbodies.His fault.
“Sorry.I didn’t mean—”
“Forfuck’s sake.”She hugged him tighter, pressing him to her chest.“Listen to me.It’s not your fault.”
How hadhe gone so long without noticing?
“It’snot your fault.”
Thetraining.The imprisonment.
“Youwere a child.”
Theshouting, the pain, the resentment.
“Youdidn’t know better.”
Berithsaying he would throw him on the street.
“Youcouldn’t have known better.”
Berith,in the yard, holding the cane, sneering that his brother deserved his fate.
“Youwere never given the chance.”
Berithscreaming that he was only a burden.
“Godsapart, that was fucking madness,” Zaria said.“I can’t begin to imagine—” Hefelt her growl.“I’d call your uncle a cunt, but that don’t even breach thesurface.He’s lower than shite.The craven rat tried to blame everyone buthimself.”
Tearsbegan to well in his eye.
“It’snot your fault,” the hyena said.“Alright?Whatever else there is, it ain’t onyou.”She patted his back.“You did the best you could.”
Helooked away.
Shehelped him calm his breath.A few minutes passed.His body recovered enoughthat he was able to flex his limbs.When he no longer seemed in danger offalling into shock, Zaria asked: “What do we do?”
Hedidn’t know how to answer.
“Imean,” she continued, “I can’t rightly demand—he’s still your kin.He’ll bewatching for us.We can’t beat him head-on.I don’t know if it were a good ideato keep going, here.Not into those depths.”
Out ofall the chaotic feelings, out of all the memories surging through his mind, anew sensation rose inside him.It dominated the rest of his emotions,smothering all his thoughts.
Anger.
Fury.
Hatred.
