Frustrated that Icouldn’teven control a simple flame, I blindly threw another perfect punch—this time to his face—but he barely made a sound. Itwasn’tuntil this moment that I realized he had slipped into unconsciousness.
Releasing him swiftly,almost indisgust, I groaned in frustration. My hands caught in my hair, tugging at the roots as I retreated step by step to the other sideof the cell.
Finally seeing the damageI’ddone, eyes adjusting to the dim light, I realized I should feel somethingmorethan I did. I knew Aviva would expect me to.
And yet I didn’t.
His clothes were barely held together by threads at this point, having been charred off or, in some places, melted to his skin. The bruises hadrisento the surface almostinstantly,his skin mottled in black and blue along the left side of his body, where my fist had made contact the most. His eye wasin the process of swellingshut whereI’dhit him last, his body reacting to the damage even when hewasn’tconscious to.
The stone of the wall dug into my back and wings as I slid to the ground, my hands still tugging viciously at my hair.
Taking a breath so deep it almost hurt, I focused on that energy in my veins. It seemed to have calmedsubstantially afterbeing given an outlet.
Interesting, I noted.
A soft knock sounded on the metal door next to me, but Ididn’tbudge. There was only one otherfaethat had a key to this specific cell, anyways. Plus, nobody else would be stupid enough to venture this far into the dungeons.
“Enter,” I said, my voice sounding distant and hollow in my ears.
I listened as he unlocked the door and slid it open, stepping into the room with a leather bag that was bursting at the seams withtrokavsupplies.
Hugo, who almosttrippedover my extended leg when he stepped into the small cell, gasped when the smell of burned skin and flesh hit his nose. His white wings flared slightly in alarm, but his eyes were locked onto the unconscious form on the other side of the space.
“Has this session concluded?” thetrokavasked, his voice thick with an emotion Icouldn’tquite place, not bothering to spare me a glance.
After I waved my hand lazily, feigning disinterest, Hugo crossed the cell to the prisoner’s side and gently turned him onto his back. Moving much faster than the older male usually did, he flung open his bag and began sifting through the bottles and vials of various healing remedies.
I watched by the light of the torch as Hugo used his water wielding abilities to manipulate a foggy liquid out of a small vial, tugging it through the air closer to him and the prisoner. Hugo tilted the male’s head back and swung his wrist, sending the entirety of the foggy liquid between the slightly parted lips of the prisoner’s mouth.
Hugo paused, and Icouldn’thelp but note how gently he handled those within his care.
Suddenly, the male before him gasped, flying into a sitting position, panting. He seemed to immediately regret the movement as he groaned, the sound pained.
“Shhh,you’llbealright. No,don’tlook, just close your eyes,” Hugo said to the male, who had been tilting his head down to look at the damage done to him.
The prisoner’s eyessearchedHugo’s. He looked so vulnerable, so fearful, I couldn’t helprolling my eyesat the sight.
The male must have found something in Hugo’s gaze as he relaxed slightly, realizingHugo was once again here to help him—not harm him. He hesitated, then closed his eyes and allowed Hugo to guide him back down to the floor.
In the following moments, I watched Hugo carefully tend to the male.It appeared as thoughHugo only saw a patient, not a prisoner who neededbreaking. That was one area in which the older male and I differed.
Ididn’tmind getting my hands dirty to do what needed to be done.
Soon enough, the male’s skin had been cleaned and had begun healing from the ointments,and his bones had been set back into place by Hugo. Hewasn’tback to normal by any means—the affected skin was either scabbed over or extremely raw, and he groaned every time he moved,likely fromhis bones being set but not fully healed. Healing, even with the help of elixirs and spreads,tooktime nowadays.
Though thefaehadn’talways been that way, it was our reality now, and that was all that mattered.
Plus, his slow healing benefitted me. He’d remember his lesson this time.
Having doneallhe could for the prisoner, Hugo packed his vials and such back into his leather bag, slinging it over his shoulder with care.To my surprise, instead of addressing Hugo, the prisoner looked towards me, meeting my gaze without an ounce of the fear I’d seen before in his eyes.
“I thank the Stars Aviva escaped you,” he stated. It hadn’t been said with hatred, but rather as though it were a simple fact.
As though that single sentencedidn’tadd to the weight on my soul.
I grit my teeth to stop myself from flinching at his words, but something must have shown in my gaze.He looked satisfied with himself, as if he’dactually gottento me.
Theaudacity.
