What was Lost and Found in the Fire

Ch. 8 Can't Forget and Won't Forgive

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Sang's/Little Pink Pearl's POV    

Location: Dontavion's Playhouse, NV

Date: 2 years, 9 months after The Kidnappings

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Suspicion courses through my veins.

Something is wrong...some scent in the air, a tingle of intuition...

I sit in the library, reading about different types of botanical elixirs that will increase healing times. 

It's just a bit of light reading, I've already done a good amount of studying on the subjects of poison's, and venom's and potions of all kinds, I just need a distraction...

Something has me on the edge of my seat.

Even as my mind absorbs the information in the book, a prickle of worry has me buzzing.

My mind wanders to the conversation I had with Leninora a few months ago.

~Flashback~

"We need to talk, Pinky." Len tells me, with a lopsided smile. The term Pinky comes out as an endearment, and I smile fondly at her. She smiles back widely, but it's groggy, like she's looking through a fog of sleep.

We walk through my garden together, arms linked, to our favorite sitting spot. The garden is completely boxed in, with the walls of the building on 2 sides. Where the garden meets the end of the 2 sides, it's fenced in with iron.

Not unlike a birdcage, the iron rises up from the earth to connect to the building, creating a dome over my head.

Inside I have my own vegetable garden, some pretty flower beds, and a grouping of cacti Dontavion had surprised me with last year on my "Rebirth Day."

He can be so romantic.

Bushes in shapes of animals and huge rows of flowers obscure the small pond in the middle. Roman had cleared some of the foliage and I'd procured some floofy-ploofy beaded pillows  and puffed chaise lounge chairs and a hammock in a very bohemian style to create our sitting area.

We sit in the hammock together, and just enjoy the mild winter-y weather. The summers here are scorching, and Dontavion takes to switching out my vaguely child-like clothes for more sheer and revealing outfits. 

Either way, it was a refreshing day when we had that particular conversation.

"You and the others need to start being extra careful." Len breaks our comfortable silence, "We are just about ready to move into the next level of our plan."

She moves around, and places her head on my lap, and I run my fingers through her pale tresses. She's been increasingly distant lately, and less in the moment. 

I'd soaked in her affection and calmness that day.

"No matter what I say or do next, you can't trust me." I pause in my stroking and look down at her, "What do you mean?" I ask.

She sighs and shakes her head, "I think Dontavion is growing suspicious. I sent a letter to my Mother on the last mission and one of Don's goonies may have seen my move. Not only that, but Rhonda being so close to you isn't helping anything. We went too fast."

I rub my fingers over her temple, like I'd seen her do when she gets a headache, and she grunts softly.

"No matter what, I have your back." I tell her softly, "We'll give you space and continue working toward the goal. Rhonda's working on weapons so we can protect ourselves, Sonny and Roman are working on separating and diverting loyalties with Dontavions guards. Kay'ari has her kids now, and it's given her hope that you are good on your word. She'll be able to focus harder on her part in this mess."