Chapter 3; The Glory Rivet

ARWYN

"Arwyn, what were you thinking?" Leigh asked, her voice reaching me in the kitchen.

I stumbled home, exhausted and bruised, and Leigh immediately started questioning me. I was tired of hearing her lectures about dealing with Pete. All I wanted was to rest and tend to my cuts.

She came over with water and a rag, dragging a chair to sit with purpose. Her golden hair was tied back with one of her simple bands, framing her face. Leigh didn't have many accessories, but she didn't need them to look beautiful.

In the cozy corner, Lilith played with dolls Leigh had made from our old clothes.

Leigh muttered, "Stay away from Pete, but you never listen." It was sweet how much she cared, and I couldn't help but smile.

"I'm fine," I reassured her, taking the bowl and dipping my hand in, waiting for my power to surface.

"Lilith, close the window!" Leigh commanded her sister, who mirrored her in every aspect—golden hair and blue eyes. Over the years, these sisters had become my everything. Leigh could be a bit overbearing sometimes, but I made an effort to understand her because I knew she cared about me. Lilith was born mute, so we communicated with her through sign language. It wasn't easy for me to understand her at first, but over time, I learned.

Lilith obeyed her sister, closing the window and joining us.

"Is Arwyn going to do magic?" Lilith's hands fluttered in silent conversation.

"Want to see?" I grinned, and she nodded eagerly.

"Do it quickly before someone sees you, or you'll be in trouble," Leigh warned, her forehead creased with concern. She could be motherly, but she had been looking after us for a long time.

"Is Arwyn leaving?" Lilith gestured.

"Never, Goldy," I assured her, wiggling my hand in the water until it turned blue. Lilith stared in awe, even though she had seen this many times before.

After letting enough of myself merge with the water, I pulled my hand out and pressed it to my side, where the cut was. I cursed as I felt a slight sting.

Leigh squeezed Lilith's hand. "You'll get into trouble if you keep dealing with Pete," she warned, watching as a mysterious light emanated from my side. I withdrew my hand, and the cut had disappeared, as if it had never happened.

"Pete pays well. It's how we survive," I said, dumping the water from the bowl onto the street.

"We could do better. I make good tips at the Glory Rivet. We don't need to resort to dirty work for meals."

"You'll never get it, will you?" I said, frustrated.

"What don't I get, Arwyn? You risk yourself, Lilith, and me for a thrill. It's childish," Leigh said, getting up and heading to the kitchen. "Want some meatpies?

"I'm not hungry," I sulked. Lilith, caught between us, yawned.

It's always like this—me, the supposed villain, and Leigh, the saint. It's as if I'm always trying to make her happy, but nothing is ever enough. Sure, working with Pete is risky, but it's all I have. She thrives at the Glory Rivet, but I wouldn't fit in there even if I tried.

Footsteps echo in the hallway, signaling Leigh's presence, but I refuse to turn around.

I carry Lilith into bed tucking her in, I pull the worn blankie up to her neck. Her lashes flutter softly against her cheek.

"Look, I know you have your reasons, but can't we find some middle ground?" Leigh implored. Stepping out of the room, I closed the door slowly to avoid any creaks, then turned to face Leigh's expression of hopelessness. "I'm just trying to keep you safe."

"You don't have to do that. I'm not Lilith or twelve years old!" I snapped.

"No, you're not. But ever since I found you, I've felt responsible for you."

I rolled my eyes, perching on the brick windowsill and gazing into the night sky. She spoke as if she were years older than me. Leigh was only a year my senior, and she didn't find me—I found her.

I was on a job for Pete at Noor Settlement, fetching an ancient mage's book. Pete was a deadly Diremage—just a touch from him could be fatal. I've seen him play a man like a puppet before leaving him off to die in the gutter in blistering cold so I knew crossing Pete meant trouble, and it's also one of the reasons he's wanted by the king. He's a Blessed, like me.

After stealing the book, I was chased by soldiers. Dressed in black, I ran into Leigh, carrying Lilith, who the soldiers mistook for a Blessed. But she wasn't one. Her parents were ordinary.

I couldn't leave them, so I brought them to my small apartment here in Wyrm. Kale, their adoptive brother, was away training, but when he found out, he joined us. Wyrm became our home.

"I'm fine, Leigh. I make my own choices, and I'll deal with the consequences," I assured her.

A quiet settles over the room, while tears stream down Leigh's cheeks. She delicately wipes them away. "You don't get it. I've seen Blesseds forced into the Embers. I can't bear the thought of losing you."

"No one's taking me anywhere. I'm good at avoiding trouble," I joke, and Leigh manages a strained smile. She moves to the window, standing beside me. "Kale's back in Ketel, training."

Her mention of Kale makes me wonder. "Why tell me about Kale? I didn't ask."

"He's determined to become a soldier," she explains. "And they'll send him to the Iorwerth soon. That damned place"

The Iorwerth is a forbidden place in Vakythia, avoided by everyone. Hideous monsters lurk there, like nightmares come to life.

There are rumors of ghostly figures seen near the forest's edge, ready to attack. Farmers from Ketel say these specters have been spotted in the countryside, causing tragedy, but the truth is uncertain.

"Why is he suddenly so determined?" I ask.

"He thinks being a warrior is the only way to protect his loved ones."

Curious, I lean closer. "When will he be back?"

Leigh gives me a sharp look. "In two weeks," she says, the weight of her words hanging in the air.

Two weeks felt like forever. Absently, I tucked some hair behind my ear, feeling the ring Kale gave me—a symbol of bravery, or maybe something more, considering our history.

"Good riddance," I said, smirking. "I might as well take his bed."

Leigh's smile lit up the room. "And his share of meals," she added.

"Speaking of meals..." I dashed to the kitchen. The plate of meat pies still looked tempting, so I grabbed one and glanced at Leigh.

"I thought you weren't hungry."

"You know better than to believe that," I chuckled, taking a succulent bite and releasing a satisfied moan. The meat pies from Barley Bakery reigned supreme. Nothing, not even Leigh's sweet donuts, could compare.

Leigh, ever perceptive, wrinkled her nose. "What I do know is that you smell like a rat. A bath is long overdue." She tossed a cloth my way, and though I fought the urge to roll my eyes, she was right. The scent of my frantic running lingered. Tonight had been a cascade of failures, and I pleaded Heavens, Pete wouldn't unleash his wrath of silence on me once more.

Leigh settled onto the rugged brown rug at the heart of the apartment, cradling a meat pie. "Take a bath. We wouldn't want anyone thinking we dragged in a mole."