Fractured Soul

Chapter 33: Burning Guilt

Myra was worried about her two house guests. Mella hadn't uttered a word since she had kicked Roxas out of her room. The prince spent his time in the spare bedroom, reading, or staring out the window, his sapphire eyes filled with grief and guilt.

"How is she?" Myra and Roxas both asked after Rei had stopped by to check on her.

"She's slowly getting better. She's asleep again." There wasn't much any of them could do to stop burn-out spells. It just had to run its course, which meant…

"It's going to get worse again, isn't it?" Roxas asked quietly.

"Possibly. It depends if that was part of the spell."

Roxas rolled his eyes at Rei. "This is Rin we're talking about. She definitely added whatever nasty things she could."

"Well…I don't know what to say. It is what it is, Highness. I'll be back later. Come get me if anything changes."

Rei left, and Roxas turned to go back to his room, the guilt clouding his expression again.

"Roxas, enough! Enough! You're beating yourself up over things you can't control. This isn't-"

"My fault? Myra, it is my fault. I'm the reason she got caught, the reason she got hurt. Hell, I'm the reason she's had to leave every place she's ever been!"

This was news to Myra. "Care to explain?"

"The spirits haven't forsaken me, like they have with my family. I heard that Rin somehow used Mella's curse to track her here, and I asked the spirits for a way to help her."

Roxas still remembered that day, as clearly as if it was happening right now…

♥      ♥      ♥      ♥      ♥      ♥

Rin's curse was compelling him to go up to the other spell tower, away from where he changed everything almost a year before. He could feel dark magic rippling and oozing out from under the doorway. Gently, he opened the door to see sickly green writing glowing everywhere. His sister was standing near the edge of it, staring intently at a starburst shaped mark scribbled into the stone. Her hair was flaming red, a sign she was controlling him.

"What do you-" Roxas started, but the curse made him fall silent. Rin barked five words and the words abruptly went out, the starburst steaming on the floor. She looked up at him.

" I've found her…we have a chance to fix your mistake. Have soldiers ready to go soon. Understand?" Rin ordered. Roxas nodded, but not out of his own free will.

He felt the effects of the curse start to fade away, just as Rin's hair started reverting back to its ghostly white. She wiped the star from the floor and walked up to Roxas until they were inches apart.

"You aren't going to screw this up again. We can fix, and control everything if we can get her powers."

"Rin, this isn't-" He started, but he was forced to be silent.

"What would you know? You're nothing more than a puppet. You don't even attempt to fight back!" Rin shot at him. "You're useless, Roxas. You don't even use your powers. Just go do what I told you, and leave it to me." Rin shoved past him and hurried downstairs, muttering about how she should have been born first.

She can't do this…that girl…whoever she is…she deserves better than what would happen if she came here. Roxas hurriedly scribbled a fire message that flickered and died, to be read by the barracks guard moments later. There has to be something I can do. Spirits, will you help me?