Rise

Chapter 7

7

It was much darker in this room. And quieter. The air was still. As my eyes adjusted, I took in what few sounds there were. I could hear shallow breathing; shallow and struggling. It made me think of Sid, all those weeks, months, days, I have no idea how long ago, when he would sit in my room at night and watch me sleep. Everything was so much simpler then. Part of me longed to go back there, back to the time when all I had to worry about was my day job, my mother, and what I was going to do with my life. It all seemed so hard at the time but now? I wouldn’t trade my wings for anything, but there’s something to be said for that simplicity.

Sounding alongside the shallow breaths was a slight rippling noise, like putting your ear to a glass of champagne. The sound didn't make sense in this space. I felt the hair on the back my neck rise.

Lifted above all of these sounds, was the soft sibilance of Spin’s voice offering words of comfort in the quiet darkness

My eyes now adjusted, I could see two minions laying on cots in the centre of the room. Spin sat on a stool between them, he was holding one of the minion’s hands. Behind him was a small table and on it a single candle. I stepped closer, and the candle flickered violently. Spin stopped talking and looked over his shoulder.

“Phoenix, I'm so glad you're here. I told them you'd come. I told them you would come and pay your respects, before the end." He placed the minion’s hand gently on its chest and stood to face me. “Please, come sit. I will light another candle, it must be hard for your eyes to see in this dark."

Leaving the question of whether or not minions could see in the dark unasked, I moved forward and sat on the stool. It was small, and for a few moments I was pretty sure my newly fleshed ass was going to destroy it, but it held firm.

The minion on my right, the one Spin had been holding hands with, was the shallow breather I’d heard from the doorway. As Spin lit the second candle, the little guy’s injuries became clear. His head was wrapped tightly with thick bandages. They covered his entire skull, but even so, blood seeped through; the bright blue ooze pooled at the edges of the dressing and threatened to drip into the poor creature’s eyes. Spin gently wiped away the blood with a cloth. He took the creature’s hand once more.

“Phoenix, I'd like you to meet Anth. He and I were great friends when we lived in the City of Caves. We helped each other get through some tight spots." Spin smiled at his friend.

I stared at the little guy. Anth looked so fragile, even the candlelight couldn't hide the grey pallor that had overtaken his body.

"Phoenix," Spin said in a quiet but pointed voice, "he can hear you."

“Yes, yes, of course, I'm so sorry,” I stumbled over the words, “Anth, it is good to meet you," I reached out but couldn't take the minions hand. "I wish this were under better circumstances, any friend of Spin’s is a friend of mine."

At that moment the minion in the second bed started to cough violently. Spin gently and quickly placed Anth’s hand on his chest, then rushed over to the other minion.

”Easy brother, easy," Spin said quietly as he placed a hand on the other minion’s shoulder, “lie easy, brother. It will all be over soon."

“Is he your friend also?" I asked.

Spin was quiet, his mouth a hard line.

"No," he seemed to consider his next words carefully, “this is Karn. He is one of Sid’s men."

“What!?" I stood up quickly, and the candle behind me guttered. “Then why is he in here? Why have you brought him here?" I was breathing hard. Part of me was scared by how quickly my rage had come and part of me was damn excited to be angry, to feel power well up inside me.

“Phoenix," Spin said through gritted teeth, “it is not my first choice to bring the enemy here."

“Damn right," I said, “this is my home, this is a safe place for us, for my people and me, you cannot just bring the enemy here. What if he goes back to Sid? What if he hears important information? You should have left him out there to die like the dog he is!”

"Phoenix! Look at him! He's not going anywhere!" Spin was breathing hard, the veins in his forehead were visible in the low light, “And what does it say of us if we leave someone, someone so gravely injured, to die alone?” Spin’s eyes were filled with angry tears, yet his voice softened. “It is how we treat the weakest of us, the most hated among us, that defines who we are,” tears flowed freely down his cheeks. “As much as it hurts me to see him lying here alongside one of my dearest friends, I would not let him die alone. I would not do that to another creature, and I would not allow such behaviour from myself."

Spin was right, I knew he was right, technically, but I wasn't so sure that in times of war, ‘right’ was the best decision.

"Well, it's hard to argue with that, Spin, so I won't. And maybe, if he's alive by the time I'm finished, I'll try healing him too.” I sat down again and turned my full attention to Anth.

“What do you mean?" Spin asked.

"I mean, I'm going to heal your friend."

“What?" Spin moved quickly to his friend’s side, gripping Anth’s hand as he stared at me. “Are you serious? Look at him, Phoenix, he is too far gone," tears splashed down on Anth’s hand, “please let him be peaceful."

“Spin, with all due respect, I know what I'm doing here. I just healed an entire tent full of minions, I'm sure I can handle this."

“Is this true?” Spin asked.

“It’s true,” Royal grunted.

I turned sharply in my seat. I hadn’t realised Royal was in the room. We stared at each other in the near darkness. I couldn’t see his eyes, but his mouth was set in a hard line.

“Yes, Spin. It’s true.” I continued to stare at Royal. If he had something to say, now was the time. “I healed them. All of them. And they were glad for it.” I smirked, “weren’t they, Royal?”

“They were, your majesty,” Royal said the title slowly.

“Majesty?” Spin whispered.

“Royal, don’t call me that.”

“That’s what you said.”

“She did?” Spin mumbled.

“Damnit, don’t be so literal. It was just a figure of speech.”

“If you say so,” Royal quipped.

“Royal! I’m trying to help these people!” Spin whimpered, and I lowered my voice. “If you don’t like it, you can wait outside.”

“I’ll be quiet,” he said.

“Thank you.” I sighed and turned back to the minion. Spin was wiping his friend’s forehead and whispering.

“Now, Anth, don’t be frightened. Phoenix is going to try and make you better.” Anth writhed a little on the bed, “She helped me when I was injured, see?” He pointed at the long scar that ran down his chest.

It felt like so long ago that I’d sewn Spin closed with my power. When were we in the Caves? How much time had passed since I’d taken the head of Ganaraj? Time felt like it was slipping away from me and expanding all at once.

Spin picked up Anth’s hand and ran it down the scar.

“See? All better. Now it’s your turn.” He smiled at his friend and settled Anth's arms across his chest. When Spin looked at me, his eyes were hard. “Phoenix will make you better.” He stepped back from the bed and into the shadows.

I was now alone with Anth.