Dream Walker✔️

6.8

"I can't get a clear shot. Move it," Ren snapped.

Saefera still hadn't budged. Her claws curled around my head were the only thing stopping Ren's bullet.

"Phoenixes are supposed to be a lot bigger than us." She lowered her head to look me in the face, and her brows furrowed. "You sure this is her? I mean, she really smells human. If this Mars goddess is so sneaky, maybe she threatened this girl or brainwashed her and made her impersonate Mars."

I wasn't opposed to that interpretation of events. I tried to look as helpless and pleading as possible, which wasn't particularly hard, seeing as that was exactly how I felt.

Ren scoffed. "I've met her before. This is her. Just move your paw, damn it."

Something clanked in the direction of Aster's cage. Even if he was angry at me, he couldn't want me dead. He would try to save me, but I doubted he would be able to free himself. If this went badly—as I suspected it might—he would be as helpless to stop my death as I was.

"Look," Saefera said with a sigh, "if you're right, I'll step aside, but you can't just kill her if there's any doubt."

"I think I know the face of my sister's killer."

I winced. Liv was dead. I'd suspected as much, but I hadn't wanted it to be true because it gave Ren yet another reason to be murderous. Still, I might be able to use this knowledge to my advantage with Saefera.

"Liv is dead because you and her helped Frozen Tooth kill dozens of people, and she was executed for it by their chief. That's not my fault."

"Ren-"

Ren cut Saefera off. "Who are you going to believe, me or a stranger? She did this to me, and she killed Liv, so move aside."

I scoffed, but my nose panged, and I ended up biting back tears. "I can't believe I thought you were just a misguided kid. You're a full-blown psychopath."

Ren crouched to shove the gun in my face. It wasn't a clear enough shot to kill me, but he could probably take off a good portion of my jaw if he fired. "You and Frozen Tooth are the murderers, not me. At least, not yet."

My stomach lurched into my throat.

Saefera took her second forepaw off my back and used it to block Ren's gun. "I'm not helping you do this without any proof she's anything but a defenseless human. And this whole brainwashing thing—phoenixes are flame dragons, not voids. It would make more sense if Aster was brainwashing her."

"He's not." I couldn't get Aster dragged into this any more than I already had. "He doesn't brainwash people."

Another clank brought the attention to Aster, which he had to know was a horrible idea. Somehow, he must've removed his gag, because he shouted, "I do. She doesn't know what she's talking about. How would she? I've got her wrapped around my little finger. Anything she did to you or your sister or anyone else, I made her do. She's innocent."

"Shut up," I shouted back. "You're not helping."

"She never had powers, either. I made it look like she did with an illusion. She's just a useless human puppet. Don't give her the credit for my abilities."

"For the love of sanity, stop-"

Saefera snarled, and Ren jumped to his feet.

He waved the gun between us. "Both of you, shut up. Aster, you'll be free in a few moments once your master is dead." He took a breath and leaned toward Saefera, pincer dripping with venom.

She jerked back, and the weight of her claws disappeared from my back. "Why-"

I struggled to push myself to my hands and knees. The gashes in my back twinged with every breath. An age passed as I dragged myself to my feet.