Bleeding Demons: The Dark Bloods - Book III ✓

Chapter 6 - Apples and Flowers

And Reyna knew how to do that.

She stood, using the doorknob to help herself up. After a few steadying breaths, Reyna dug into her pockets, looking for the flower Mundus had given her. The image of its crushed form coming back to life was vivid in her head. That meant the flower still had to be alive, right? She hoped the jeans she had on where the same ones she had left it in.

Her left hand felt clumsy as it dug into her right pocket, but she felt something. Reyna pulled out three withered petals attached to a dry, short stem. Her heart raced with relief, the realization of what she planned to do not yet hitting her. The flower lay on her open palm as she waited for it to revitalize itself, but the immediate effect she was waiting for never happened.

Reyna stared at the dead blossom on her hand until tears blurred her vision. "No."

Why was the flower dead?

Mundus' words from when he first gave it to her rang in her head. "It is only activated when a Dark Blood bestows it upon one of his choosing."

He wasn't a Dark Blood anymore. He no longer had the power to give her the flower and its abilities. Reyna clenched her teeth. This was supposed to help save her world and her friends and her friends' world. This was supposed to work.

Rage overtook her, burning her sorrow and sickness away. It wasn't fair. None of this was. To know all this and not be able to do anything about it. Maybe she should have taken up Mundus' offer from long ago to have her uncle cloud her thoughts.

Reyna was about to crush the flower in her hand when something occurred to her.

If another Dark Blood offered her the flower, would it be reenergized? The Magika isn't completely gone, not with Verden still holding to the last of it. The flower should still have the Dark Blood power in it somewhere. It should still be able to give it to her if she eats it, right?

There were two people left that had the Dark Blood in their veins: Lina and Verden. Reyna didn't feel confident asking either of them what she wanted, but she guessed her best bet would be with Lina. Verden would probably take it away from her until he figured out what was the best course of action. No, Reyna needed to eat it now.

She caught her reflection on the small mirror hanging over the sink. Reyna made a face; she could see the stink on herself.

Okay. Shower first, then I go find Lina. Somehow.

Showering with one hand wasn't as difficult as Reyna thought. It was easier than undressing had been. It was when she tried to shave her legs with a razor she found in an unopened package under the sink that she started cursing. She only shaved up to her knees half out of frustration but also half out of fatigue. Her stomach rumbled and her head filled with fog.

When Reyna stepped out of the shower, she found some clean clothes in the towel cabinet over the toilet. She picked out jean capri pants and a faded t-shirt that fit too loose around her shoulders. She put the flower in her jean pocket, crushing the petals even more. Reyna cringed, but she figured as long as she had a piece of it left, she'd be able to get it to revive to its full bloom. Hopefully.

Reyna stepped out of the bathroom to see Ayame sitting on top of the bed. "I was waiting for you," she said.

"Ayame." Reyna stopped and tucked her right arm behind her, embarrassed of it. "Are there no locks on the front door?"

She smiled. "Yes. You just forgot to use them. I came to see if you needed help. Dante told us you had awakened and was worried about you."

"I'm fine." Reyna stared at the Spirit.