Broken

.27.

I sat up, pushing my hair back as I grumbled about her childish behaviour. I just wanted to sleep more, to just fall unconscious for a few more hours. It wasn't that much to ask for. I knew it was such a little thing to request but Early-Bird-Ani thought otherwise.

It had been four weeks since my first phone call with Rhex. I had another four calls to him, each one between only twenty minutes and half an hour. It didn't seem nearly long enough for me. I could have spent hours curled up with the phone listening to his voice. The calls were both happy and sad. They made me feel better but at the same time highlighted just how far away he was, which made me feel worse.

I was stuck on an emotional roller coaster and I couldn't get off. I wasn't used to that feeling, my hormones were all out of whack and I didn't know how to fix them. I rubbed at my face as I stood up, it was too early in the morning to think of my emotional state. When I was a sleep deprived zombie I didn't even want to think about getting dressed, let alone the state of my emotions. Which was somewhere between 'I am literally crying over spilled milk.' and 'I laughed so hard I started crying because my brain can no longer tell the difference between happy and sad.' It was ridiculous, completely and totally ridiculous.

"Hurry up, Liv!" Ani's voice held a warning that told me she would drag me out of the apartment half-naked if I didn't do as she said

"I hate you!" I grumbled as I got changed. She was so bossy at times.

"I love you too!" She sung it loudly and I practically stumbled out of my room as I rubbed my eyes.

"You better put my blanke-" I was cut off by the large bundle of blankets flying through the air and smacking me in the face. I stumbled backwards with a muffled cry and Ani laughed hysterically as I righted myself. "I'm going to murder you!" I tossed the blankets in the general direction of the bed before stalking into the living room to look for the pain in my ass.

"You love me too much to kill me." She made a kissy face at me and I flipped her off despite the upwards twitch my mouth was attempting to do. If there was one thing that Ani was good at, it was distraction.

"One of these days." I shook my head at her and she tossed my shoes in my direction before gesturing at them impatiently.

"Come on! We have to go!" She gestured to me again as she pulled on her own shoes and I scowled at her darkly.

"Why's there such a rush?" It was too early for her to be pushing me around and dragging me places. I would have thought that she would have understood by now just how much I was not a morning person. That issue was exasperated by being separated from Rhex. When all you wanted to do was lie in bed and sleep then having someone yank you out of it was not welcome.

"Because I told Ghilesh yesterday that we would be there early this morning. We are already running late." She came over as I was slipping on me shoes and I frowned in confusion, ignoring her as she started pushing me towards the door.

"When did you speak to Ghilesh?" I didn't particularly remember her talking to him yesterday and she made a sound in her throat.

"While you were trying to read your mushy love letter from Rhex." She stopped pushing me to open up the door and my face flared red.

"It wasn't a mushy love letter." I muttered the words out. It was simply a letter. He sent me one a week and they basically told me of little things about himself and what he was doing in training. I liked them.

"You are right. The man must be completely physical because his letters show me he has no imagination." She made a face at me and I punched her arm. She just stuck her tongue out at me, letting me know that the hit did nothing to her.

"I imagine it has something to do with the fact we have a snoopy person translating them." I pointed at her accusingly and she touched her chest as if offended.

"Me? Snoopy? Please, you have the wrong person." The smile tugging at her lips let me know just how much of a lie her words were. I rolled my eyes and stepped out of the apartment, Ani close behind me. I was ignored by the few Orrians that lingered. I was actually partial to the ignoring, at least I didn't feel as unsafe with that as I did with the blatant hatred.

Ani grabbed my hand and dragged me towards the stair well. I groaned but let her pull me along. The more she dictated my actions the less I had to think about things. It was easier when I didn't have to think, when I didn't have time to linger on the hollow ache where I felt my soul should be.

"Why are we going to Ghilesh?" I was a little concerned that she was making appointments for me without my knowledge. It didn't matter that I was scanning Rhex's letter looking for familiar words and simply staring at the lettering, wishing he was closer.

"Hush and you will see when we get there." She actually shushed me and I scowled at her back. It was really too early for me to be up and socializing.

"I don't like surprises." I really didn't. I wanted to know what was going on.

"I know." Her voice was far too cheery and I almost stumbled on the stairs as she pulled me.

"Ani, slow down." At my words she gave me a quick apology and slowed down before she pushed the door open to Ghilesh's floor level. As much as I hated getting up early, I really did like visiting with Ghilesh. I sought out his door, the number symbols were still confusing but I was getting better at recognizing familiar ones. The Learning Centre taught me the history and the culture but it didn't teach me the basics of their language. I was thankful for Ani in regards to her continued help in making sure I understood what was being taught and said.

"Oh look, pretenders." Ani's voice was tight with derision and I looked up, a stone faced couple stood outside of Ghilesh's door. I winced at the sight of them. That was what the Orrians had been reduced to, forcing bonds that were unnatural and expecting them to work properly. They said something rapidly in Orrian to each other and Ani gave a scoffing sound of disgust before she said a retort loudly, wrapping her arm around my shoulders.

"Slegrnd." The word was spat at my feet by the man and I blinked at him. I had three choices when confronted by such people. I could turtle underneath the word, I could hurl the abuse back, or I could take the high road.

"Ahl'enhe, heh'rsh." I bowed my head at him in the customary greeting and he looked slightly startled and off-balance at my words. I glanced at the woman and bowed my head at her as well. "Reh'rsh." I smiled at them both, knowing I had nailed the customary greetings. "Seh'lan ahske haf'hal'ma nel'met'sh." I knew my pronunciation was off slightly on the friendly but formal blessing but it conveyed what I wished to as the woman blinked at me, glancing up at the man in confusion.

He swallowed before giving me a quick bow of his head in return to the friendly greeting. "She'lantha." The woman said the response quickly before she and the man moved off quickly. I smirked slightly and Ani was practically vibrating with excitement.

"Your pronunciation was off." Ghilesh's tone was slightly crusty and Ani waved him off.

"Oh hush. She is doing very well! I'm so proud of her!" She gave me a hard hug and I hid my slight wince behind a smile towards the old Soul Maker. Ani needed to remember that I wasn't as hardy as an Orrian.

"I can see why. He looked ready to swallow his tongue in surprise." He chuckled gleefully at the thought and waved us both in. His apartment was even more cluttered than the last time I had been in it and I noticed a set of metal chimes hanging from one of the empty spaces on his roof. "Got those this morning. Had to go pick them out of the trash. One man's trash is another man's soul medallion." He gave another rasping chuckle and I raised my eyebrow, glancing at Ani as she glanced at me. It must have been Soul Maker humour.

"So you are here to try it are you?" He gave me a pointed look with those amber eyes of his twinkled as if in excitement. I glanced at Ani in warning before looking at Ghilesh. Whatever those two had planned I honestly didn't want any part of it.

"Try what now?" I kept my tone even but kept it sharp with an edge of warning.

"You shall see." Ghilesh smiled at me brightly and within my mind I could almost imagine him as a wolf with that toothy grin. This did not bode well for me. I was going to be his guinea pig again.

It really was too early in the morning for this shit.