Changed

Chapter Twenty-One

We stood there smiling like idiots at our disappearing scars and bruises. A trifling giggle escaped from Quinn, pulling laughter out of all of our bodies. Our happiness was short lived when Hail decided to test our regeneration outside of the forest boundary. The minuscule cut he'd enforced on his palm with his pocket knife bled until he stepped back within the trees.

"Huh," He said, gazing unimpressed at his hand. "So outside of the forest our regeneration vanishes. Can you call that bird to you?" He asked Slate, wanting to test if their Virtues were still unusable within these trees.

Sure enough, Slate's attempts to lure the bird proved ineffective as the small feathered animal continued pecking at something invisible in ground before us - rapidly fleeing at the sound of our footsteps shuffling by.

"At least yours still work," He told me, his mouth curving into a slight smile.

I was fond of this side of Hail - the part of him that was kind, almost cocky, and optimistic. It seemed to be a side of him only I knew. To the others he was a stoic, emotionless leader, where survival was the first priority. I wondered what made him shift between the two personalities, as if he were two people yet one individual - not in a dementia kind of way. My eyes lingered on his face for a second to long, and I turned away as he caught me mid-gaze.

"Hey there pretty lady."

My head shot to the right of us, where I was presented with an adorable lopsided grin.

I was oblivious to what I was going to do when I was reunited with Alec, but as a searing heat inflamed my fingertips everyone knew rage was the only emotion I was capable of feeling at that moment. I could see Quinn nervously flick her eyes between Alec and I, debating whether she should step between us to cut through the almost visible tension.

"I almost died." I gritted through my teeth.

"But you didn't!"

"But I could've," I seethed. I was in front of him in seconds, gripping his arm. He winced as my literal scalding hot skin connected with his, but he held his stance.

"I'm sorry," He whispered, his voice almost shaking. The pain I was inflicting was affecting his strength, but I felt powerful.

Suddenly realizing what I was doing to him I jerked my hand off of his arm, leaving a red scorch mark that faded in seconds. I stared at my cooling fingertips, instantaneously regretting what I did to him. Without warning Alec wrapped his arms around me, his hand caressing the back of my head. My fingers warmed again, but for a different reason.

"I'm glad your okay." He breathed, as Hail's forced cough reduced his will to hold me.

"Who's with you?" Leader-Hail was back.

Alec stepped forward, nodding a greeting at Slate and Quinn. "Jay and Vienna. Ursula, Aldo and Clara just got to our little camp yesterday. Let's go, I'll lead us there."

We followed Alec through a short burst of trees until we got to a small clearing, where several sleeping bags were scattered around a fire pit that was currently occupied with grey ash and charred wood; mere leftovers from the previous night's bonfire.

"Guys," Alec started, turning to stand in front of us. "There's someone else here too. I don't want any of you to make rash assumptions, but I thin--"

Hail's wings tore through his back in a snap, and he flew over us - reenacting an elongated jump, slamming onto the ground in front of a familiar head of dreadlocks. In one swift motion fueled by fury and resentment, Hail clutched Roman's neck aggressively, spiraling him into the ground. They were barely visible in the cloud of dust, and before Roman could even process Hail's arrival, a powerful fist smashed into his jaw as he was pinned down defenseless.