Page 76 of Pet: Torment

“Chit ‘Tolm putant,” he growls to himself, but I know exactly what he said—that I am weak and useless. I use what little strength I have left to place my hand over his, ripping his grip from my arm as I look him in the eyes, my body shivering.

“I’m not…that useless…I-I-If you’re c-c-coming to me f-f-f-or…answers,” I say.

Remus doesn’t respond as he matches my gaze. If I hadn’t been on the journey that I have with him, I would cower from his gaze and pray he forgets about me. But I know him, and somehow, subconsciously, he knows me. Or he would have crushed my bones to dust by now for speaking to him like this.

“Are you sure you want to waste what little time you have challenging me?” he asks, a cruel grin forming on his lips.

He’s right, though. Already, the cold has penetrated to my bones, and I can feel my consciousness waning. My face burns, and I am finding it difficult to blink. It won’t be long before the shock settles in and I am dead. I grunt in pain, my feet unable to hold me up from the chill, and I collapse in the snow. Remus stands over me, studying me intensely before kneeling to my height, his fingers drifting under my chin.

“How do you know me?” he growls.

“W-w-w-we….w-we-were…t-t-together,” I gasp. The cold as settled in my lips, making it difficult for me to speak. But Remus shows no signs of mercy, his irritation at my response visible. His hand wraps around my throat, squeezing.

“I thought I told you no lies,” he growls out.

My fingers can’t lift to pry his grip away as my body takes on a violent shiver. I try to remain conscious, but it’s becoming increasingly difficult as the seconds pass. Surely, it hasn’t been five minutes yet.

I’m…n-n-n-not l-l-lying!” I groan. “W-w-we were b-b-b-b-onded!”

Remus releases me, and this time, I can’t even open my eyes. I’m going to die in the snow Remus warned me about because he doesn’t believe me. I chuckle to myself at the irony of the situation.

“Has it…already…b-b-een f-f-f-five…minutes?” I murmur.

But my brain can no longer decipher anything else as it focuses on the chill settling over me. It panics, and I can feel my insides shutting down. Until finally, I can’t even think for myself.

I jolt awake as familiar warmth washes over me. It takes a moment for me to register my surroundings. I am in Remus’s home. In one of the spare rooms. I am in a bed, covered in a cloak that smells just like Remus, with only a fireplace for light. I blink the blurriness from my eyes, and as I come into consciousness, I realize there is a hand on my stomach, radiating warmth. And that hand belongs to Remus.

My panic is instant, and I scream, shoving his hand away as I check myself for damage. But there is none. Strangely, I feel better than I’ve felt in a very long time. My body has been rejuvenated. I slowly look away from my hands to Remus. He’s sitting next to the bed, watching me with an unreadable expression.

He’s been healing me.

“You are a resilient thing, aren’t you?” he says. I flinch from his continued use of the phrase “thing.” He may have temporarily saved my life, but he still sees it as worthless. His only endgame is getting answers.

I gasp as he reaches for me, his hand settling on my stomach. His eyes remain focused on his task. “There’s so much damage in this frail body. Neither of my siblings’ strong suits has ever been healing. But I’m sure you’ve realized that by now.”

I narrow my gaze, pushing his touch away again.

“You’ve been trying to kill me since you met me. Why do you care?” I ask.

“But you’re not dead, are you?” he asks.

Silence drifts between us. I don’t understand why he saved me from the snow. He didn’t believe my answer, and my time ran out. Yet here I am with his healing hands to comfort me.

“Tell me again, what are we to one another?” he asks.

I narrow my gaze, looking away.

“We were together,” I say.

“I know when you are lying,” he says.

I pull in a trembling breath, looking back at him, letting my irritation show. “Then you know I am telling the truth. I am the only one who has told you the truth.”

Remus tilts his head, and it’s unnerving. He doesn’t seem to be as hostile as he was, and I don’t know if it’s because he believes me or if he somehow remembers me.

“So, Iriel wasn’t lying,” he says, watching my reaction.

I assume my existence must have been among Iriel’s last words.