Bloodrush (Scarlet Star Trilogy #1)

Chapter 24 - A Long Drop and a Short Stop

'Karrigan caught me again. Wanted to know why I was spending so much time with Merion. Rumours had started spreading. The boy had been heard talking to himself on many an occasion. Told him I was teaching him the ways of the world. Karrigan slapped me. Told me I was a guard, not a tutor. I bowed and scraped, but I won't be beaten. I've never been beaten. I'll just be smarter.'

2nd June, 1867

Merion wasn't sure what he abhorred the most: the cold water on his clammy skin or the hot fingers of daylight prying open his skull by the sockets.

'Almighty ...!' Merion managed to choke out some blasphemy before his aunt threw another cup of water on him.

'Your Almighty's got nothing to do with it, Tonmerion Hark. Get out of bed this instant!'

This was worse than the bat blood, he swore. Merion felt as though he had a dozen stomachs, and each of them was trying to crawl out of him through a different exit. And his head, oh his head. He didn't even want to admit it was attached to his body. His swollen brain knocked against the inside of his skull with every twitch and jolt. They say you never forget your first hangover. They are absolutely right.

Merion shuddered as he got to his feet. The confusion hit him almost as hard as the dizziness, along with the very tempting urge to vomit all over his aunt and her bucket of cold water. The wine had made a dark, fuzzy hole of last night. All he could remember was muttered words, scraps of song, and sickly sweet alcohol. Merion tried to piece together their tendrils while his aunt ranted.

'... to open the door for the coachman. Poor man, having to drag you to the doorstep in your state ... And this room! What have you done with my books? Why are they here? And what is that in the corner?' Lilain wrinkled her lip, and thought better of investigating. It was all Merion could do to shrug.

'The nerve of those bastard Serpeds! Getting a thirteen-year-old boy into such a state. It's disgusting! What exactly where they plying you with?'

'Wine.'

'Wine indeed.'

'And brandy, I think,' added Merion. 'Calidae was drinking too ...'

Lilain turned a slightly darker shade of red. Veins had appeared at her hairline. Her eyes were blazing with anger. She said nothing.

'Ouch,' Merion sighed, rubbing a tender forehead.

'Ouch indeed,' Lilain curled her lip. 'You're an embarrassment and a disgrace, Merion. What would your father have said, if he were here?'

Merion flashed her a look that warned of dangerous territory, but Lilain was having none of it. She was too angry for that. 'He would have given you the rod, no doubt. But I have other methods of punishment.'

'Punishment? It isn't as if I wanted this to ...' Merion spluttered.

Lilain whirled on him. 'Did Calidae Serped pour the wine in your mouth, as well as your glass, nephew, hmm? Did they force it down your throat? Tie you to a chair and empty flagons down your throat?'

'No.'

'I thought not. Which means you're just as in the wrong as they are, aren't you?'

Merion nodded in reply. All he wanted was to be left alone so he could die quietly under his blanket. There was to be no such luck.

'What if you had said something in your addled state, have you thought about that? Told them all about your bloodrushing, or Lurker for that matter, or of your time with the Shohari? Did you ever stop drinking to think about where you were and the ears that were listening? I don't think you did. Merion, you are too important and too naive to be getting fast and loose with the truth around people of such power, and connection. Do you understand me?'