Indigo's Owl [Indigo Rewrite]

Chapter 29 - Proposals

When Shift came into her room an hour later to ask about tonight's Owling, Athira lied.

"I need to skip tonight," she said, transitioning into the next stance of her combat yoga sequence, using it to steady her thoughts. "Raph has a point. I should sleep, and Rathe seems to be worn out after his tantrum today."

He wasn't. Rathe was still prowling down in the Below, snapping at every bite of annoyance that passed through her mind, and was kept at bay only by Talon's efforts.

"If you're sure," said Shift, tapping his hand against the door frame. "I'll be in my room if you change your mind. Feel free to wake me up until the usual time we turn in."

He left.

Athira finished two more sets of combat yoga. She told herself that she wasn't stalling, that she was waiting until everyone except Kione was asleep — but when the time came and she was reluctant to stuff the balls of clothes she'd prepared under her blankets, she was forced to admit she was lying to herself.

You don't have to do this, said Talon quietly in the back of her head. You could, y'know, actually just get some sleep.

Athira's fingers curled around her amulet. I have to. If the Surges start again—

Today's Surge caught both of us off guard, said Talon. And you still pulled yourself out of it.

What if I can't next time?

Talon fluttered closer, the soft touch of his feathers brushing against her mind.

Your mindscape is stronger than it's ever been, Thira, and it's all because of them, he said. The sunbeam was nice, but this tree? It's growing like crazy. It took a real beating from Rathe today, but I'm pretty sure it did more damage to Rathe than Rathe did to it. That wooden bench I told you about broke at one point, but it's back together now. And, dare I even say it, I even occasionally spot an Orange notebook and a few nice-looking boulders around the place.

It was a good argument, but there was one thing that Talon hadn't accounted for.

None of that matters if my runes break, said Athira, glancing at the still-flickering Blue marks along her arms. And you know just as well as I do what happen if they do.

We don't know that for sure, said Talon, but Athira felt his uncertainty.

He'd seen the memory.

He knew what they were hiding.

I can't risk it, said Athira, finally stuffing the clothes beneath her blankets as she found her resolve. If anything happens to them, especially because of me... She trailed off, a lump catching in her throat. I have to do whatever I can to protect them, even if they'll hate me for it.

Talon didn't have a response for that.

*+*+*+*

It took Athira less than an hour to complete Chief's favour.

With the proof acquired, she headed back to the Underground. The guards took one look at her and stepped aside without a word, which in her current mood, saved them from having their backsides find the floor.

The same teenage boy as last time was waiting by the elevator doors, ready to lead her straight to Chief. Athira hadn't looked at him long enough before to notice the scars that peeked out beneath his clothes, but now Shift had pointed it out, they were all too obvious.

When they reached the top of the stairs, out of earshot from most people in the Underground, Athira shaped a small Black crystal into her palm and held it out.