Page 37

Amias

“Amias!”

The panicked voice makes me slowly open my eyes. Colorful dots clouding my vision fade away, revealing familiar blue eyes and golden blomde hair. He has wounds on his cheeks and neck.

“Erasmus?” I nearly breath out the name.

“Baby brother,” he sucks in a deep breath. Ipush myself to sit up when Erasmus wraps me in a tight hug. I grunt, still confused as to what happened. “You're okay!”

I scrunch my nose, only to soften and return the hug. “Of course. Are you okay?”

He pulls away and looks down at his arms, bite marks and wounds covering them. I gasp. “You really need the hospital! Now!”

“So do you.”

I look down to see the deep wounds on my arms and legs. Clothes had been shredded at the sleeves.

I suck air through my teeth as light pain throbs through them. That's not good.

I shake my head. The pain isn't terrible yet. “You need it more than I do."

Erasmus helps me get on my feet and Glaide comes in to assist. I demand Erasmus go to the hospital, especially having wounds bigger than mine. When he finally leaves, I ask Glaide about what happened, and he briefly explains that I had used up all of my energy in the attack.

Using magic can be terrifying.

Soon after, I exit the building to find many of the kids crying, rushing out of the rows of buildings across the street. They run towards the staff that are just coming out of the orphanage. Police cars and ambulances sirens nearly overtake the sounds of the children.

I scan the crowds for Sabina and Clara. I inspect each kid quickly as they pass me. Everyone seems to be alright, so I keep an eye out for Sabina and Clara. No sign of either.

I know Glaide ran with Sabina but did she really make it? What if Clara got into the crossfire in another room? My heart struggles to stay out of a bottomless pit. Tears start to form.

What would I do if I lost them?

A couple of minutes into searching through kids and other people, I hear a familiar cry. “Amee!”

I whip my head to a sobbing Sabina, her face red and puffy. She reaches her arms out for me, pushing and shoving through other kids between us.

I let out a gasp, my heart jumping to my throat. I stretch my arms out to her, choking up from the relief. “I’m here!”

I kneel down and scoop her up when she runs into my arms. She clings around my neck, burying her face into my shoulder. Her body shakes violently against me. My throat tightens, wanting to weep for her.

I draw in a sharp breath. I need to be strong for her.

My embrace tightens around her. “It's okay. I got you.”

I lift her up as she weeps, swaying her from side to side. I wish there was a way to comfort Sabina besides talking her down, but there isn't. I can't blame her for her tears.

That was too much for a kid to bear.

“Are you two okay?”

The familiar concerned voice makes me lift my head. An amber eye through long, messy hair greets us.

Clara!

After that brief second of relief, I realize her left eyelid is bleeding. So is her nose, her forehead and some of her neck.

“You're bleeding,” My brows bunch with an ache growing in my chest. I don't recall seeing her after she left.

I reach a hand out to tuck some hair out of the way of her bleeding eye. Then I reach for her chin and tilt her face up slightly. It looks serious.

Her cheeks tint red and her lips part. “I'm… okay...” She gently pries my hand away from her chin. Her gaze softens as she meets mine, before scanning me up and down and forming a scowl. “Are you alright?”

I nod quickly, but I'm too focused on her wounds to answer. “You need to go to the hospital!”

She scrunches her nose. “ You need to go to the hospital.”

“But-”

She knocks my hand away from her cheek. “I can handle it myself. You should go to the hospital.” Her glare disappears when she looks towards Sabina. She lowers her head to Sabina's level.She frowns. “Is she okay?” She says in a concerned murmur.

“Yeah.” I then coo at Sabina. “It's okay, Sourdough. It's okay.”

She continues to sob, as she turns on her left cheek. “You’re hurt!” She nearly chokes the words out.

My throat closes in on itself, struggling to find the words to comfort her. Clara beats me to it. “I'm good. See? Just a little scratch is all.”

Sabina cries into my shoulder again, and I give her a comforting pat on the back. I suppress my own sorrows for her, though the burn in my throat threatens otherwise.

Sabina’s already been through too much. She's lost her family and she knows she nearly lost us.

Clara's arms wrapping around me and Sabina, pulling us in a firm embrace Clara offers a soft smile before looking back at Sabina. “Everything’s going to be alright. I'm not gonna let anything happen to you.”

Sabina’s cries have become quieter. “But… I don't want you hurt!”

“It's okay Sabina,” I whisper.

Clara soothes, “I know, I know…You don't need to worry about us. I'm here and though it looks bad, I'm not hurt a lot.”

“But you-”

“It feels like getting scraped when you trip on the ground.” Clara smiles. “It stings a little but it will heal quickly. You've felt that before, right?”

Clara’s words even lift my spirit a little. She's better with kids than she realizes.

Sabina nods with a sniffle. She lifts her head and wipes her face. “I don't want you to die.”

“Oh little one…” Clara croons.

And then, to my surprise, Sabina leans towards Clara, her weight shifting over my arm. I wince as my wounds start to flare from her movements but I hand her to Clara as she scoops her up.

“We're here now,” she whispers. “We're alive. No one is dying. We are all alright.”

Sabina keeps wiping at her eyes, before resting her head on Clara's shoulder. It falls silent between all of us as Clara bounces her, placing a hand on her back.

Amid all the chaos, it's sweet to see Sabina open up to Clara so quickly. I smile at them. “I told you she would like you.”

She lets out a titter, keeping her gaze on Sabina. Clara is a beautiful woman, in skin and in heart. The person that's fated to be with her is so unbelievably lucky.

I dread the day she finds that person. If it weren't for soulmates, I would give myself to her.

I shake my head. No. That's selfish. I shouldn't even be thinking that.

Stings in my arms earn my winces. I need to get checked on but the other kids need me first. “I have to figure out what we're doing with the kids.”

Clara bares her teeth. “No. You have to get stitched. I'll take care of Sabina while you're gone.”

The pain strikes my arms and legs again, and I suck air through my teeth. Even though I'm in pain, I'm not the priority. “Not before the children. I have to take care of them first.”

“But your wounds!”

“I'm okay enough to check on everyone. I have to put them first.”

Clara frowns and whispers, “But those wounds are deep and they clearly…” she glances at Sabina. “... discomfort you. You won’t be able to help in those conditions.”

“I'll go as soon as all the kids are taken care of. I promise.”

She narrows her eyes, but releases a defeated sigh. “Fine. I'll have Sabina so you can do that. Just be quick.”

I give her and Sabina a small hug. “Thank you. I'll be back, Sourdough.” I peck Sabina on the head before I head into the crowd.

I can almost feel Clara's eyes blazing through my back. The way she stares me down reminds me of how Mother would demand Father to get checked when he was injured. Though aggressive, there's a lovingness behind it.

It's always nice to know that someone has my back.

◆◆◆

I had a chance to round up the kids and help staff figure what to do, before the pain really got to me.

The staff sent me to the hospital so I was able to get stitches and pain killers.

Grandmother and my parents came to the hospital to smother my brother and I in hugs and kisses.

Soon after, I was able to leave the hospital and help the kids again.

Most of the kids were put in a hotel because of the damage to the orphanage. The other kids have been injured and are spending the night in the hospital where Erasmus is helping. No one has told us how they are.

A group of kids was assigned to each staff member in good standing with the orphanage. A security guard roams the halls to ensure the kids are safe.

I have just gotten Sabina to settle in with two older girls in a connecting room, one being seven and the other twelve. Eventually all of them fall asleep.

I walk into the connected room, when I'm greeted by Clara sitting on the edge of the bed covered in tan comforters.

Her own wounds haven't been taken care of yet though everyone insisted she should go to the hospital.

I can tell the wounds hurt, with her watering eyes and subtle wincing. She hides her pain well enough though.

I yawn, my body slouched, ready to fall into the fluffy bed sheets

But I try to mask my exhaustion with a grin. “Hey…”

“You're exhausted,” she murmurs.

I guess that was already obvious. “Yeah…” I plop down beside her. “I'm just glad the kids are safe, fed and asleep.” I sigh. “Now, I hope the kids in the hospital end up okay.”

“Yes… me too…” She squints, the light reflecting in her one open eye making the fire burn bright. “Those kids don't deserve to experience this.”

My heart aches at the image of dreamscreechers chasing crying children. “Yeah. That was brutal,” I nod slowly. “No kid should have to see that.”

Clara takes in a shaky breath. “No…” She glances away, the fire in her eye dimming. “That shit is not right at all. I'm not sure why those dreamscreechers are doing that. No wonder people think they're evil.”

“Maybe there's an explanation for all of this.” I assure her. “It seemed like they wanted someone. Someone who betrayed them.”

“Yeah.” She doesn't look up to me. “A traitor.”

I squeeze her shoulder as she snaps her head up to me. Her one open eye shines over and widens.

“It’ll be okay,” I soothe. “ I know I’ve seen a good dreamscreecher before. We’ll help them. Maybe the rest of their kingdom is experiencing the same kind of havoc too.”