Wings

Chapter Eleven

Jason seemed pretty handy with a first-aid kit. He cleaned up my wound like it was a piece of cake. Well, it probably was, it's not like I was in need of surgery.

"There. All done," Jason announces. "Good as new. How you feelin'?"

I wanted to tell him that I was scared, no, that I was terrified. I had just had my first encounter with a Creature since my arrival to Sky. Now, that they know I've returned and they know my location, they're going to kill me or worse, invade Sky and kill everyone in it. Of course, I was terrified.

But I didn't tell Jason that. I know he'll just see it as a sign of weakness. So instead I say, "I'm fine."

Jason gives me a playful nudge on the shoulder. "You did pretty well fighting that thing, Little Miss Princess. Not bad."

"Thanks." I could feel my cheeks warm but I can't understand why.

***

I went back to the Palace to tell Erin about my Creature incident. I think she might have some vital information that I need to know.

"And then I killed it," I say at the end of my story.

"Wait, you killed it?"

"Yes."

"Wow."

"I know right! Who knew?"

"No not that, Katheryn. I mean, wow the Creatures are coming sooner than I thought." Erin stares at me through my reflection in one of the mirrors.

"Well, what do we do? We just sit here and-"

"What you need to do is protect us," Erin says sternly.

"What?"

"The entire reason we kept you alive is so you can win the war, Katheryn," Erin says. "If you die, then we all perish. We need you, Katheryn."

I couldn't help but laugh a little. "So, what? Am I just gonna be fighting on my own?"

"No, of course not, but you're the sole survivor and we need you to keep it that way. Just because you killed off one Creature doesn't mean you can handle 1,000."

"So that's it," I shout. "I should've known that you people didn't care about me! If I live to see tomorrow, you could care less what happens to me after that!"

Erin tries not to raise her voice. "They aren't just coming for you Katheryn, Creatures are coming for all of us."

I argue, "But I'm the Princess! If they kill me they win! You said so yourself!" I pause for a moment and then I begin to laugh.

"You know what? I'd lost my mind a long time ago. Do you know what's going to happen to me now?" Erin looks at me as if I've gone crazy.

"Creatures are going to come here and kill every single Wing in Sky, and I'm going to be the first one."

When I say this, I stop laughing. "And the best part is that you have no faith in me," I whisper. They're going to kill me. I'm going to die. My body begins to tremble.

Erin tries to calm me. "Katheryn, it's going to be alright."

I don't want to hear that when I know it isn't true. I turn away from her leave the Great Hall, but not out of the Palace. I run up the stairs and to the third floor to my "bedroom." The room I woke up in when I first arrived in Sky. I'm not exactly sure why I ran all the way up here but I did.

I lie on the bed and bury my face in the pillow. I think about all that has happened in the past thirty minutes, maybe an hour, I wasn't counting.

I knew the Creatures were coming, but it's too soon. I reach under the pillow for my pills until I remember I forgot them at home.

Home.

This isn't home. This may look like my room, but it isn't. This place doesn't smell like home, doesn't feel like home. I'm not scared anymore, I'm angry. This isn't real; this shouldn't be real. This is all a fantasy.

I begin to throw a frenzy.

I punch my hand into the mirror and blood leaks from my knuckles. I kick the walls and scream aloud. I lie on the floor, shaking violently. I hate the Wings; I hate the Creatures.I hate myself.

After I'm 75% sure that I've collected myself, I jump out my window and fly back to the house. Frosty and Jason are still where left them; sitting in the kitchen eating soup.

"What the hell happened to your hand," Jason asks. When he looks at my face, I can tell he could see that I was crying.

"Kat," Frosty whispers.

I exhale heavily before speaking, "I can't do this. I'm sorry, but this is one battle I cannot win."

All of a sudden, Jason grabs me by the throat and slams me into the wall, just like that. Jason doesn't strangle me or even tightens his grip; his hand just rests softly on my neck.

Frosty is just as shocked as I am. "Jace, let her go!"

Jason ignores his sister. Jason looks right at me with those strong, blue eyes and it's kind of frightening.

I choke out, "Jason, let go." I could've just used my telekinesis to push him away, but I didn't. Why didn't I?

Jason slowly releases his grip on my neck and we both sink to the floor.

Jason rests his hands on my shoulders. "When you fight, you fight for Sky. You fight for the Wings in Sky. This is our home. We are a family. There is never an I can't or I don't want to."

I don't want to cry, but I do anyway. I no longer have the strength to hold anything in anymore. "I'm just a little kid, Jason. I don't want to be here. I can't be a Princess."

Jason lifts my face to his, so we look eye to eye. I can feel Jason shaking as well. "I'm just a kid too Katheryn. You don't think I'm scared too? I'm terrified."

That's the first time he called me by my real name and when he said it, he was sincere. Jason actually said my name and it sounds strangely beautiful tumbling from his lips.

Jason stands up and calmly walks upstairs. I could've sworn I saw a tear trickle down his cheek.