The Girl in the Woods

Chapter 20

He always got mad at me for stomping on bees.

Dandelions grew in abundance along the path to our doorstep, and daddy never had the time to get rid of them. Bees and butterflies and other bugs were always flying around the path. I hated bees, so I was always trying to kill them. Whenever he caught me he would grab my wrist and jerk me away, and patiently tell me that bees helped keep the world going round, so I should be nicer to them.

I wasn't so sure about that. I mean, the world going round part. They were so little. What could they do to make the world go round?

It was past ten in the morning, and I was really late for school. Mrs. Fisher was probably going to call again. She had these arguments with daddy that I could never understand; he always yelled into the phone that there was no way in hell I was going into "foster care" and that they were punishing him for sleeping in, which was ridiculous. I always pointed out that he wouldn't have to sleep in if he came home at a nice time from the casino. He always patted my head absently and wandered into a different room when I said that.

I looked toward the door. Still no daddy. I sighed, hugging my Sailor Moon backpack to my stomach as I sat on the front step. The sun was high in the sky and blazing hot, and there were bees buzzing around the dandelions as usual. I watched them quietly while I waited for him. They buzzed and buzzed and ignored me, dipping into the weeds to explore the bright yellow colour that had caught their attention.

I couldn't remember what Mrs. Fisher had taught us. Something about the bees using nectar from flowers to make honey. That was their one redeeming factor, in my opinion. I loved honey. I always put it on my toast, no matter how much daddy laughed at me.

I watched those bees and sighed. They were doing more for the world than my daddy was doing right now. Maybe more than he did ever.

---

"Quickly."

"Careful with her head!"

"I've got her, don't worry."

"Damn, Apollo. She's so pale."

"I know. Are you sure about the Vita water?"

"Yeah, it's open to everyone tonight. Shouldn't we take the sword out, Apollo?"

"No, it's plugging the wound right now. She'll bleed to death if we take it out."

"Okay. She's quite lucky that there was elf blood on that blade already."

"How so?"

"Healing qualities. She'd probably be dead already without it."

Silence.

"Tell me I'm not being selfish by doing this, Ildor."

"Not at all, friend."

"Alright. Are you coming with us?"

"Of course. It's my dren, after all."

---

"Stay down, love."

Astera blinked up at him. She was lying naked in a metal, military issue bed ,and every inch of her skin felt like it was on fire. Tether sat on the edge of her bed, a bowl of cold water on his lap and a cool cloth in his hand. As she watched, he gently placed it against her forehead. She moaned softly.

"Shh now." Tether's voice was soft and musical. "It'll take a few hours for you to heal, love. Don't try moving or getting up."

"Got it." Her voice rasped like sandpaper through her throat.

Tether picked up a glass of water waiting for her on the bedside table. "I'm going to lift you, okay?"

She nodded minutely. Tether slowly manoeuvred his hand under her back and gently propped her upright. She cried out in pain.