Nightmare (2)

“Ladies, gentlemen, let’s go through all the bullshit from the beginning post-haste. We have a newcomer to catch up.”

Fennis’ words catch me off guard. I can’t even get a word out before he’s gesturing to his side. I cautiously approach him, before turning to face everyone at the table.

“How long were you gone, girl?” he asks me.

“A few weeks? A month, at most.” I try to do the calculations in my head, but I was too exhausted most of the time to really take note of the date. It doesn’t help that my nerves are firing like mad, signaling for me to run from all the hostility.

“Sorry I’m late, I was getting the report from the others,” Mimi says, entering the tent.

When she meets my eyes, she gives me that silly grin of hers. Her beautiful amethyst hair is done in a simple ponytail and hangs down her back. She wearing a beautiful looking jerkin with the Academy symbol on it – a man receiving a fruit from another. Her outfit ends in some light leather-like shin and arm guards. It’s simple, and offers a lot of mobility, perfect for Mimi.

At some point when I was distracted in my thoughts, she made her way around the others, and to us. She puts a hand on Fennis’ chest, and for a moment, she frowns. A moment later, her smile is back as she runs her hand up to Fennis’ face.

“Kay is out in the field, luring the Beta and the Eld in. They’ll be here by morning. Charlie is doing clean up at the Academy, and bringing all of the supplies she can. She’ll meet us at the eve of battle.”

“Eld?” I ask. I haven’t heard that name.

“The name for the humans who turn,” Fennis tells me dismissively.

With that, Mimi pulls Fennis down, into a kiss. My body snaps and I swear to the gods that I can physically feel my anger emanating out of me.

“Fire! There’s a fire! Get buckets!” A woman screams. The tent’s edge starts to smolder as it begins to burn. Fennis breaks from Mimi, and looks directly at me. I can’t be asked to care about the fire. If it was my fault, it was pathetic and weak. Even so, I have never been this furious in my life. I lose Nina, and now I’ve lost Mimi. It stands to reason I’ve lost the rest, too, and I lost them to Fennis, of all people. I will fucking-

“Kill me?” he says.

I gasp. “What?”

“I would say better have tried, and failed, but I suppose that would be a lie.”

I look away from them both and watch as the others put out the small fire. “What was that about? Did you do that, um…” Mimi asks, faltering to recall my name.

My anger forces itself out as I all but lose myself on her, “Eve.”

Her eyes widen but don’t lose their mischievous charm. She gives Fennis a squeeze on the arm, then me a wink before leaving the tent.

“No, she doesn’t stay for strategy. She says she’s much better at breaking stuff.” Fennis tells me.

“I didn’t ask.”

“You’re a terrible liar. As I was saying before that little… accident, it has been approximately four months since I became the Zeroth, thus you left us.”

“I don’t understand. How do you know I left?”

“The Zeroth is only passed on death and voluntary passage. Well, we ruled out the latter, didn’t we?” His reference to our fight from before causes a pang of guilt in me.

“Fennis, you know I tried to give it up. Is this ok to talk about with…?” I look over at the group before us.

“The plebeians will forget before we even change topics. You should know this well. As I said, death, however, would seem to not be the only other option available. One would assume your discontinued existence in this world would serve to pass the Title. You stand before me, alive, or what could be called alive. Thus, it is obvious you left us. How, I do not know, nor do I care.”

The peanut gallery is offering us some pretty intense glares, there Fennis. I hope you’re right that they forget about this…

“So, it’s been four months. Okay, so? I’ve missed a lot, clearly.”

He nods and Gabe speaks up, “Approximately four months ago, the civilians’ bloodlust shot up. They started killing each other en masse. When the guards moved in, they turned on them. Needless to say, it had taken months to get it under control, and right before we finished, you show up, that godsdamn queen shows up, and the Beta get released into our world.” He shoots me an accusatory glare.

“Shut your mouth, you ape. she has nothing to do with the Beta. The Queen does.”

“It still doesn’t change the fact that they’re overwhelming us. And what numbers they lack in some areas are fortified by civilians gone mad,” Kagura speaks up.

“We just need to head to the Academy and kill that bitch Queen. Problem solved.”

“You know it isn’t that easy, Abiliath,” Kagura speaks to the woman – Abiliath, apparently. She’s brown hair, peppered gray. It’s actually strange to see someone with her age here in a room full of young warriors. Who am I to judge? Judging by how toned her body is, she’s bound to be an accomplished fighter.

“Hah. We combine our forces and strike at the core. We cut out the heart, cut off the head, and burn the body. That will rid us of our problems the fastest,” she retorts to Kagura.

“You’re out of your damn mind, you old bat. We don’t have the numbers to gather our forces like that, and even if we did, there is no point in victory if you’re the only one left standing.”

She scoffs at Fennis’ rebuke. “I heard stories that you were a lot sweeter than this. My, this old woman never tires of seeing war bring out the true self.”

“Enough of your sophistry. If you aren’t going to help, then keep your damnable mouth shut. Eve, what information do you have on the Beta?” Fennis redirects attention towards me, right as I was finally able to breath properly again. My breath hitches once again as all eyes turn my way.

“I don’t know much more than you all do. My only other encounter with them was when I got to see… Nina kill one before I, uh, went away. But… I did read about them in a history book.”

“A historical account of the Beta? Nonsense.” Kagura doubts me.

“Enough. Eve, we will talk about this later. Mimi, escort her to her quarters. She is in need of rest. Tend to her as you would the love of your life.”

Fennis sure as hell knows the worst possible ways to pick at my wounds.

“She might like that too much,” Mimi gives a wink, takes my arm, and leads me out. The second we’re fairly alone, she slows our pace, and looks around.

“Look, I’m sorry about Zero. Really, that was wrong of him. I don’t know your story, stranger, but I know those eyes. They’re familiar to me. Your pain is well documented.”

I’m taken aback for a moment, before I’m able to respond. “Mimi, can you tell me what happened four months ago to… Zero. Like, can you talk about how he changed so much?”

She looks at me in wonder, “You must have known him, then? You have the right of it. He was a lot sweeter before the war, and a lot shyer. He was also easier to satiate. He’s gotten a lot… hungrier, in the meantime.”

I’m physically knocked back from the revelation. “He… did he hurt you?” Anger burns within me as an inferno, all the while, she laughs.

“Gods, no! We all tried coming on to him so much. He rejected us over and over. Then he changed, and we’ve never been closer. Though I do admit that… no, I shouldn’t say anything more.”

“No, please. Tell me.”

She stops us, and stares at me with a hard look. She looks around us again, “Why is it that you are so curious? And why is it I find myself wishing to trust you? Odd, you’re only a stranger.”