Crossblood - Completed

Chapter 33

Moon lays in a ball on the torn wooden floor, it's planks worn and white from use. His screams echo in my ears as time rushes by in a blur, a sick melody played on broken keys, the sharp pitch shattering my fine china heart. Andrew tries to calm the distraught boy as Kai stands in the corner, wide-eyed in horrified shock at the scene his brother is causing.

Daddy's coming back.

The broken record replays in my mind, three words that have my teeth grinding and palms in whitening fists. My eyes meet Clide's for a brief moment, his gaze turning away from Moon as liquid brims at the corners of his eyes.

"Moon..." As I take a step forward Andrew is knocked back, a ring of fire circling around Kaiien and Moon on the already charred ground. A closer look at the flames reveals the faint form of a lion, the beast jumping towards us before pacing around Moon.

The black haired boy sits trembling in the midst of his mess, his hands clawing at his hair as he holds himself in an injured ball, eyes wide with fear when he finally looks up. "Dad! Dad! Andrew!" Each terrified scream breaks a new piece out of me, his tears evaporating from the sudden heat of the burning room. I step closer, avoiding James's hushed warning and immediately regretting the decision.

The lion pounces, flames devouring the table and biting at my arm as Moon's screams become mere background noise to my own. Though the lion fades the pain doesn't, Moon quieting and staring at his quivering fingers before running towards my falling figure. Never has the floor seemed so comfortable, the cooling wood soothing the unbearable pain shooting up my forearm. "Julius," He attempts to pick up my arm but I draw back, the hurt noticeable in his eyes as he slowly drops the damaged limb, scooting away on the blackened wood. "I-I'm sorry...please..."

"What even-"

I'm stopped by the authority of Andrew's tone, his hands clawing at his biceps as he stares at his shaking son curled up on the floor. "Moon," He barely breathes, lips trembling too much for even a shaky sigh to escape. "Moon, this is what I was talking about. Your magic is too strong and uncontrollable for you to let your emotions get the best of you."

"I-I-"

"He d-didn't know." I step in through clenched teeth, the metallic flavor of blood flooding my mouth and pounding against my throbbing skull.

Andrew rubs at the silver scar along his neck, avoiding Moon on his way to my aid. "He could've killed you."

"He didn't."

"I can fix him." Moon finally pipes up, red lines drawn along his cheeks where his tears had fallen. He gives me a shy smile, lips shaking worse than his hands as he crawls closer to me, nimble fingers hovering over my skin as he awaits my permission.

"Will it be worse? When he comes?" He nods slightly, gingerly detaching my hand from the wound and placing his own burning hand to the damaged skin.

"Can everyone leave? Except you, Kai." I'm barely aware of the other souls in the room, my main focus being on Moon and his well being. The others leave one by one, a petrified Kaiien the only person remaining in a dust covered corner.

"I'm s-scared." Moon's head falls southward towards my lap at his brother's words, silent tears rolling off his cheeks before he turns to Kai.

"We'll be okay."

"Then why did you make everyone leave?"

Moon seems pained by the response, his grip tightening on my fragile arm before he answers the frail boy sitting on his knees, legs bruised and thighs lightly burned from earlier's show. "I wasn't comfortable just- is your arm alright?" I nod awkwardly, the blinding pain becoming too much to handle.