Heartless

❆ Thirteen ❆

Thirteen

I froze as his arms whipped around me and crushed my head to his chest. His grip tightened even as I remained completely still. He buried his face into the crook of my neck and exhaled a shaky breath. His skin was cold as ice. I struggled to stay standing as more of his weight leaned on me. I finally lifted a hand to his chest and felt the wild beating of his heart. "What are you doing here?" I couldn't hide the shock in my voice.

    His hand covered mine and pressed it tighter into his skin. He boasted a lopsided smile, showing off his white teeth and the small crowding he had of his jagged canine. "What does it look like? I'm rescuing you." Then his eyes rolled to the back of his head and his body crashed into me.

    A scream burned through my throat as we tumbled back in the snow. I clawed at his shirt and back to gain leverage, but his weight was too much. My shouts were muffled by his body and I could feel the air being squeezed from my lungs. Pain shot through my aching body.

    Suddenly the pressure was gone and light streamed in. I gasped and rolled out onto my side, sitting up on my knees. Beast held Gabriel's limp body in one hand off the ground, his legs dangling a foot above the snow. Shouts rang out that didn't belong to me. More shadows appeared. Lumea stepped toward me and wrapped an arm around my waist, heaving me to my feet. A deep, angry growl bellowed from Beast's throat. His hand turned an ashen white. I stared in paralyzed horror as sharp black nails stretched out from his fingertips. He fixed black eyes on me. "Did he hurt you?"

    My mouth bobbed in awe at his hands. He lifted one to level with Gabriel's face. I jumped to my feet. "No!" I held up my hands in a plea. "He didn't hurt me." But I hurt him. I grimaced. My movement drew his attention even more. "He's my friend." His eyes opened to their usual width with obvious clarity. The silver irises slowly resurfaced out of the swamp of black. "Please, Beast."

    His brow scrunched the longer he looked at me. Several long minutes of silence passed before he slowly set Gabriel's feet back on the ground. He regarded him suspiciously, his anger still struggling beneath the surface, but he restrained himself from hurting him. He shook his head, as if in disbelief of what he was about to do, and dragged him inside.

    I wanted to cry at the familiar face, but the unease in my stomach was already beginning to consume every thought I had.

    Beast set him down in the infirmary room and left just as soon as his head hit the bed. Lumea insisted on tending to him, but I refused to let her. This was my fault. My fault, my responsibility. We argued in angry whispers for a minute before she threw her hands up and gave in. I'd taken care of my fair share of people— Mama, Papa, Hendric. Kenji had gotten the common colds during the blizzard months and I had taken care of him then. I was more than capable of watching over Gabriel, but I got the feeling that that wasn't what she was worried about. She frowned as she slipped out of the room. She brought in a fresh bowl of hot water and several cloths, but left right after without saying a word.

    I dabbed the dressing over his slick forehead, pushing aside his dark hair. It was much longer than the last time I'd seen him. It draped over his forehead in thick curls that flowed well past the tips of his ears. I twisted a wave between my fingers in awe.  His hair had been inches shorter the night of the offering. How long had I been here?

    I busied myself looking over him. I carefully lifted up his sleeves to check his skin for marks, but found nothing but fine hair and thick veins. I hesitated on the hem of his shirt. We'd grown up together in the same filthy part of Kinnot. After his parents were sacrificed, he and his three other siblings came to bathe with us. Every year, the number of Birches dwindled. Eventually he was the only living Birch child. I knew every birthmark and scar on his body, but somehow this felt different. I couldn't help but feel like a traitor if I exposed him.