“Reyna.” A warm hand gently shook my shoulder and woke me up. When did I fall asleep? I… I didn’t even remember making it home. “Reyna!”
I blinked, and stretched out on the couch while my tail wagged around softly. My favorite person was once more willing to talk to me. How could I not be happy? “Sylvie… I’m sorry.”
I sat up on the couch, and rubbed gently at my still injured arm. I could feel it, but couldn’t move it in the slightest. Good thing I had the foresight to put on a long sleeved shirt last night when I got back… I think? Did I have any long sleeved shirts left?
“Heh… the first thing you do is apologize to me.” Sylvie stood just in front of me with her tail curled beside her legs. The usually soft and plush silver fur looked worn out and abused like she’d been crying into it. Her eyes were red, and ears all droopy. “I… I should be the one apologizing, Reyna. I’m so, so sorry.”
”It’s fine, it’s fine.” I stretched out my arm to my adorable baby sister, and pulled her toward me. She allowed herself to be pulled beside me, and I nuzzled up against her. “Are we good?”
”Yeah…” She dropped her tail into my lap, and stuck out her tongue. Her expression changed to a genuine one, and she hugged my shoulder. “I love you.”
“Love you too, sis.” I reached out for the hairbrush, and held her tail down with my other hand. I carefully brushed her fur to clear up the mess.
“Next time I’ll try to be more understanding.” She wiggled around, and giggled as I brushed out the soft fur. “It’s just that I love you too much, so it hurts me when you’re hurt.”
”I feel the same way.” I stopped for a moment, and met her soft amber eyes for the first time since she approached me. “That doesn’t mean you shouldn’t take care of yourself, though. I mean, look at this.”
I lifted up her ratty tail. Did she just stop brushing entirely? Seriously, how’d it get to this state so quickly? There were even knots in it like she’d intentionally messed it up. It’d just been a day, hadn’t it?
”But you’ll brush it for me, won’t you big sis?” She pouted, and her ears drooped on either side of her head. “I’ll never revoke your tail privileges again!”
”Fine… but I won’t always be there for you.” I ran the brush back through her tail. Slowly but surely, it returned to its radiant—
KRACKOOM!
I flinched, and jolted awake. Cold rain pattered against my face, and I coughed up a mouthful of water from where my mouth had been left open. The coughs turned into raspy dry heaves as lightning flashed above. All around me, rats scattered from the sudden movement.
Where—? I glanced up toward the surrounding buildings, but everything was a confusing mess. My head hurt so much. Seek activated, and I felt a connection pull me back toward home. I wasn’t far off, at least. Maybe a few blocks.
I shakily pushed myself back up, and wiped at my mouth. My everything felt incredibly weak throughout my body. Blood loss. I recognized the sensation from countless times before. I must’ve passed out from it on the way back.
I struggled to my feet, and leaned heavily on the alley wall. Sylvie… my mind drifted back to the warm dream. There was so much I needed to tell her. I couldn’t figure out the words last time, but this time I’d get my point across. I staggered down the alley, and tried to clean myself up. I had several new bite marks covering me, but they were rapidly healing.
My mobility returned slowly but surely, and I rounded the alley toward the fire escape. I instinctively climbed up it just like I was used to, and wiggled open the locked window. It smoothly slid up.
”Sylvie?” I called out into the silent apartment. My ears twitched toward her room, and I picked up faint murmuring. I moved across the apartment. “Sylvie, I’m so, so sorry! I’m such a terrible sister. I should’ve never—“
I popped open her door, and the words died in my throat. Empty. Her radio sat off to the side with some news station playing. I stared at her empty bed, and my tail stilled. “Sylvie?”
I looked around the apartment, but couldn’t find her anywhere. I thought maybe she’d be on my bed again, or maybe I just missed her on the couch. My body started to tremble. Did she—did she not come home? Was this a nightmare?
I sniffed at the air, and picked up her scent. Her backpack was here, so she must’ve—my attention snapped to the dinner table. A cold bowl of chilimac sat out all by itself. A piece of paper was left sitting on top of it.
I picked up the paper, and glanced at it. My sister’s elegant handwriting stared back up at me. I’m staying with a friend tonight, okay? I… I’m sorry, sis. We’ll talk about it sometime soon. I wasn’t sure when you’d be home so I left a bowl of food out for you. There’s more in the fridge.
Staying with a friend? Was it that green haired bitch? Seek activated, and a connection snapped toward the far side of Silverport. The pendant she always wore from our mother led me right toward her. No matter where she was, I’d always be able to find her.
I grabbed my keys, and… and what? Go there and drag her kicking and screaming back home? She’d never forgive me… I coughed harshly, and a tremble went through my body. I would become an even worse sister than I already was if I did that to her. I collapsed back onto the table as all the wind left my sails.
Sylvie wasn’t the type to make bad decisions and go out partying, so she was probably genuinely with her friend. Most everyone in that school was rich. Probably safer there than she was here. As long as she was happy and safe, it didn’t matter if she was with me or not. Of course, I knew what I’d prefer, but…
“Heh.” Seek deactivated, and the connection slowly faded. She didn’t want to see me that bad, huh? I looked down at my disgusting self, and followed the trail of blood and alley sludge I’d left all over the apartment. Maybe it was for the best that she wasn’t here.
I carefully picked up the bowl of chilimac and put it into the microwave. With it safely stored away, I went through the long process of cleaning myself and the apartment up. When she came back tomorrow, I couldn't very well look like a broken beggar that broke in, could I?
Sylvie: I’ll see you after school, okay? ILY!
Me: love you too!
I read and reread the message over and over again with a soft smile on my face. My tail twitched around with a thrill every time. She texted me first thing in the morning so I wouldn’t worry about her. I was up all night, so of course I saw it right away.
I leaned back in the pew, and stared up at the ornate glasswork depicting the Pyre. I got to the Lighthouse Chapel a little bit early, so Sister Neriyov wasn’t here quite yet. It was fine, though. There was a certain peace and quiet here that the rest of the city lacked, which allowed me to relax.
The motion pulled slightly on my still injured arm. My arm was still mostly out of commission. I figured I could just tell everyone I slipped the other night on the stairs or something. Assuming anyone bothered to ask what happened, at least.
The door behind me cracked open, and light spilled into the dim chapel. I glanced back and caught ghastly green eyes staring back at me. A woman walked in a black dress that definitely wasn’t up to code. “Reyna?”
“Sister.” I stood up, and hesitantly stepped out into the aisle. “Still refusing the habit?”
“Still pestering me over it?” She grinned and moved up in front of me.
“Someone has to. Have you seen yourself? Hardly befitting a sister of the church.” I smiled back. My words were all bark, with absolutely zero bite. It was the same argument we used to have back then.
Her silver wolf ears twitched with affection, and she bumped my good shoulder with her own. Her orange eyes darted to my injury, and then danced up to my face. “Pyre, kid, you look awful.”
“Good to see you too,” I muttered. Some things hadn’t changed, huh? I rubbed a hand across my eyes. “Couldn’t sleep.”
Her tail thumped my own lightly as if in admonishment. Even after all this time, it was like nothing even happened. Warmth still radiated off her. “You know that’s not what I was talking about.”
Sister Neriyov was one of the few Silver Wolves here in Silverport. Between me, Sylvie, and her, we made up the majority. There was a married couple too, but they were… not very pleasant to be around. Most of our Totem was in the north. Only Silver Wolf outcasts or those who ran away came this far south.
“I… fell down the stairs.” My practised excuse came out unfortunately flimsy. I sounded like an abused girlfriend scared of giving her boyfriend away. I winced, and felt my chest ache. What happened to badass Barghest? Or brave Canary Vargriev?
“Right. What a crock of crap that lie was.” Her tail whipped and slapped my uninjured arm. Others may buy the lie, but she’d seen too much to believe it.
I pouted, and touched the limb with my other hand. Honestly, out of everyone? Sister Neriyov was probably the only one I didn’t need to lie to… why did I stubbornly push her away back then? “Happened on the job.”
“Ah, okay.” She patted my shoulder, and dropped the matter. She knew what I used to do. “How’d you get in?”
”A sister let me through. Figured I knew you since—well, you know.” My tail lashed behind me. Maybe not with other Apexes, but wolves were known to be pack animals. It wasn’t too far off to assume everyone knew everyone.
“Ah, gotcha.” She looked me over, and lifted her hand to just above my head. “A bit taller, maybe. Still look half-starved.”
”You think so?” My tail gave a pitiful wag. Last time she saw me—that would’ve been just before Hades, wouldn’t it?
”Well…the injury is new too.” She winced, and moved past me toward the flaming altar in the middle of the chapel. “Sylvie’s taller than you now, though, sooo…”
My tail stilled behind me. ”She… she’s been here recently?”
“‘Course! She had some questions about her Aspect, so I—” She turned around with a bundle of candles in her arms and froze when she caught my expression.
“Her… Aspect?” I repeated with a hollow gaze.
“Oh… she didn’t tell you, did she? That girl…” Neriyov set down the candles, and pulled me onto the front pew. Her warm hands clasped my own. “Should I have not said anything?”
”No.” My tail tapped against the wood in irritation. I squeezed my eyes shut, and quickly got my emotions back under control. I refused to meltdown in front of her of all people. “Thank you. For telling me.”
Sister Neriyov chuckled, and brushed back a strand of silver hair. “My big mouth is still a problem, it seems. Should've taken the vow of silence instead.”
“Sylvie…” I ducked my head and stared at the white stone underneath us. “Thank you for helping her. I’m not the best Apex to question about Aspects.”
“Of course. Us wolves have to stick together, don’t we?”
Yeah, stick together… My heart throbbed. Pyre, Sylvie, you’ve been keeping something like this from me? I knew how it felt to lie to your closest relative. What must she have gone through without me there to help her?
Sister Neriyov patted my hand lightly as if to pull me out of my own head and backed away. “So! What brings you by? I imagine it wasn’t just to see my beautiful face after all this time.”
A pang of guilt flooded through me, and I dipped my chin. “I… I need some help. Inhibitors.”
Her grin melted into neutrality, and she eyed me. Even still, she didn’t distance herself like most would after hearing a Psyker was nearby. “What happened? You said you had it handled.”
”I did have it handled.” A bit of defensiveness leaked into my voice. Before Hades, Sister Neriyov and the gang I worked under were the only things keeping me sane. I was so proud back then telling her that she wouldn’t have to worry about me anymore. That was before the gang even went under. “I still do. I just… I might not.”
“Cute.” She patted my leg. “Try saying you're in trouble in a normal language this time, yeah?”
”Not trouble, exactly. I might not need them ever again if things go right.” I was still dreaming of being free from corruption entirely. “If they don’t, though…”
I couldn’t overlook the fact that Lord Bartmoss was coming along on the expedition. That man—I’d be lucky to get back to the city alive, let alone get any benefits out of the trip. To still go after the supposed corruption immunity was suicidal. Something like that wouldn’t just be given to me. I wasn’t sure if I could survive a fight against any of them, but if it meant never having to listen to whispers again, then maybe it’d be worth a shot.
“I’ll pay you—“
”Reyna Vargriev.” She grabbed my chin, and forced me to look up and meet her eyes. She looked genuinely offended judging by the tilt of her ears. “Do I look like a dealer to you?”
I squirmed uncomfortably, but the woman’s domineering streak was out on full display once more. “N-no, ma’am.”
”Good. Pack doesn’t charge pack. Not for medicine.” Sister Neriyov released me, and crossed her arms. “How many?”
“… one as backup, at least. My source is unstable. I’ll be gone for the next two weeks, but after that…” My ears flattened, and I looked away from her. “I’m sorry to ask this of you.”
”It’s fine, Reyna.” She grabbed my one good hand and held it within her own warm ones once more. “Though if you ever offer to pay me when it comes to helping family again, I’ll smack you with a hymnal.”
”I…” I swallowed thickly. I hadn’t talked to her in years, and she was being this warm and friendly? She didn’t even know who I was anymore—the things I’d done. The things I’d still do. My ears dipped even lower, and I pulled lightly on my hand.
She let go, and just silently sat beside me. I didn’t deserve this… this warmth. What was I doing here? I cut ties ‘cause I didn’t want to pull her down too back then. Not when she was just starting to get her life back on track. Guilt welled up inside of me, and my shoulders curled inward. Why did I come?
“Thank you,” I mumbled softly. Despite knowing all of that, I couldn’t force myself to stand up and walk away. I’d been so, so very cold recently. She was like a flame, and I a moth desperately longing to be close.
“No problem.” She leaned back in the chair, and her tail flopped onto my thigh. “So who are you running with these days? Heard the Deadlock gang went under.”
”Yeah… the leader made some bad calls.” They were my previous, um, employers before the syndicate. “Have you heard of Hades?”
”Ugh.” Her ears twitched up alertly, and her eyes sharpened on me. The expression melted, and she slowly shook her head. “Some bad apples there, Reyna.”
”I know.” I rubbed at my arm lightly. “They’re all I’ve got though. You should’ve seen me after Deadlock went under… they’re the only reason I’m still alive.”
”As long as you know what you’re doing.” She stood up and moved to pick up the candles she’d discarded. “Mind helping me light these while you regale me with what you’ve been up to over the years?”
“‘Course.” I followed her to the altar while carefully thinking about what I could tell her without causing her concern to go into overdrive.