She is Fatal to Death (Standalone Story)

Chapter 17 (Making Things Worse)

Renata

They sat beneath the tree. The warm colors were brighter up close. Renata smiled and was glad she chose to come outside. It was easy to forget how beautiful the world was at times. Far too easy.

They sat next to each other on a metal bench with purple cushions. Tahoma surprised her by keeping his legs together, crossed at the ankle—instead of spreading out, and she wouldn't have blamed him considering his staggering height. Renata strategically kept her thighs together so they would not brush against him. As a distraction, she studied the back of the house, one that contrasted against the whimsical garden with its gothic style. Long, thin windows. Pointed rooftops. Black trimming against dark gray siding. "Do you stay here with Nirvi?"

"Sometimes. When I'm in town. I'm not usually around often, but I have been for the last couple of years." He moved his raven hair out of the way so he could get a better look at her. This up close, she was devastated to find a lack of imperfections. It only made her more aware of her own.

"Oh." She took only a breath before she unleashed a question. "It seems you get along really well with Rocio. When did you meet her?" There were countless unsaid, follow-up questions there. Renata was dying to know how her sister got caught up in all of this. Was it Nirvi? Him? Someone else Renata had yet to meet?

Tahoma's eyes turned distant again, and she thought back to a similar moment before he sat himself at the dinner table. "It's hard to say. Maybe four or five years ago." That's about the time when the sisters stopped talking. Things were beginning to make sense. "Awe brought her home."

Renata's attention zoned in on the name. "Awe?" She saw the way his adam's apple bobbed in his throat. She knew then what a sensitive subject she was broaching. The person that should have been sitting next to Rocio. "Were they...?"

He cleared his throat and looked away. When he didn't correct her use of 'was', she knew Awe was gone. "My sister. My twin. It was a two for one deal when Nirvi rebirthed me—anyway, enough about boring, old me. Tell me something about you, anything." Change the subject, quick. Renata understood.

She raised an eyebrow at him. "What, Rocio didn't spill all of my secrets?"

Tahoma leaned in. "Not the juicy ones."

Renata rolled her eyes. He just couldn't help himself. But her mood became somber. Her features slackened and she felt like maybe she'd made a mistake entertaining him. "I don't think I really know all of my secrets."

Tahoma was suddenly on his feet, looking out toward the forests. Renata jumped at the inhuman movement. "Someone's here," he explained quietly. Her eyes widened and her head whipped back and forth like she could somehow catch up.

There was shouting off to the distance and Renata recalled the guards that lined the property. She came to a stand but she didn't know which way to retreat. Inside? Toward the trees? Sinking into the ground seemed the most comforting option. "What's happening?"

The fierce look on his face made her shiver. "Someone is trying to breach the property." He lifted his skirt to reveal a dagger. Renata wasn't sure what his intentions were as he removed the blade, twisted toward her and let the blade fly. She gasped and attempted to block the attack. But the blade whizzed past her and slammed against its target. It bounced off and cluttered to the ground.