Page 83 of Fallen Thorns
“I’m not sure what you mean. I’ve done alright so far,” Rani said, loosening her stance.
“You’re focusing too much on focusing. It cancels out. Your mind is wild and that’s too dangerous with our kind. You’d let anyone right in.”
“I’m trying.” Rani sounded embarrassed, but she had no need to be. Like she did with everything, she was trying her best and I loved her for it.
“Okay then, Arlo. Command.” Marianne stepped back as if introducing a stage scene and I stared at my friend, whose expression had now shifted into one of confidence. Over the week, I admit I may have been too easy on her, without even meaning to. It was as though I just had this inability to control her. Even thinking it hurt me, the thought that I could so easily take advantage of her that way. She never deserved that, never will.
Yet Marianne watching this time sparked a shift in my judgement. Like Iwantedto impress her. Show her my strength. My control.
“Sit down,”I tried, and not a breath after I finished, her legs collapsed beneath her and she sat cross-legged on the hard stone, face aghast.
“Oh,” she said, absorbing her new position.
“Sorry!” My hands frantically threw out to accentuate my apology. I didn’t know if the landing hurt her or not, but it looked as if it had done.
Carmen rushed back over to aid Rani with Marianne at her other side; both of them working together to help her back up. My friend looked entirely disorientated.
Rani’s face looked flustered, and she dusted off her trousers. “It’s okay… I think I know what he did differently that time. I felt it.” She looked back at me, her smile still strong, with only a slight hint of uncertainty. “Again.”
Differently?
With my leader backing up but still silently observing, I tried a different approach; something I knew I wouldn’t normally be able to change her mind on because of a recent conversation we had. I knew I never would have said this to Rani really. She was allowed to do whatever made her feel comfortable. But that was why I tried it. I was pushing myself in that moment, and that moment alone.“You know, you really don’t need to wear make-up, you look lovely without it.”
Maybe I did mean it a little, but I regretted it the moment the words left my mouth. It didn’t sound like me…Oh.
Without a second for a breath, Rani’s eyes were no longer her own, they grew inhumanly wide and glassy in exaggerated realisation and she began to frantically rub,scrapeat her face, faster and faster. Her nails digging deep into her skin, eyes hauntingly stuck to my own face as her skin turned raw and mascara streaks leaked down her cheeks. I began to panic and my whole body went into shut down mode. I was pushed to the side and stumbled backwards, losing my footing and falling to the floor as Carmen grabbed ahold of Rani, trying to pull her hands away from ruining her face and restrain her. Marianne leaped over and pulled Rani’s poor head into her hands, whispering words and tugging their foreheads close. Carmen let out a sound of desperation as Marianne worked.
I couldn’t breathe. I could barely even see anything; blackness clouding my vision.
What am I?
What have I done?
“Arlo!”A piercing scream ripped its way into my skull, tethering me to reality as light filtered back through my eyes.
Marianne hovered like a shadow above me, blond curls glued to her reddened brow.
“Arlo, can you hear me?” Her voice was not kind.
“Get up.” Hands grasped at my collar and hauled me up in one swift motion. Despite her small stature, none of it mattered; her strength was enough to pull me into a stand and more. I had but a second before I was slammed against the stone wall and pinned in place, her arm to my throat.
I clocked Carmen cradling Rani in her arms, my best friend’s eyes closed and her body still: face bright red and makeup ruined. My gaze was abruptly pulled back to face Marianne’s stern, blue eyes. Breath left me, and I was momentarily winded as my eyes struggled to stay pinned to hers.
“Where did you learn that?” Her canines flashed through her chapped lips.
“I…”Where did I learn that?
“You answer me now, Arlo.How?”
“I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I’m sorry.” I couldn’t take a deep breath, my eyes wandering back to where my friend lay. “Is she okay? Will Rani be okay?” I begged to know.
Marianne’s eyes softened a little then, and her grip on my throat loosened, no longer crushing my Adam’s apple.
“She’s fine,” she said, her tone much softer and threat free.
“I had no idea that would work.” I gulped. “That wasn’t normal, was it?”
Marianne took a deep breath and shifted her gaze, peering over my shoulder instead, a far less intimidating gesture.
