Page 5 of Blood and War
“He always knows.” A beautiful smile graced her features as she reached into a hidden pocket in her skirt, producingthe item she’d been hiding. “Don’t you, old friend.” His ears perked forward as she extended her hand to him, the carrot disappearing in mere moments. Atlas nickered at her again and she scratched the middle of his forehead. “You’re lucky to have each other.”
“I know.” She knew it. Had watched as it got harder and harder for people to keep animals as pets. When food supply was so scarce it was tough to keep an animal in good health. If it didn’t produce something, it made no sense to keep them around. Now, everything had to have a purpose, whether that be food or protection. Very few people kept animals as pets these days, most having set theirs free in the early years to fend for themselves. It was common to see packs of the now feral animals roaming beyond the walls.
Demitria didn’t know how, but Atlas seemed to manage fine without any proper feed. He’d thrived on the weeds that, while inedible to her kind, had proved to be enough to sustain his large frame. She often found herself wondering if it was because he truly was so much more different than the creatures that belonged on their planet. If his heritage, wherever the hell that may be, had him evolving faster. After the initial pushback from the residents, it had been a relief for those close to her when he’d continued to flourish. They’d formed an unbreakable bond during the months she’d spent healing him, and he brought out the best in her.
“You know… not everything in this world is black and white.” Blinking, Demitria’s eyes found Stella. She’d been so lost in thought that she hadn’t noticed the woman had already begun preparing the soil for planting until she spoke. “Good or evil. What does that really mean, anyway? We kill for the sake of what… good?” She rambled, but Demitria stood there, listening to what the woman had to say. “Does that make us any different? Truly?” Stella’s hand stilled in the dirt for a moment.“Sometimes… change is good, too. Sometimes you just need to give it a chance.”
“I don’t know what you mean?” Stella’s words had confused her, more than they should have. Standing from the edge of the garden bed, the woman ambled around an old oak table as she sorted the seeds.
“It won’t be easy, but you’d do well to give it a chance.” She repeated herself. “It’s a difficult road, but hope. You need hope.” Without saying another word, Stella disappeared into the back of the greenhouse.
Demitria loved Stella, there was no doubting that. But she wondered at times if the Ascension had muddied her thoughts like it had done to so many others. She imagined it had been harder on the older population when the demons came. They’d all had more to lose, and at least from what little of the world she’d seen up until this point, it was the younger crowd that seemed to have adapted better. With a shrug, they left the greenhouse. Atlas once more happily plodded behind. She’d settle him before finding Jace. Hoisting her lithe body up into the saddle, she let the reins fall free around his neck. She wasn’t technically in a hurry, and the rhythm of his walk was one of the few things that seemed to calm her most days, silencing the thoughts that tended to come swarming back, no matter how many walls she’d raised against them.
Three
DEMITRIA
Demitria found herself wandering the community in search of Jace a few hours later. Having tried three separate locations, he hadn’t been at either. For the fifth time, she came upon the gate. Smiling once more at Tyler, the same Guardian on watch when they’d returned, she gave another sheepish wave.
“Have you seen Jace?” She finally called to him.
“He was at the Smith’s about ten minutes ago, not sure if he’d still be there, though.” Ocean-blue eyes watched her, waiting for her to move. “Everything alright? I’d be happy to help with whatever you need.” She groaned, having been therefifteenminutes prior. The Smith’s hadn’t been anything fancy, but it did the job. With the Guardians and their need for weapons, they’d needed someone to deal with forging and repairing. Although quaint, the job had always been done well. A hobby, in another life, she’d wager. The Guardian smiled, and she hesitated to return it. Too friendly. More than his usual.
“Everything is fine.” Demitria forced herself to chuckle. Jace must have mentioned something about her mood earlier, and Demitria made a mental note to have a word with him about that, too. “Just wanted to talk to him is all.” Shoulders raised ina shrug, Demitria gave a curt nod before turning swiftly on her heels, beginning the path to her new destination.
“I’m here if you ever need me!” She cursed under her breath. The boy had always been kind to her since he and his family had come to Solis, but even this was beyond his normal. Unsure on who else Jace had found the time to conveniently chat with, Demitria kept quiet as she ducked left down a short pathway. Refusing to meet the eyes of anyone else around as she continued.
Having worked out in her favor, Jace had been exactly where Tyler had said he’d be. Jace was deep in conversation with their smith, Evan. The man’s hair had grayed quickly upon his arrival to Solis, and he had a tendency to keep it cut short to his scalp. Despite his age, the muscling in his forearms was prominent as he demonstrated his newest creation to her friend.
Casually leaning against the doorway, Demitria crossed her arms as she waited for them to finish. Interrupting would earn her a stern scolding from Evan, and that was something she wasn’t in the mood for. Fixating on a loose thread at the hem of her dark shirt, she waited. The flames of the forge crackled in the center of the room. The heat leeched several degrees warmer into the street. Her eyes wandered the room. An array of weapons adorned the walls around them. His creations were impressive, she’d give him that. The sword he’d made her two years prior had been the best she’d ever wielded, and having been thrust into a Guardian role from the early stages of Solis, she’d handled a lot. Demitria wasn’t sure when, or even how, but the smith had found the time to engrave delicate detailing into the edge of the blade. A mixture of florals and greenery. It was beautiful, and she quite often found herself regretting having to dirty it every single time.
Demitria hadn’t been waiting long when the smith noted her presence. With a slight nod, he motioned her over.
“I was just showing Jace my newest.” Evan held the blade out toward her, and she eyed it up carefully. Beautiful, but not like the one upon her hip. “Glad to see yours is still serving you well.” The smile lit up his harsh features. Having lost his entire family before his very eyes in the beginning, Evan had suffered more than anyone ever should. He hadn’t been able to do a damn thing about it and was the only survivor, forced to live on when everything he’d ever cared about had been ripped from his grasp. He’d been bound and forced to watch by the sadistic creatures that ended their lives in a heartbeat. Demitria had only ever heard him talk about his family once when he’d first arrived after spending a night in the tavern, the wound still fresh in his mind. He had a wife and two little boys. Evan claimed that they hadn’t suffered. That it was over quickly for them all, and that was more than anyone could ask for. Maybe it was better that way. Better that the children didn’t have to grow up in a world where they lived in constant fear. Fear of the next attack. The next raid. Their world was no place for a child, not anymore.
“I take it with me everywhere.” Playing with the pommel of the sword, she returned the smile. That very weapon had saved her life more times than she could count.
“She does. I don’t think I’ve ever actually seen her without it. She sleeps with it on her nightstand.” From beside the smith, Jace’s laughter filled the shop. It was infectious, and the smith was laughing along with him. Demitria hadn’t found it particularly funny. After everything they’d been through, she was well within her limits to be paranoid at night. Having the blade within arm’s reach was comforting in a way. Helped her sleep at night.
“It is a fine blade. One of my best. How does this one feel?” Evan tossed the newest in her direction, and it landed swiftly in her hands. She waved it around, testing it. Feeling the weight of it in her hands. It was heavier than hers, the blade a goodsix inches longer. Demitria already knew it would be deadly, but still, she preferred her own.
“I like this one.” She told him, “But mine feels more balanced. This one is too heavy for me.” She handed the weapon back to him.
“I figured you would say something like that.” He shrugged, placing it back down on the counter behind him. “Which is why it wasn’t meant for you. This however, was.” Hanging on a hook was a plain, brown leather sheath. Only the handle of the blade peeked out the top. Snagging it off the wall, Evan tossed it toward her and she caught it with ease. “I had you in mind when I made it.” Another smile spread across his face. Evan loved what he did. It was probably one of the few things that brought him true joy these days.
Unsheathing the weapon, her own lips tugged up into a smile at the sight of it. He’d designed a near identical blade to the sword, down to the intricate detailing, but in the form of a dagger. Where her sword’s detailing descended down the outer edge of the blade however, the one on the dagger ran along the middle, reaching to the pointed tip. Demitria turned it over in her fingers, admiring the beautiful work of art in her palms.
“Don’t encourage her with weapons.” Jace could only groan as he watched their interaction. But he knew her role. Had been the one to put her in the position of Guardian so many years ago, and as such, it was only logical for her to have weapons. “Can’t you just be repulsed by the fact that you have to use that?” His brows gathered and a pained expression crossed his face. Demitria knew he regretted it the moment the words had left his lips, but it stung regardless.
She was silent for only a moment. “Did you really just ask me that?” She would like nothing more than to be sickened by the fact that she had to kill something. But she couldn’t. Wouldn’t feel sorry for those monsters. Not when they’d takeneverything from her. “You know exactly why I can’t sit back and do nothing.”
Jace just stood there, listening as she scolded him
“As our leader, you put yourself in danger every single day. I refuse to let you go out there alone and sit back and not do a thing when IknowI can make a difference too.” Because every damn time he went beyond those walls without her, a piece of her ached. When he met with other community’s leaders without her there. She didn’t know whether any of them had good intentions or not, but as their leader, Jace took that chance time and time again. So, she did her part. She settled into her role as Guardian years ago and fought for those that couldn’t. Protected those that couldn’t.
“I know.” He sighed, the sound weighing heavy on her. She hated getting mad at him, but sometimes when he said stupid shit like this, it couldn’t be helped. “Everything looks great Evan, we’ll get out of your way.” She turned from Jace, eyes meeting Evan’s for a fleeting moment before Jace did the same.
Raising his hand in a quick wave, Jace’s free arm wrapped around her shoulders as he led her outside. They walked in silence for a few blocks. They passed by the small homes of the community, all lit up by candlelight ahead of the oncoming night sky. Jace nodded at the residents as they walked, not stopping to talk with anyone. A trait that was very unlike him, but she was grateful for it tonight.
