Grey Thorns

Chapter 52- Forfeit

The next dream I had about Liam was him when he was 15. After he had changed. He stood on his balcony with his solid white wings hanging to the floor behind them. Lucky him. He was lengthier then. Not as strongly built as he is now. His wings weren't as massive as they were now either. His black hair hung in his face. He looked up at the dark sky and flexed his jaw. I knew that face, he wasn't very happy. He went in his room and started throwing things, everything he could get his hands on. "I'll get your attention, one way or another." he muttered. "Don't toy with me." After his destruction was done he walked downstairs and left the house. His temper hasn't changed now even.

The scene skipped into his days at the training facility. With Gabriel. Gabriel looked the same, but his eyes weren't blood shot then, and he stood with less arrogance, though it was still very evident. There was 5 girls in his classification. They all noticed him, but he didn't bother. I learned their names were Rebecca, Bridgett, Madison, Isabel, and Michelle. And I learned Isabel was the one he was suppose to die with. She had bright green eyes that could cut through a stone and black hair. Her body was curvy in all the right places and she did her best to flaunt it. She did everything to get Liam's attention. Gabriel put them in a match during the second week, and Liam gave no mercy. She was on the ground within 30 seconds. Liam gave her his least acknowledgement because his heart was out for blood, not love. "I want nothing to do with you." He told her before I woke up. When I opened my eyes, I was more troubled then anything. I sat up and looked at him while he was getting ready for today.

Why didn't he like her? What do I have that she didnt? She ad far more to offer.

I tried to shake the thoughts away and get ready myself. I was nearly shocked when he walked up to me in front of the others. He held something out to me and I looked down at it. A bible. I furrowed my eyebrows in confusion. "I know it'll help you get around better. You're struggling a lot." He says quietly and I take it and faintly smile. "Thank you." I say wanting to question him on Isabel. You could've had better.

"So you ready to go see Daniel?" He asks and I nod while tucking the bible under my mattress. "I guess." I sigh and turn to join him. I heard Chase over talking to Rafael as we walked by. "I don't understand why he has to be here with her. That's probably how she came up from last rank so quickly." She says and I look at the ground. "I don't think that at all, at this point, we are soldiers, you need to worry about you." He says gently and I relax a little. At least Rafael still cares. A little.

Before we reach the door way of his office, he stops with his hand over the doornob and looks at me. He leaves his free hand on my shoulder. "Just remember, Max. What ever we have to do, I won't leave. No matter what the consequences are." He says quietly but seriously as his eyes searched mine. He ran his thumb across my cheekbone and faintly smiled as I noded. I exhaled to relieve some of the tension. He bent down and kissed my cheek before he opened the door. Daniel smiled. "Good morning." He greets us and I politely smile. "Take a seat and we'll get down to business. The tests begin in two days right?" He asks and we both nod.
He lifts me up on the chair and lowers his narrow eyes on mine. The chair made me almost level with his height. He moved to the side as Daniel handed me a blanket to cover myself as I lifted my shirt up again. "Alright, you're back has healed up real nicely." He comments and touches my back to check for any abnormalities. When he tells me to withdraw I do and hold my breath in what I see. After all the grey down that ended up in my bed, I knew that my feathers were edging out, but the color hasn't changed. They were still both black and white. I didn't breathe because I'd break into tears if I did. I couldn't look at Liam so I stared at the floor. Daniel didn't say anything for a long moment. "I'll write her discharge to Gabriel by the end of today." He says in a lower tone. I retracted rather too quickly and felt the sharp jolt of pain through my back and stiffened. Once the pain went away I quickly put my shirt on and bent over with my hands over my face. What is my purpose in being different? I felt Liam's hand on my shoulder as he sat next to me on the chair. "Will she be safe at home? No one will know right?" Liam says wearily and Daniel looks at us with soft eyes. Reluctantly he nods. "You have my word. And as for being at home, I don't know how long." He says and I look at Liam, he didn't look back but he tugged me into his chest.
"We appreciate your work, Daniel." Liam says and helps me down from the chair.