Taming the Familiar

Chapter 45- Aftermath

Kaleth blinked at his slowly fading form. Alexa moved forward to stand in front of him. He wasn't hostile anymore he glanced up at her sadly. She stared wondering what more she could do.

"Remember me." she begged again. Kaleth blinked at her a couple times. he could not longer see his legs as the black smoke slowly swallowed him up. Finally she saw his eyes soften in recognition. She thought she even caught a tear in the corner of one before he squeezed them closed and leaned forward to hug her tightly.

"Alexa." he said quietly as he fell to his knees dragging her down with him. Alexa hugged him back and watched as the smoke slowly receded. He clung tightly to her for several minutes as if making sure he wouldn't be leaving. They didn't move until the wind shifted and Alexa started coughing from the smoke rolling by from her grandmother's house. Kaleth released her and slowly stood up. Alexa followed, but Kaleth wouldn't turn his face towards her and she wondered if he had really been crying or she was imagining it.

"Where is your brother?" Kaleth asked. Alexa stared around and wondered what Pitch had done with him. She started to lead Kaleth back to Pitch, she needed to finish healing him and make sure Patrick was okay. Pitch still lay where she had left him. He was shivering like crazy and she wasn't sure if it was from blood loss or after effects of Ramona's attacks. She plopped down beside him and he smiled at the sight of her. He shot Kaleth a dirty look but otherwise ignored the dragon. Alexa took his hand and started chanting the healing spell again. Pitch just closed his eyes and tried to force his battered body to relax. Finally the wound didn't show any bones.

"Where is Patrick?" Alexa asked. Pitch blinked a couple times and nodded towards the woods.

"I left him with your grandmother." he said. He blinked again obviously confused as to why her ancient grandma was hanging out in the woods. Alexa nodded and motioned for Kaleth.

"Warm him up and find me." she said. Kaleth nodded quietly and she hurried towards the woods. She found Patrick wrapped in the comforter off her bed just past the edge of the forest. She smiled to herself at the thought Pitch had put into making sure he didn't freeze to death. She jumped as her grandmother appeared between her and her brother.

"Where is Alistar?" she asked seriously. Alexa glanced back towards the shrivelled corpse.

"Dead." she said quietly. Her grandmother nodded seriously and looked back to Patrick.

"His familiar was killed." she stated. Had she been watching the whole thing. Alexa nodded and her grandmother stared down at him seriously.

"He will be okay, but his magic is out of balance now." she said quietly. She looked back over to her burning home. When she kept staring Alexa looked up to see Kaleth helping Pitch over to them. They stopped to watch Alexa for a moment. Surprisingly her grandmother was the one to break the silence.

"We have to dispose of my body. Put it in the house they won't be able to tell how I died." she said. Alexa's eyes widened. She couldn't do that to her grandmother. Her grandmother smirked at her, obviously sensing her hesitance.

"Not like I can use it any more. Dragon can move it into the inferno without getting burned I assume." she said. Kaleth seemed a little shocked to be being addressed by her grandmother but nodded slowly. 

"Then just send Alistar's corpse somewhere to hide and send the two familiars home. Patrick's condition and confusion can be explained away by shock and smoke inhalation. They won't investigate my murder if they think I died a fiery death. With Alistar gone I should be able to leave the woods now." she said. She took a tentative step into her own backyard. Alexa blinked in confusion. She had never heard her grandmother issue orders so fast. Kaleth looked to her for approval and she nodded slowly. Kaleth vanished in a puff of smoke and she bent to hoist her brother from the ground. She didn't remember him being so heavy but finally got him upright and headed towards the road. She figured it was only a matter of time before the fire department arrived. Pitch limped slowly after her and she wished she could offer him her shoulder as well. Kaleth met them at the road and took Pitch's shoulder.