The Hunters

Chapter Seventeen

Human Code

A soft, fur blanket covers my whole body. I'm in my tank top and sleeping shorts, I realize. I open my eyes to examine my surroundings. I'm in one of the leather cots that are surrounded by many more. I'm in the village's infirmary, I realize. How long have I been asleep?

A door bangs shut and I jump and hold my hand to my heart as I watch Cyprian and my father come into view.

"Daddy-"

He cuts me off, "How dare you, Amaia! Don't you ever risk your life like that again."

I stare at him in disbelief for his sudden range, "Gabriel..." I remember, "I had to save Gabriel. Did he-"

"Gabriel is good as dead. And you would've been too if Cyprian hadn't jumped in after you and save you."

I stare from my father to Cyprian whose eyes won't meet mine, "Cyprian?"

He looks up for an instant, "I'm glad you're okay, Amaia."

My father snaps back my attention, "You're a foolish girl. I knew I shouldn't have made you the leader. I should've had Cyprian or Sullivan or even that Aramis boy do the job."

"But dad-"

"No but's, Amaia. I'm very disappointed in you," and he leaves the room so I'm just staring at Cyprian.

And the tears fall. Never let those who made you weak see you cry, I remind myself when my father leaves. I can now cry freely, I trust Cyprian not to say anything about my emotional burst to my father.

"It's okay, darling," Cyprian comes over and wraps his arms around me so I'm hugging him and I cry into his shoulder.

"I-I shouldn't cry," but only God knows how long I've been holding these small tears of mine in for.

"It's okay to cry. It's just a sign that you've been strong for so long," and more tears fall when his words hit me.

"Thank y-you," I whisper into him and he pulls back so he can look at me. He smiles and takes his finger and wipes the tears from my cheeks. I'm still wearing the black paint so you can barely notice my smeared mascara, hopefully. "I don't deserve you."

"Yes you do," he holds my head in his hands, "don't lie to yourself."

"It's in our human code to lie to ourselves," I remind him.

"Tsk, tsk," he shakes his head, "human code is full of it."

I laugh and it feels so good to feel my body shake with laughter and I'm smiling wide and Cyprian smiles back. The words, I love you, want to tumble from my tongue but I keep them in my pocket for another day.

"Do you want to clean up a bit?" He asks me, "I heard the showers are working again."

"Of course they fix them when we're gone," I laugh.

"Of course," he smiles and helps me up, "they couldn't possibly fix them when we're around begging to be clean."

I laugh and tell him that I'll find him in the woods when I'm finished. When I'm finished cleaning the dirt from my body and the sins that follow.