With Broken Grace

Chapter three

I knew humans were curious creatures, but I should've opened with how much I enjoyed silence.

We'd been driving for what must've been an hour, and all I heard were Maven's endless questions, and a very interesting taste of music playing. I'd ask what it was, but I knew it'd only result in a very long-winded conversation that'd be hard to escape.

"So daddy kicked you out," Maven stated as she turned onto yet another deserted road. It was about the 5th time she came back to that point. Interesting considering it was the most simple fact.

I nodded once again to let her know I was listening. Not that there was much else for me to do. For a girl that had so many books back home, there wasn't a single one in her car. 

"Maybe it's a lesson of sorts, you did something bad and now you have to learn your lesson," she offered, which made me think.

I turned and looked at her. Most of the ride I'd been watching the outside world, watching the buildings and people turn to trees and birds. "Okay, that would make sense, except he made me forget what I did. I can't exactly make up for something if I can't even remember what I did."

Maven huffed, leaning back in her seat, slowing down at a stop sign. "What if that's part of the deal," she said, looking at me. The roads were empty so she could stop for as long as she needed to.

That stumped me, and I did as she did, sat back. My legs were a little too long for her car, resulting in my knees to be bent pretty severely. I cast my arms over them, clasping my hands together between my legs.

I tilted my head down, thinking. "part of the punishment maybe. I have to make amends without the purpose in my mind." I said it mostly to myself, but it was loud enough for Maven to hear me.

She turned her body to look at me, her hands in her lap. "I read in a book once about a situation like that." I shot her my best glare.

"I'm sorry, but my life is not some book." My tone was mean, but she didn't even seem to care, just giving me her own dirty look.

"I'm not saying it is jackass," she bit back. "I'm saying that the concept isn't foreign." She turned and begun driving again, taking a sharp turn. I'm 100% percent sure it was sharp so my side got whipped into the door. 

I watched Maven attempt to not laugh before continuing. "It's a type of punishment I'd say. Like, if you don't remember what was done, you'll act more selflessly." Maven took a glance at me with a dangerous smirk. "Were you a selfish angel Azrael?"

I just rolled my eyes and turned back to the window. I was not going to have a conversation about that with some girl who found me in a park.

Maven must've accepted my silence because she once more continued her explanation. "Whatever it is you did, your salvation is on this floating rock." She turned onto a gravel road that seemed to travel up a pretty steep hill. 

I sat up as straight as I could without bumping my head on the roof of her car, letting my eyes take in the area. Up at the top of the hill was, and I kid you not, a castle. It looked to be made of dark brick, I'd even guess obsidian. The two towers on each side must've been hundreds of feet tall, with a bridge exposed to nature connecting the top levels. 

I looked at Maven as she made the final turn to the top of the hill. "You have a friend who lives here, and you're in a ramshackle apartment?" I made sure she could hear my criticism. 

Maven parked in the lot close to the giant dark oak double doors. "Shut up," She grumbled as she got out. I followed suit, laughing internally at her tone.

She started towards the door, which I casually followed, decently impressed by the home. It was fairly remote, the only thing around it were trees as far as the eye could see. Either this guy hated people, or was doing something despicably illegal. Possible both by the size of the lock on his front door.