The Blood of Darkness

Chapter 13

Val

I have decided that I like storms. They let me know that even the sky screams sometimes.

For the rain hasn't stopped these past five days, and neither has my internal screaming. I'm always screaming, it seems. It's just that most of the time, the lines between internally and externally blur.

The days have passed in a similar rhythm, with Lake teaching Zyair and Kye the basics of swordplay, usually down in the dining room, and me testing Neve's skills, usually on the roof. Neither of us seems to mind the rain; our cloaks work fine to block out the chill of the wind.

Not that it matters to me anyway though. I'm always cold.

Luckily, one of the houses beside Kye's is a floor taller, so if we want to take a break from the rain but not go inside to do so, we can step over to the dry side of the roof that rests under the adjacent building's overhang, which is where we are right now.

There's plenty of room for Neve and I to practice downstairs, but I would much prefer to avoid Kye, especially after our past few interactions.

It became apparent, all too quick, that he was beginning to care a bit more than I would like.

But I'm not ready to tell him what happened to me. How can I? I have always deeply struggled with putting my feelings into words, and besides, why would I want to share anything with him? The last thing I want is pity.

And honestly, I don't even know what I feel anymore besides feeling broken, shattered, ripped at every edge.

Further, I don't think I could talk about my past without breaking down. Which sounds horrible, but is the truth.

Sometimes it's better not to say anything than to say how you truly feel and make things worse. Even though I know that I'm exhausted from trying to be stronger than I feel.

And I'm trying. I'm trying really hard, but I can't pretend it doesn't hurt when it really does. So what if Kye notices? So what if everyone does? They don't know me, and I don't know them. It doesn't matter.

It never matters.

I have to admit though, that Zyair was pretty clever to piece together what I had already guessed.

The Dark King has a whole network here in Trivette, to monitor things, spy, carry information back and forth, and so on.

I agreed to work with Kye and the others only because it made sense. They all already know too much, enough that I would have had to stay here anyways to make sure they didn't talk. If they want the same thing I do, what's the sense in not working together?

And...

And what's the point in trying to be subtle?

The Dark King knows I'm here, and he will come when the time is right. Whenever that may be. By now, knowing him, he would have come here himself just to get me back. But he hasn't.

He has his own agenda, I'm sure of it. And maybe learning more about this spy network will help me determine when the Dark King will finally come for me, so I can be ready.

Ready for when I will need to face him. Kill him.

I grin wickedly at the thought. Whatever his mighty power may be, I can still best him. He says he's like me, one in the same, but I don't believe in coincidences like that. He's not like me. I'm sure of it. Although he does have power. It's strange, really, how I can tell. When he would come near me, touch me, I could feel it. Something powerful emanating from within him. Something dangerous.