Children Of The Sky (The Scripts Of Neptune, Book 2)

Chapter 15

The streets were lonely and cold in the early light of dawn. Noah's boots threw remnants of rainwater around him when he stepped, stirring up mud that'd settled to the bottom.

The tavern was quieter, now, stumbling men trickling out the door on their way to sleep off what they'd drunk. The rest of the world smelled fresh, washed by rain, but this building still stank. Noah didn't know if it was his imagination running away with his preconceptions or the truth.

After an unfruitful search of the tavern itself, he found Kariana curled against the wall in the back alley, dress and cloak soaked through and covered in mud. They'd thrown her out when she couldn't pay, but apparently not before she'd had enough to get impressively drunk.

It took everything in him not to turn away and leave again. That sick feeling came back as he knelt beside her, tipping her pale face towards him and clearing damp strands of hair away from her cheek. Her eyes were shut, her breathing slow enough to tell him she was unconscious.

With a gentleness that took conscious effort, Noah pulled her away from the wall, looped her arms around his neck, and put an arm under her knees, holding her emaciated body against him as he got to his feet. Her eyelids fluttered when he started walking, then fell shut again.

She didn't stir until he'd gotten back to the inn and laid her on her bed so he could draw water for a bath. When he came back in, she had a hand to her forehead, eyes still shut, face pinched in pain. Noah paused before touching her arm, then helping her stand unsteadily and take off her cloak. Her shirt was next, exposing a loose chemise soaked in dirty water, then her trousers.

Noah let her take off her underthings by herself, turning his head to look away as she did so but letting her lean against his shoulder for balance. Keeping his eyes on the floor, he helped her into the latrine, holding her hand as she stepped into the tub and sat.

The bath was an awkward thing. Noah ended up doing most of the washing despite his embarrassment--he left the most private parts to her, however, figuring she could take another bath when she was sober if needed.

Her hair was a tangled mess. Noah gave up untangling it after ten long minutes of wrestling with snags, taking a knife to it just below her chin. She didn't protest, or even seem to notice. All she did was stare at her hands in the now-muddy water, gaze dull and glassy. Noah set his jaw, helped her out, and poured clean water for a final wash.

He bathed after she did, taking all the knives in the room with him, leaving the door open so he could hear if she tried anything. He didn't think she could, in her state, but he wasn't taking any chances.

The soap and water helped, washing away more than just physical grime. Noah lay there in the water for a while after he was done, eyes shut, letting himself breathe. Rest. He hadn't rested in weeks, not really. It'd been day after day of looking after Kariana, sleeping lightly to make sure she didn't run, traveling hard to try to knock some sense into her. The exhaustion had crept up on him, weaving into his muscles, only now, of all times, to come loose and leak out. It was a good thing; he'd need everything in him to do...whatever he had to. Whatever it took.

Kariana wasn't on her bed when Noah stepped into the room, and frigid panic seized him for the few seconds it took to look around the room. He only relaxed slightly when he found her on the floor in the corner wearing nothing but underthings, a blanket wrapped tightly around her thin body as she watched the opposite wall with haunted eyes. As if sensing his gaze, she looked up to meet his eyes, silver lining her lashes.

Noah didn't know what possessed him as he crossed the room and slowly sank down against the wall beside her, not touching, but close. He should've gone to bed and ignored her until he was sane enough to do something productive. Somehow, he couldn't bring himself to move.

"You were afraid when you walked in," Kariana whispered, tremulous, almost slurred. "Why?"

How to answer that? Noah stared at the wall and set his jaw, mulling over his reply. "I--"

"You thought I'd run off again," Kariana interrupted, shutting her eyes. The tears fell, shimmering on her hollow cheeks like glass in what light came through the curtains. "Why would it matter? You would be free of me. You should have been relieved."

Noah's shoulders slumped, and he hung his head. "I made a promise," he whispered back. "I gave your brother my word."

"My brother is dead," Kariana said, turning her head to look at him with teary eyes. "Why does it matter any longer? Why...why do you care?" Noah looked over when she rested her head back against the wall with a thump, choking on a cross between a sob and a gasp. "Why did you come back? I have hurt you so badly. I've hurt everyone. Why do you--" She broke off sharply with a sob, covering her face with her hand. Her next words were soft and broken. "Why does anyone bother with me anymore?"

Noah didn't know quite how to reply, at first. Then, wearily, he reached over and gripped her chin, turning her head to face him. They were nearly close enough to share air, so close he could smell the alcohol lingering on her breath.

"Have you considered," he said, his own voice nearly failing him, "that there are those of us who love you? Who hate to see you tear yourself apart, and who will fight until you stop?"

Kariana watched him, breathing in that rhythm one adopted when weeping, her expression desperate, confused. "Why?" she choked. "Who do you care? I am nothing but a burden."

Noah fought to swallow the lump in his own throat as he searched her eyes, fingers tightening on her chin. "Oh, Kariana," he said, barely audible. "You are so much more."

Her eyes fell shut. Another tear trickled down her face. "Then why can I not overcome myself?"

"Because you haven't chosen to," Noah said, taking her head firmly in his hands and pressing his forehead to hers. Something had woken in his chest, something fierce. A force that would not stand by, wouldn't cower. He wouldn't let it. It would hurt, he knew, and he very well might break, but he found with a small measure of surprise that he was all right with that. Broken people could heal. He'd seen it before. It was why he was here. "You haven't made the choice to let us help you, Kari, Lillian or I. You have to let me help, or you'll never overcome this. It can't be done alone."

"And that's all there is to it?"

"I don't know," Noah said, laughing gently despite himself. "I guess we'll find out." She opened her eyes to look at him, glassy blue, pain in their depths. "We will, won't we?"

Her bony hands covered his on the sides of her head, cold and sharp, and held on with a weak grip. "I guess we will," she whispered, tremulous.

Noah wasn't prepared for the flood of relief those words brought. Tears rushed to his eyes as a weight lifted from his shoulders, a newer, lighter one settling in place. Shutting his eyes, he pressed his lips to her forehead and lingered for a long time as she wept softly, still clutching his hands.

They had a long fight ahead of them. He knew that. His gut told him they'd be all right. For now, in the fragile peace of this moment, he let himself cling to that and believe it.

~~~

Alas, 'tis a short and sweet update, but it's nearer to the last one than a month for once. I've already got the next one in the works as well. If all goes as planned, y'all should get to see Lillian next time around as well. *rubs hands together evilly*

Finally being productive with writing (albeit whilst procrastinating on everything else),

Batman