Chapter 6 Wounds

"So what's the deal with you and Aaron?" Lillith demanded.

It was the third time she'd tried this line of questioning in as many days, and so far I'd managed to avoid both it and her.

"Nothing."

Burney snorted and I shot him a dirty look.

"What? We all know it started when I took you to see him."

"It did?" Lills asked, latching onto the new information.

"They were yelling at each other from the moment we got there."

"They're always doing that," She said, dismissing it with a shrug.

"Are you serious? No wonder he's been crabby since he got back."

I raised an eyebrow. "You mean he's not usually so... pig headed?"

I'd noticed his decline in mood on the outside, it was hard to miss, but I thought that was just our restless lifestyle taking its toll on him like it had on the rest of us.

"Nope. Well, he's always had a temper, but not like this. What were you guys doing out there?"

"They were helping us search for our brother in exchange for money and use of our car."

It was Burney's turn to raise an eyebrow. "Seriously?"

"Yeah, why?" I asked, ignoring Lillith's daggers.

"They could've got -"

"That's enough," Dave said, cutting him off.

"I was only -"

"Enough!"

Lillith and I stared at Dave, shocked. It was the first time either of us had ever heard him yell at anyone.

"Come on, let's get the girls some food," he said, grabbing Burney by the arm.

"But Aaron said we couldn't -"

"I'll deal with Aaron. Come on."

His face paled and I could tell he was torn at having to choose between his brother's wrath later or his cousin's rarely seen anger now.

"It's okay," I said, getting to my feet. "I'm happy to brave the kitchen."

Relief flooded his face, followed by a massive grin.

"But we're walking behind you," Lills said, threading her arm through mine.

Dave nodded and yanked Burney through the curtain with him, giving us girls our space.

"You didn't think you'd avoid me that easily did you?" she asked, resting her head on my shoulder.

I rolled my eyes. "It was worth a try."

"I'm not going to leave you alone until you tell me."

"I got that impression," I said, practically dragging her after the boys.

"So?"

"So nothing. We had another fight and he's not getting over this one as quickly as the others. That's it."

"What was it about?"

I hesitated, not wanting to lie to here. "I brought up his mother who's apparently dead."

"Fayle!"

"How was I supposed to know?"

"No wonder he's angry with you! You have to go to him and apologise!"

"What!"

"He risked everything to get you help and instead of saying thank you, you bring up his dead mother! You're saying sorry."

I shook my head. She was sounding more and more like me, but at least she'd taken the bait. Or had it been me that'd taken it? "So, why the sudden interest in my non relationship with him?"

Her eyes darted to Dave then back again.

"Okay, what's going on?"

"I... need a favour."

"And it involves Aaron somehow?"

She nodded.

This couldn't be good. "What is it?"

"Dave and I haven't... You know... Had a chance to be alone yet."

"What's that got to do with Aaron being mad at me?"

"I was thinking maybe you could stay with him? It would only be for one night and it would mean the world to both of us, but especially me."

It took every ounce of self control I had not to smack my own head against the closest rock wall. "Does Dave know you're asking me?"

"Yes."

"Has he asked Aaron about about it?"

"Yes."

"And?"

"He said if you wanted to stay with him, you had to ask him yourself."

"But I don't want to stay with him! I'd only be doing it for you!"

"I know."

"There's got to be somewhere else I can go."

Lillith shook her head. "Dave tried. He asked around but..."

"No one wanted me."

"It's not that they don't want you -"

"Yes it is. It's my fault their home was put at risk and this massive thing on my shoulder," I said, pointing at my burnt skin, "just reminds them that a Shadow Man bit me. The only reason they haven't kicked me out or drowned me in the bathing room is because of Aaron."

"I'm sorry Fayle. I hate that I'm asking you to do this."

"I know," I said, hating the crushed look on her face even more. I let out a sigh. "Okay."

"Okay?"

"Okay. I'll ask him."

She wrapped her arms around me, hugging me as I tried to walk.

"Alright," I said, trying to untangle myself with a smile. "You're happy, I get it."

"I can't wait to tell Dave."

"You might want to wait til Aaron says yes first."

"He will," she said, tightening her grip on me.

The boys took us down the same hall that led to the water caves, then took the only left into the dining hall. It was bare of life, but packed with long tables, the type that could be folded down and carried elsewhere if needed. Hand made benches lined each side of the evenly spaced islands, the slabs of pine sanded back just enough to avoid giving splinters.

Food was served at the same times every day. Six to eight, twelve-thirty to two-thirty and seven til nine, though leftovers could always be found. We walked to the back of the empty room and ducked through the five foot hole that had been hacked through the rough rock at the back.

Olla, head of the lunch crew, was perched atop a stack of empty crates, her thin wisps of blondish hair perfectly manicured into a blunt line across the middle of her forehead. She looked up from the book she was reading, her eyes sharp and unfriendly.

"Hi Olla. Mind if we -"

"No food for you," she said, her unfamiliar accent thickening her words.

"We just want -"

"I said no food for you!"

Dave shook his head in frustration and Burney slipped back by my side.

"What's going on?" I whispered, tuning out Dave's losing argument.

"My guess? Olla doesn't want to give you leftovers."

"Of course she doesn't. Would it help if I leave?"

He shrugged. "Maybe."

I sighed. "Thanks for trying."

He grinned as he touched my elbow, using it to guide me from the room. Lillith shot me a pleading look, but stayed where she was. She didn't want to leave Dave's side.

"Where are you taking me?" I asked, picking up my pace to match his.

"The game!"

"What game?"

"You'll see, come on," he said, hurrying me along the hall.

"That interesting huh?"

"Nah, not usually, but it's the first match Aaron's been in since he got back and I wanna see him play. Big Jim's got way better since last time and he wants payback."

"What kind of game is it?"

"A fun one," he said, leading me out into the main cavern.

He pushed his way through the crowd of sixty or so people that had gathered in our absence, ignoring the black looks that followed us. Their displeasure was aimed at me more than him, but I got the feeling that I would've been on the receiving end of their annoyance regardless of manners.

I reached the front line of onlookers and froze. "Is that Big Jim?"

Burney nodded, his eyes already glued to the circling men. Big Jim was huge. Insanely huge. He had muscle on top of muscle and sprouted more where they shouldn't exist. He looked like he'd been stung by an entire hives-worth of bees, and was still waiting for the swelling to go down.

And then there was Aaron. He was the same height as Big Jim but looked like a rake beside him, which was crazy. Aaron was broad shouldered, almost three times me across and well defined, though you could never tell just how much until he had his shirt off. His hawk tattoo glistened with the trails of sweat running down his tanned chest, its inked talons raking his shuddering stomach as a feathered wing arched itself over his right shoulder.

I flinched as the stick Big Jim held whistled downwards, landing in the space between Aaron's collar bone and neck. My stomach rose to my throat at the sound of the landing thwack. Aaron grunted and faltered back, giving himself a moment to shake the hit off before he took a calculated lunge forward, knocking Big Jim flat on his back.

The bigger man's wrist thick rod spilled from his sweaty grip and rolled outside the four markers. Aaron leapt off to the side and crouched behind his opponent, oblivious of the cheers echoing around him. Big Jim stayed where he was, refusing to move.

"What's happening? Is he out?"

"Not yet. As soon as Big Jim moves, Aaron's gonna try to nab the flag in the back of his shorts. Then it's over"

"Why doesn't Big Jim just quit now? It's obvious he's lost."

"Quitting is not in our vocabulary," he answered, shaking his head like I was an idiot. "And it's not always a lost game at this stage. Watch."

Big Jim jumped to his feet and spun, his speed incredible for his size, but Aaron had already dashed forward. Big Jim knew what was coming and lashed out, his fist connecting with Aarons face.

Aaron staggered two steps to the side but kept moving. Big Jim followed him, spinning on the spot to keep his back and his flag as far as possible from Aaron. His face went red and he took another swing, but all those muscles had given him a short reach, and his dish sized fist fell short.

Aaron stepped in the opposite direction of the failed hit, using the massive guy's momentum against him as he reached round and yanked the yellow strip of cloth free. The crowd around us erupted and Big Jim swore, looking like he was about to hit Aaron again for beating him.

A handful of people rushed forward to clap Aaron on the back and congratulate him, then he disappeared from sight, swallowed into the crowd on the other side of the cavern. I watched in disgust as all manner of trinkets passed hands. Someone yelled something I couldn't quite hear, but the crowd understood it, cause they settled down and backed up, clearing a space for the two new opponents left standing in the middle, flags attached, sticks in hand.

"This is insane," I said, pushing free of the crammed bodies.

"No, it's fun. And it's good practice."

"For what? Beating people?"

"Man he was good," Burney said, ignoring my comment. "I wasn't sure if he still had it in him being gone for so long."

"Where did Aaron go?"

Burney shrugged. "Back to his room maybe."

I nodded and took off, walking along the wall so I could steer clear of the bulk of the crowd.

"Where do you think you're going?" Burney asked, catching up to me in the hall.

"I'm checking on Aaron."

"Is that a good idea?"

"Probably not," I said, stopping outside his curtain. "Why don't you go watch the next beating. I promise I'll stay here til you come back."

His eyes lit up. "You sure?"

"Definitely," I said, pushing the red curtain aside.

Aaron was sitting on the end of his bed with his eyes closed, holding a wet towel to his shoulder.

I bridged the gap between us, stopping just short of him. "Here, let me do that for you."