Soul of Ember

Chapter Five

Authors note: Okay, I pretty much hate the way I wrote this chapter, but I figured I can edit it later. Let me know what you think.

and to the right is a picture of Iris. Actually it's a picture of one of my best friends (SHOUT OUT TO YOU BUDDY) and I dressed her up to play the part. 

One week. Two tops. This was Anwen’s promise. When her soul was properly affixed in her body once more, Aaron would be free to return home. He could pretend nothing had ever happened. He would tell Peigi that a drunken night at the bar turned into a drunken misstep that led to two weeks of wandering aimlessly through towns.

But then there was Sean. How could Aaron return to a life in which Sean did not exist? And what would happen if a finger was pointed towards him for the murder of his closest—only—friend?

“Breakfast.” Anwen muttered, coming to sit by him. Wordlessly she handed him a blueberry laced muffin. Aaron stared at it for a moment. It didn’t look poisonous. It actually looked quite appealing. The bread was cold, but sticky, dripping with sweetness. How had she gotten her hands on such a thing? –How had she…

“Good lord. You’d think I just asked you to eat my toenails,” She remarked, glancing down at the muffin. “It was in my dress pocket. I bought it a few days ago.”

His lips curled into a sneer, “Did you? Or did you give the baker some of your fake coins in return for her inventory?” He glared at her for a moment before she broke eye contact.

“If your pride will keep you from satisfying your hunger, I’ll gladly satisfy mine in your place.” She reached for the muffin. He jerked it out of her grasp and took a large, spiteful bite.

“That’s just as well,” She toyed at one of her red tresses, “You’ll need your strength more than I will.”

He froze mid-bite. With deliberation he released the muffin, letting it fall on to a ravenous ant hill. The ants began to swarm around it, slowly eating away at it. He stared down at it in a moment of regret. Anger seemed to swell in him like a deep ocean, ready to roll forth and sweep over her. He wanted to drown her in it.

“You cheat your way through life, making a mockery of every person who works to live! You run around with your books and your pastries, never caring about whose life you’ll ruin that day. You got me into this god forsaken mess with your deceit!” He shouted, pointing a finger towards her as if to make it clear who he was talking to. She looked struck for a moment.

“You don’t know what I’ve endured in my life. You don’t know me at all! Yes, I’m so sorry for what happened to your brother, and I’m sorry that you’re the one that saved my life, and I’m sorry that you’re the one that has to help me! Is that what you want? An apology? Well, then I’m sorry!” She cried, confronting him face to face. His brown eyes were cold, full of nothing but hatred and disgust.

“You want me to feel sorry for you?” He almost laughed. His hands were shaking—although he was unsure if it was from fury or pain. The angrier he became, the more agony he was in. And she wanted pity? His skin writhed all around him. He had nothing to numb the pain now. His crutch—his healing amber liquid was gone. All he had now was this venomous snake of a woman.

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Anwen was silent as they rode through the countryside. Green hills scattered with purple and white flowers rolled past them like seas. Their soft spring fragrance wafted through the breeze. Aaron used the scene as a form of distraction. Anwen, however, didn’t turn her head once to admire the waves of flowers. Her face was ridden with concentration and determination. She narrowed her eyes against the wind and held tight to the reins.