Whipping Girl

Chapter 27: It's Cold Down Here

It seemed many were intrigued to be reached out to by our nice pack of alpha werewolf assassins. Some in a potentially good way, some not so much. 


I held the various papers in my hand. Had I not gotten so many back I would not have realized how different paper can be depending on what world you are from. Some had texture, some smooth, some thick, some so thin they were almost see through. Some opaque and the color of bone, others like the color of a hide tanned in the sun. One, the color of midnight with glowing ink that was a bit hard to read in the light. So I moved to a very shady tree as I tried to read it and continue to sort through each response.


This tree, it reminded me of the blood trees native to Devaleon. Like those trees, it held larger red fruit. Yet unlike them, the bark was not nearly as easy to spot and these red fruit did not burst with blood if touched in just the right way. Instead they were more firm and smelled sweet instead of rust like. I missed the blood trees. 
 

My hand brushed against the glowing words once more, rubbing the sandy feeling dark paper which held them.  This response, was of the less positive type. Though I didn't know exactly how to sort it, due to some confusing verbiage in it. Which left me a little baffled. I didn't know where to place it, as I was trying to organize from most positive to least, and even though it wasn't a good answer, it wasn't a bad one either. It kind of made no sense.

 
'Have Even Life Prosper, here, we'd still not need such kinship.'


Why write it in all caps and with such off grammar?


I reread the words and sentence, over and over.


The kishi knew and wrote in Terra english quite regularly for political reasons, so it made no sense. This letter was from them and their Queen, Queen Aefre of the Mocamedis realm. I'd met her in the past at Devaleon, and even in youth she was so elegant and perfectionistic. 


"Why would sh-"


"Why would who?" Words echoed against my ear. From the deep familiar voice of Elias. I quickly shoved the black paper in my back pocket. Then tilted my head to look at him. 


"No one." I responded. 


He gave me a slow small flirtatious smile. Showing more than a couple extra canines in the front. Eyes bright even in the shade. 


"What are you doing?" He questioned. 


I sighed. 


Elias propped down next to me, one leg rested against mine. His arm also against my shoulder as he attempted to read the letter in front. Quite a bit too close for comfort considering his well known intentions. 


I growled. Immediately it felt like weights ripping at my throat. I had forgotten to use something else to hide the aggression and so the pull was hitting me with full force. 


I grit my teeth together tight to hide the cough begging to come out. 

With his freehand he went to pat my head but I jerked away. 


"What are you doing Yeona?" He asked again. 


I whispered, "Making... friends."


The pull began to cease. A coolness covered my neck, stiffening it, only relaxed by the burning heat that radiated off of Elias. As if he knew how it affected me. Which I doubt. More like pure coincidence. 

Or fate. 


Elias joked, even chuckling slight, "Friends come with enemies."


I nodded in agreement, but did not agree at all. 


"Elias, I couldn't have more enemies than I already do."


He pressed himself further against my side, as he moved his face closer to mine. His nose nearly touched my cheek. 


He chastised, "Don't say I didn't warn you."


I turned to face him. Tapping his cheek with my right hand. Three soft friendly pats.

I respond, "Says the man all alone in his tower," he looked way, but I continue, "with only his crown fro comfort." 

"Hah." He breathes out. His eyes glowing now. 


Fire surrounded us. 


Not a small fire. Big enough to start burning the tree. My own breath hitches in my throat. I drop the papers into my lap. Then use magic with my hand quickly to create multiple connected shields that I could form over the flames, to slam into the flames and press them out. Using the magic so fast wasn't smart. Immediately I can feel the stinging everywhere, like I was whipping myself. I couldn't stop from flinching as the pain hit me so sharp. 


"Who's the fool now?" He complains. His face red. Probably from using magic just as quick too-- to start the instigating fire.  If his kingdom had seen the fit he just threw.


I laugh. 


Elias moves his limbs off of me, turning to sit in a criss-cross position and rest his hands on his knees. He glances at me then a little up toward the landscape ahead of us. Trees and mountain and hills. 


"Finally."  He whispers. 


I look over at him, his scar, and think of the past. It's another moment before I take a deep breath. Grab half of the papers and place them in his lap. He doesn't look at me even as the papers make some wisp like noises as the wind passes by them. 


"Help me sort." I ask. Deciding it be best we at least do some work if he's going to be here awhile. 


He picks up the papers, looks at them for a moment. Tilting his head. I can barely see his face to know his reaction, but by the stiffening of his shoulders, it couldn't be good. 


I start to reach out to grab them back in regret, but he grabs the ones in my lap first then shoves the whole stack in my hand. He shakes his head. 


"I warned you." 


He's already up and standing, walking away at a human's pace, his hand up in the air in a waving motion. I think to let me know he was leaving. 


I look down at the papers. Annoyed, of course he'd be so high and mighty. To not even so-. 


Black catches my eye. The paper on top is black. 


It's the one I had hidden behind me. 


Past that paper, was another letter that wasn't originally up top either. Past that, another. I look through them further, and other then the black letter up top, they were all sorted. He must have used magic... where's the heart in that?


Yet I can't hide the slight shiver running down my spine. 


Why did he put this letter at the top? Was it so I would know that he knew I tried to hide it? Or was it because he saw something too. I examine it further. The verbiage on it that confused me... he'd burned some of the letters, leaving only the first letter from each word. 


The verbiage... it was code. 


The words read:

HELP