Better as Bones

kind - XVIII

Nyx

It was in the early morning. Malo's hands calloused as he went about the chores. Scrubbing, cleaning, preparing. I holed tightly in the dark of the room. I could hurt anyone. I don't care if I hurt anyone.

Cassius was seated. His paws thrummed anxiously on the grooves of the wood. A woman sat across from him. Her hair was wrapped, shielded from sunlight in a cloth of rays. Her milky flesh seemed to taste as such, if I could reach through the haze. A milky brown matching the paint on her lips. Her lashes curled softly beneath the sunlight. Gold.

Rotting. My guts were rotting. This...she was the one they left me for. The famed Lady Sorrel. Her light laugh, the lift of her hand in delicate procession. She stole away Mother. She stole away Cassius.

He sat there. Across from her. His tail flicked. Golden brown fur, toasted in the sunlight. It brightened his eyes softly fern. His own mouth curled. Whiskers twitching. Eyes pressing closed. Why was he acting as such?

My ears burned. I felt the maggots within my guts. They squirmed in my stomach lining, eating away holes. Their grubby bodies made my throat tighten. I tasted sour.

"Why Cassius!" She laughed. It was sickening. Honey lathered lies. "I'm sure we can get some students to come. No need to go to that extent!" Students? I had barely heard a word of the Lady of the Meadow since Mother and Brother fled. And now this? Students? Children would be taught by these monsters?

"Yes, swiftly." Cassius dipped his head. My stomach crawled at his grin. He was joyful. He. The one who left. Abandoned. Was joyous. Joyous at the words of the betrayal.

Why was he joyful? Why wasn't he writhing with regret? He had forgotten me so swift? I was that forgettable? He. Forgot. Of his own sibling? Mother? Where was she? Did she forget me too?

I clambered at his side. My hands brushed the wooden chair Cassius sat upon. It carved through my fingertips. It tore my prints.

It wasn't fair. It isn't fair. He got to be happy. He got to forget. I had to live through it all. Everyday. Every moment. I had to drown myself in indulgences to survive. He got power. He got laughter and grins. He got it. He got everything. He didn't even know what he had. He was selfish. Selfish. Die. Die Cassius die. You betrayer. You liar.

How dare you forget your own. How dare you forget me. How dare. I'll make you remember. I promise I'll recall my face to you. You'll remember me and die. You'll writhe. You'll scream. You'll beg at my feet. You will not forget me. I promise you that.

My head slammed. Fingers crawled around my brow. I stumbled back. The shelves in front of me rattled. The blurs of damp color dot. Breath rubbed my lips. Oh....

Noise ripped in my throat. It bled. I threw the shelves down. Paper sliced my palms as I ripped it from the wall. How dare he. Damp dark flooded my eyes.

I spun. Someone is knocking? My fingers yanked open the door. It was cold. Not warm. Cold. She stood there. Her hair was tied back. Her dress was short. I had seen her many times. She said she understands.

Her touch brushed my jaw. I slammed her back. Her lungs flattened. Her joints clicked as her shirt tightened. She glanced up at me. Big eyes. Sad eyes. Worried eyes.

"What is it?" She whispered. I gritted my teeth. How dare she treat me with pity. Worry. "How can I help?" I collapsed back. Limbs hooked over the table. A noise peeled away from my throat. Her soft face closed near mine.

"Give me you," I murmured. Her hair was stringy in my mouth. I spat it out. I took up her hand, pressing her down to the table. Her eyes flashed once more. "Allow me?" She pushed me back. I stumbled. Fingers caught my head as she seethed. Laughter raked my throat.

"Tell me, I can help," She begged. Nearing. Laughter.

"Give me you." She took my wrist. I was thrown onto the table. Her eyes turned hard. Elbows hooked into the piles of paper. The records of lies.

"No." She slammed the door. I panted. A grin crept from my teeth. No? Fine. I didn't need her. I had the entire world at my disposal.

The bar was loud. Violets and blues blurred from the light of the night. Voices slid into my ears. My body was shaking. My vision was blurred. Heat rose in my chest. The quiet of the room soothed any whispers in my mind. The cacophony caused them to rise.

Fingernails scraped flesh. Wet tinted blood trickled into my ear. I stumbled. Bodies brush my sides. I tripped over limbs. Darkness as I groaned. Something grabbed me. My eyes flung open.

His face was a blur. I couldn't see much. His hair was loose around his eyes. Dark. His hands pressed. He smelled of liquor and sweat.

"Are you okay?" His voice was muffled in my ear. Warm breath. My tongue flicked my lip. He pulled back, concerned. Something played on my lips. Raising hand, I brushed his jaw. He staggered back. Still pressed to me.

Stitch. Stitching. Sadness framed to feature. He pulled closer. He felt soft.

"No," I murmured. My voice shook with feign. He leaned in. Stifle the grin. Fingers brushed his neck. He swallowed beneath me. "You'll help me, won't you?" Glancing up, big eyed. His breath faltered. My hand kept tracing. Lower. Slower.

"I—" He hesitated. Eyes flicked down. Frowning. Up. Big eyed. His breathing was quick. "You're the Gold-Eyed. The seer." Nodded sadly. "People say you use them for sex and money."

Stopped. Slowed. People...

"People will say anything that gets them pity. I can't help their emotions when they deny my truth." His breathing stilled normal. My lips pinched. Glancing up. His shoulders tightened. Good.

"And you'll use me as such?" He whispered. Hum stuck in my throat. Dragging. Tugging on his dark shirt.

"You won't make me feel better then?" Scrunching up my face. Turned. His hand brushed my shoulder. Gasping. Shaking shoulders. Chimeric tears. "Oh." He turned me. I cover my eyes. Wiping. Reddened, I glance. His mouth is opened.

"At least tell me more," He said. "I don't even know your name." I collapsed. He hesitated. Burying my face into his chest. "An all-knowing being must have some name?"

"All," I whispered. All-knowing...

"All? That's your name?" Glancing up. I tugged at his hem. Grinning.

"I have a room in the back," I murmured. My hand brushed lower. He just looked at me. "You'll be kind?" His chest tightened. "I'll tell you everything..."