Chapter 76

“We’re staying at your place.” Jewel said the moment the two of them were alone. The Branch Director, following her proclamations, had left to figure out who exactly she could trust to put onto the Away team. She’d also asked if Henry had anyone in mind, of which he’d only had one that came to his mind. The exorcist he’d seen more than once, the one with the feline D.E.D., nicknamed Fro. Henry hadn’t had too many interactions with him, but he liked the guy with the big afro, and he seemed trustworthy.

With that taken care of, and Emelia gone, JJ was next to slink away. With his travel schedule accelerated, as well as the news his travel companion was not going to be amused at all, he’d left pretty quickly. Something about grabbing a pint and a smoke, before he had to face reality. And another comment about wanting some peace and quiet, before the shit show Henry had dragged him into truly started.

Now, it was just Jewel and Henry, sitting together in the meeting room for their strike team, left with more than a little awkward air between the two of them. Henry was relieved Jewel was alive, and able to move about. Jewel, on the other hand, seemed irritated she was still injured, and even more so, extremely displeased she was stuck with Henry.

“Do I get a say in this?” Henry asked. Her icy look confirmed his hunch before she even opened her mouth.

“No. As long as I’m stuck with you. You don’t get a say on pretty much anything.” Her tone was dry. Any personality, any camaraderie between the two of them, seemed gone. Jewel, was an icy, shell of who she had been before the Varkoth fight.

“The only reason I agreed to do this, was because it means I can get a lot more experience than normal rifts. Babysitting you, once again, is a hinderance. And until you actually make yourself useful, all I’m going to see you as, is dead weight I’m carrying around.”

That, was a bit harsh.

“Hey, I didn’t ask for this.” Henry said, feeling his anger flare. “Not a single bit of this, is something I asked for. That being said, just because you don’t like the D.E.D. I’m using, doesn’t mean you need to treat me like I’m worthless.”

Jewel’s eyes flashed.

“If you weren’t worthless,” she said, tone cold. “Then you wouldn’t need me to hold your hand everywhere.”

“That’s not true, and you know it.” Henry retorted. “The only reason this is even happening, is because of what’s at stake. This isn’t normal. These aren’t normal situations. And we should not be sitting here, fighting against each other, when the whole world is at stake. Besides,” he added, “if this was any other situation, the fact I had so many D.E.D. leveled and evolved this quickly, would be groundbreaking.”

“But,” Jewel started, and Henry cut her off.

“But instead, you’re bitching and moaning that I’m holding you back, when in reality, if I’d been an exorcist as long as you had, chances are, I’d be even stronger than you. You’re just taking your anger out on me, over your own weakness.”

The slap happened faster than his eyes could even process it. He wasn’t even sure if she moved. Just, once second, he was standing over her, trying his best not to yell, and the next, he was on his ass, his face numb from cold and pain, while Jewel’s eyes blazed with icy fury.

“Don’t.” She said sternly. “Ever talk to me like that again.” She stood up, wincing as she did, and looked down at him. Icy wind swirled around her, though he wasn’t sure she realized she was releasing so much power. “Don’t ever call me weak.”

Henry growled. He wasn’t going to be cowed by her, not this time.

“But isn’t that what’s bugging you?” He pressed. “The fact you consider yourself weak? You’re always claiming you need more strength, but why.” He stood up, holding her gaze as he did. “If you aren’t strong enough by yourself, so what. That’s what others are for. Hell, that’s what our D.E.D. are for. They are there, to work with us, to make us all stronger, together.”

She looked like she wanted to hit him again, but she didn’t. Still, her eyes kept switching in a mesmerizing, yet terrifying manner, between those of Jewel, and those of the Ice D.E.D. she had within.

“We aren’t discussing this now.” She said firmly. “However,” her voice softened, by a single degree. “I will try to not treat you so…rudely in the future.”

“Thank you.” Henry said smugly. “Was that so hard?”

Her eyes narrowed once more, but then returned to normal as she shook her head, muttering something about him not understanding under her breath. Whatever it was, Henry figured now wasn’t the time to dig into it. Jewel was complicated. And he had a feeling it would take much longer, and more than a few arguments similar to this one, to truly understand her. That, or he’d get himself killed by her. One or the other.

“We should get going.” She said to his snide remark. “And unless you have an actual nice guest room, I get your bed, and you get the couch.” She turned to leave, and nearly stumbled. She was sweating, Henry realized. She may have been putting on a strong face, but she was in a lot more pain than she showed. Her injuries had been grave. And he had a feeling she really shouldn’t be up and about just yet.

But, he knew better than to question her on that regard. She also wouldn’t listen to him, even if he told her to take it easy. Besides, as much as he hated to admit it, they didn’t have time to take it easy. The Old Ones were coming. The entire world was at stake, and Henry, needed every bit of help he could, if he were going to reach the levels he needed, to be able to stand against them. The weight of the world was on his shoulders, and it was heavy.

Without another word, Henry followed Jewel from the room. It would be the two of them, and a small group that Emelia selected, fighting against all different types of Tiered Demons, for who knew how long. Meanwhile, JJ was off to China, to try and steal a legendary sword. Henry wasn’t sure which task he’d prefer to have, but felt, at least a little, maybe he got the better deal.

Either way, he needed rest. He was eager to get home, and finally get some sleep. Because the next day, he knew, would start a new chapter in his life. An exhausting, dangerous chapter of his life, as he worked to reach the potential Loki claimed he had, and tried, to see just what being an ‘Awakened One’, truly meant.