Grimmer (Sequel to Kailin)

Chapter 21: Split Command

My release was more of a toss to the side as I turned away from him and tried to storm off.

Not a second after, his arm was reaching around my neck. I flinched in my attempt to block, which hindered my speed. His elbow hooked around my throat and his weight attempted to throw me under him, but I thrust my fist into his gut -- a suddenly desperate act that would've never had to feel desperate, except that the awkward twist he was pulling me into made my entire side scream in pain. I hated the feeling of vulnerability.

We were in the middle of the street, but my brother didn't seem to care.

He knew the twist hurt my side so instead he bent backward, pulling me up by the hook around my throat. My hands were firmly placed over his forearm and burned hot enough that I could hear the whine in his thoughts.

Why are you doing this? I asked angrily, ready to give in to what he wanted.

He dropped me. The contact I made with the stone street shot a stabbing pain up my entire right side, and I tried my best not the show it as I crouched low.

"So you don't murder some human tonight."

"That wasn't even in my intentions! What the hell are you reading into?!"

He shrugged. "Preventative care."

I tried hard to simmer down the anger that was steadily ripping through me. I had to be calm. I'd managed to pull that image off for Ana. I could pull it off then.

"You should save it for Gail."

"About that," Ian said, jumping back to me as I started to walk. "What is our plan?"

"There is no plan."

"There should be!"

"Then make one, Ian. I'm tired of playing commander."

"We need to go back to the books, then."

"No. We need to break the relation with the Grimmer first."

"And how do you plan on doing that?"

"Convince Gail they aren't working the way he wants."

I turned up the steps to the Meeting House of the city, the doorways to which were partially blocked with rubble and broken furniture to prevent others from entering. I stepped over them without care.

The main floor was trashed from the previous skirmish and the entryway to the hidden basement was blown open, though by the knights and not the grimmer. I ignored the details and carefully walked up the stairs -- my right hip ached with every step up.

The black seal was still burnt into the far corner.

Ian and I stood over it.

"... He put this here on purpose, you know," my brother said unhelpfully.

I crouched down beside it, tracing my fingertips along the outer curves. Hreath had shown me the symbol in his old books, and the very same mark was branded across the back of any Knight.

The rose and crown of the White Knights there tainted, bloodied, jagged, and the crown appearing cracked. Dark wings stretched from the crown as an extension to complete the rounded appearance of the symbol.

I knew it well enough.

"Gail wouldn't've stopped to put this here in his shift."

"Then he put it there before," Ian offered.

"... Or someone else did it." My thumb rubbed over the blood stains in the wood. "By magic. Unmistakably."

I stood. "This is all I came to see. Do you still insist on following me?"