Ch.27 Monsters

Chapter 27

With aggression, Ira wiped off the glass sand from Wren's cuts and healed the fey back up. Her mouth was set into a firm line of disappointment as she gripped the boy's hand and jerked him around. The smirk that had appeared on Wren's face the moment Ira entered the room had not disappeared.

"Did you know?" Ira asked.

"Did I know what?" Wren wondered.

"Did you know she would feel it?"

"Yes," Wren lied.

He had no idea the autura was still present between Birdie and him. He wasn't a fan of the chatter box, but that didn't mean he wanted her to feel the agonizing burn of the glass sand. He wouldn't even wish that upon his worst enemy.

My worst enemy, Wren thought. Birdie was his worst enemy...

"Where is she?" He asked, looking up and focusing on Ira.

"You do not need to worry about that right now."

"Does she know where I am?"

"Why do you ask?" Ira arched her brow.

"Because I'm pretty sure you wouldn't want her walking around this place on her own when she starts looking for me."

"And you're just so sure that she will come looking for you?"

"Oh, she will," Wren laughed. "She'll come looking for me."

With her nostrils flaring and her eyes boiling mad, Ira stood up and walked out of the room. Wren sat against the cinder walls and leaned his head back. He couldn't explain the restlessness inside of himself but Ira's visit had put everything into perspective. If the autura was still present between him and Birdie then it was only a matter of hours before she came looking for him. Her mind was as restless as Wren's heart.

Shutting his eyes, Wren filled his lungs with the damp air of the compound and willed his mind to locate the starting point of the autura. If he could find the start, then like a string, he could follow it back to Birdie. Wren had never tried to trace an autura before, not that he even had one. He sat for many hours struggling with nothing but his own magic and the hellish dragon scale cuffs.

But little to his knowledge, on the other side of the compound, Birdie could feel the tugs and pulls Wren so carelessly made. She sat at the round table with her grandmother, Azad and Omar as her back warmed and chilled all at the same time. Her hands were ice cold, yet she had droplets fo sweat at the base of her neck. Birdie could feel the tugs in the middle of her chest that made her want to sit up straight and inhale for as long as she could.

"Are you alright?"

Birdie flinched and jumped out of her seat as Ira placed a hand on her shoulder.

Everyone around the table froze and looked up. The chair Birdie had been sitting on fell against the floor with a loud bang, demanding everyone's attention.

Instantly, Birdie's cheeks began to warm. She could feel the tips of her ears and nose changing color as all eyes in the room landed on her.

"I'm alright," Birdie said. "You frightened me. Sorry."

Azad leaned over and lifted the chair back into position. He cleared his throat and held it out, waiting for Birdie to take her seat.

"Thank you," Birdie muttered quickly as she sat back down.

"As I was saying..." Ira started at her granddaughter as she began to walk around the table once more, her eyes were full of questions and curiosity. "The collector does not have the key."

"Shit," Omar groaned. "What now?"

"Birdie's clothes were thrown into the glass canal when she arrived," Ira announced.

"And all objects lost in the glass canal is fished out at the East Ends of Yuri," Azad rubbed the back of his neck as if trying to work out a knot.

"Yeah, by the giants," another jinn snorted. "They would never let us have a look. This key is as good as gone."

"Who are the giants?" Birdie asked.

"They are...the giants," Azad said. "How do I explain it....they are....giants."

"Like actual giants?" Birdie asked.

"Yes, why else would they be called giants?"

"Maybe metaphorically."

"No, they're giants. Giant giants. Made of sandy glass bits."

"They also hate the sight of jinns," the other jinn spoke up. "They would crush us if we're spotted anywhere near their territory."

"But they have the key," Joya's timid voice entered the conversation. "We need the key to go home."

"We'll need to gain their attention somehow," Ira paced the floor slowly. "Buy their trust just long enough to gain access to their nets."

"The fey prince," Omar said.

Birdie's eyes snapped up.

"There's a bounty on his head," Omar leaned back in his seat. "We tell the giants they can have him if they give us what we want."

"They would never agree to that," Azad snorted. "They're loyal to the crown."

"And the crown sits on Darrians head," Ira reminded them. "Tamzin is just a wanted criminal now."

"Wren," Birdie said. "His name is Wren."

"Wren is a wanted criminal now," Azad smiled. "Better?"

"You can't turn him in," Birdie looked up at her grandmother.

"Why not?" Ira asked. "He killed his cousin in cold blood."

"No, I did," Birdie confessed. "We both did."

Once again all eyes around the table were on Birdie. Ira waited for her to elaborate as Joya's eyes bounced around.

"Wren was protecting me," Birdie said, feeling her throat tighten and her head sway from the way her lungs stopped functioning.

"From what?" Azad asked.

"From his cousin..." Birdie could hear her ears start to ring. She did not want to think back to that night. Her hands began to shake as she felt her stomach turn.

"What did he do?" Omar asked.

Birdie's breath caught in her chest. She wished for the grown to open and swallow her up but she couldn't get her thoughts together.

"You can't turn Wren in," Birdie shook her head. "He'll tell them I was involved and they will come after me next."

"I wouldn't put it past him," Azad muttered.

Birdie glared at him, not liking the way the jinn belittled Wren.

"He saved my life," she pointed out. "And he's not going to turn me in by being petty. They'll probably get a confession out of him when they put him on trial."

"Don't overestimate him," Ira said. "He will throw you under the bus just to get his revenge."

"So now what?" Omar asked. "We can't trade him?"

"No, we still will," Ira moved her eyes off of her granddaughter. "Let him tell his court Birdie was involved. Once we have the key, we'll be long gone."

"But that's wrong," Birdie couldn't stop herself. "He did it to save me."

"Sweet baby," Ira sighed, her eyes tired and her face worn. "The prince won't hesitate to slit your throat if his life was on the line. There is no code of honor here. It's a cutthroat world."

"Maybe for you," Birdie said. "But baba always says everyone needs to pay for their own sins. I can't let Wren pay for my crimes."

"It's not up for discussion," Ira's voice hardened. "We're trading the prince to get our key. We have been here far too long. Our people want to go home. Do you get that?"

Birdie stared with her eyes wide open. She could feel everyone in the room watching her with disapproval.

"I need you to answer, Birdie," Ira said, firmly.

"But there has to be ano-"

"There is no other way," Ira cut her off. "We've looked. We've tried. This is our only hope of going home. Now, make your decision. You're either on my side or you're in my way."

Birdie was too stunned to speak. Her insides felt hollow as she sat staring at the woman who looked so much like her father.

"Yes or no?" Ira pushed.

"Y-yes..." Birdie's voice cracked.

"Good," Ira nodded. "That's what I was hoping to hear. Now, let's get on with the planning."

The warmth from the compound seemed to have disappeared. Birdie suddenly felt cold to her bones as she turned in her chair to face the others. She looked at them and felt her heart quiver from their unfamiliar faces and stares.

She began to long for home. For her family and friends. For the sun on Earth, for the moon. For the sheets in her own bed and the tea her baba made. The corners of Birdie's eyes filled with tears as she bit down on her lip and wiped her eyes before anyone saw.

"Omar, send words to the giants that we have the prince," Ira commanded. "Joya, pull up the records for all the jinns who belong to Earth and Azad prepare the people to accompany you to the East. You will also be taking Birdie with you."

"Are you sure?" Azad asked, looking at the young girl and then back up at their leader.

"The key picks it's guardian," Ira said. "From what she has told me, it has chosen her. If she's there at the nets, it will be drawn to her."

"Plus," Omar spoke up from where he sat. "Her Fey looks will only be an added bonus to our cause."

From the corner of her eyes, Ira looked at her silver haired granddaughter, "Yes."

"I understand that," Azad said. "But I can not take an untrai-"

"I'm sure my son has trained her," Ira cut him off.

Azad's eyes fluttered back to Birdie, "Can you hold your own?"

"I have been holding my own here on this god forsaken place," Birdie reminded him.

"Alright," Azad said, not fully convinced. "I will have you meet my team and we will go over our route and plans."

"Excellent," Ira announced, gathering everyone's attention once more. "Please, make all the preparations."

The jinns rose to their meet and bowed their head slightly just the way they did to Heyder at court. Birdie waited until they were out of the room to turn to her grandmother.

"Where is he?" She asked.

"Why does it matter?" Ira looked down at her rings.

"Will you tell him what you are doing to him?"

"Does he deserve to know?"

"Yes," Birdie said.

Ira's gaze lifted as her hand froze in front of her. She looked at her granddaughter and pressed her lips into a thin line.

"Have you been intimate with me?" She asked.

"What?" Birdie felt her stomach tighten.

"Has he touched you?" Ira asked, clarifying her question.

"N-no!" Birdie's brows knit. "No."

"He seems to have a different story."

"Jinns can't lie," Birdie said before she could stop herself. She wasn't lying about her and Wren. She had no reasons to lie to her grandmother, yet here she was. "Nothing happened between Wren and me."

Ira nodded slowly, "I believe you."

Birdie couldn't let go the breath she was holding.

"The compound has a rule," Ira began slowly. "We do not provide refuge to jinns who have willingly had intimate relationships with feys."

"That doesn't seem very fair," Birdie frowned.

"It is," Ira said sternly. "If a jinn in their right mind willingly gave themselves over to one of those monsters, our doors are close to them forever. The blood of our people the fey have spilled is far greater than any possible reasoning you can have for choosing to be with one of them."

"But that's not how things work..." Birdie said with caution. "What if they are in love? What if they are mates?"

"Then they made their bed and now they must lay in it," Ira said. "They will have nothing from us."

"I understand....sort of," Birdie shook her head. "But that's still very...harsh. What if a jinn was tricked into thinking they were in love by the fey and they later were betrayed."

"Leaving your people is a choice," Ira said. "Every jinn in the compound or outside of the compound know about our rules. If they make the choice to pick a fey over their people, they have cut off all ties to us."

"But people could genuinely be in need of your hel-"

"It's the law, Birdie."

"A law you made."

"We all must follow the law," Ira's eyes were cold. "And as mu granddaughter you now have the whole compound's eyes on you. Do not disappoint me."

"You think I'm going to sleep with Wren?" Birdie asked in anger.

"You are a smart girl," Ira said. "You will make the right decision. We just have to get him out of here before he starts to spread too many harmful rumors that you will not be able to come back from."

__________________________

After dismissing Birdie, Ira called Joya to walk the girl back to her room. Azad was out rounding up his people while Omar set off to inform the giants of their trade.

Birdie's brain felt numb as she was lead through the back halls of the compound towards her room. She began to wonder what Wren could have possibly told Ira to cause such questions to come out of the woman's mouth. Her head spun with anger knowing the asshole will no doubt laugh once he got wind of his chaos.

"Are you alright?" Joya reached out and gently touched Birdie's hand.

Flinching, Birdie stepped away and pulled at the sleeves of her shirt, "Yes. I'm fine."

"You've been very quiet," Joya smiled.

Birdie felt a laugh bubble out of her, "My brother would say that's a good thing."

As soon as Birdie mentioned Hayden, her heart contracted. She felt her eyes start to sting as the sudden wave of longing for home began to choke her. Her eyes lifted for a few seconds before she bit down on her bottom lip.

"We will be home soon," Joya reached out and squeezed Birdie's shoulder.

"I- I know," Birdie stepped aside, away from the woman's comforting touch. "I just...I feel like I have been suck here for a lifetime."

Understanding her feelings, Joya nodded.

"I'm so sorry," Birdie sniffled. "I shouldn't be complaining. You have been here for centuries."

"Please, don't remind me," Joya's nose scrunched up. "Time is cruel."

"It is," Birdie took a deep breathe and let out slowly.

She was ready to follow Joya back down the hall when she suddenly heard a group of children running down the stairs, shouting and hollering with joy.

"It's probably recess time," Joya said, looking over her shoulder. "We run a small school to keep things normal for the children at the compound."

"Oh," Birdie took a step towards the stairs.

"We're going this way," Joya pointed to the corner.

"I know. I just wanted to see them," Birdie took a few steps forward.

"Ira wants me to make sure you get to your room safely."

"I will," Birdie said. "Just a quick hello."

"Birdie," Joya frowned with worry filled eyes. "Let's not do that."

Not understanding the woman, Birdie stepped down the stairs and pushed the door open to the indoor play yard. She was greeted by a gust of cool air and the voices of children as they ran around chasing each other and pulling out toys from the bins.

The indoor play yard was a play pin in the corner of a large warehouse. On the other side of the low fences surrounding the play yard, jinns unloaded supplies and ushered in new guests to the compounds. Some fed the horses while others trained with partners.

It was strange for Birdie to see a play area in the middle of a military base, but she was glad it existed. They children didn't seem to mind the world outside of their yard. They were too busy enjoying their time.

"Birdie, we have to go," Joya said from the door way.

"I know," Birdie took a step forward. "I just want to say hi."

Joya shifted uncomfortably as she hovered by the door. She called out Birdie's name once more as a small yellow ball flew through the air and collided with Birdie's leg. She stilled as a children shouted out an apology.

"It's alright," Birdie laughed, looking around the yard for who the ball belonged to. "It happens-"

Suddenly, all the children in the yard froze. Their eyes widened, jaws hung, and little hands began to shake.

"Hello," Birdie waved with a bright smile.

No one said a word.

"Hi, everyone. My name is Birdie," Birdie waited.

The children stared.

With awkwardness Birdie tuck her hair behind her ears and pushed her hands into her back pockets. She gazed over the children wondering why they were so caught off guards.

"What's your name?" She asked the little boy standing in front of her.

The child took a step back. His eyes watered as his whole face turned red.

"Oh, no, no," Birdie cooed. "It's okay."

"Birdie," Joya's voice was no longer patient or kind. She rushed forward and grabbed Birdie's arm despite how the girl flinched. "Let's go back inside."

"What's wrong?" Birdie asked in confusion as she saw the look of annoyance in Birdie's eyes.

As Joya pulled her back into the stairwell, Birdie looked over her shoulder at the children. Her eyes scanned their faces as an uncomfortable and unpleasant memory began to surface in her mind about the first time she had gone to court with her baba.

She knew that look...

How could she forget that look?

"They..." Birdie stopped at the door. "They're afraid of me."

Joya stayed silent. And her silence was like a slap across Birdie's face.

"I'm so sorry," Birdie said as she quickly untucked her hair from behind her ears and rushed into the stairwell.

Her heart pounded in her chest, making it difficult to breath as her ear began to ring. She leaned against the wall and wrapped her arms around her tummy to keep herself from shivering as the faces of the children danced behind her closed eyelids.

"Your hair and your ears..." Joya began in the silence of the compound.

"I know."

"They don't know who yo-"

"I know. I know," Birdie pushed off the wall and began to pace the floor. " I just ... Back home... that hasn't happened since I was a child at court. I forgot."

Joya nodded, "Let's head back now?"

Nodding, Birdie wiped her hands on her thighs. She began to follow the jinn up the stairs when her feet stopped once again.

"Joya?" She looked up. "Is that why Ira wants me to stay in my room?"

Joya looked over her shoulder with a frown, "Seeing you.....can be traumatic for some at the compound."

"I..." Birdie felt her heart contract. "I understander."

And with that, Birdie followed the jinn upstairs and into her small room. She quietly at down at the edge of her bed as Joya took out some fresh towels and drew a bath. She waited for Birdie to stripe her clothes and climb in but once the water turned cold, she realized Birdie was not going to be taken a bath.

"Let me know if you want war water," Joya said as she quietly slipped out of the room, leaving Birdie by herself.

As the small candles burned, Birdie felt her eyes water. She pulled herself up from the bed and walked over to the door to turn the lock. Once satisfied that no one would be able to get in while she was in the bath, Birdie walked into the bathroom and sat down on the edge of the tub. She dipped her hand into the water and pulled at her magic to warm it up until steam began to rise from the surface.

Sniffling and shivering, Birdie took off her clothes one piece at a time and tossed it in the basket by the door. She avoided looking at herself in the mirror as she slipped into the tub and sat down. The sound of the water filled the bathroom as Birdie pulled her knees up and wrapped her arms around them. She sat in the tub until her fingers began to prune and the water turned cold once more.

Mentally and emotionally exhausted, Birdie dressed in a haze and climbed into bed. She did not feel like herself as she pulled the blankets over herself and laid back against the pillows. She could hardly identify herself as her heart hid out in a silent silent cave and closed all the shades.

That night, Birdie prayed for sleep.

Her first night at the compound, she had not slept. Her dreams were haunted by the memories of Jeffry and his friends pinning her down to the floor and silencing her screams. And every night since had been the same.

The dreams always started the same way. Birdie stood in the middle of the stage, looking out at the sea of people when Jeffry would snatch her up and pull her behind the curtains. He threw her down on the floor and laughed as his friends each grabbed her hands and pinned them down. No matter how loudly Birdie screamed, it never seemed to reach anyone. The door to the stage remained closed and no body with navy blue eyes and dark hair walked through to pull Jeffry away from her.

With a scream, Birdie bolted up in bed.

She panted loudly as she kicked off the sheets off of herself. The feel of them scared her in the middle of the night when her thoughts were dark with memories of what could have happened.

Unable to stop the sobs, Birdie started to cry as she looked around at the dark room. All the candles except one had burned out. The dark shadows in the corner mocked her as she placed her hand over her mouth to keep herself quiet. Birdie wanted to crawl out of her skin and disappear. She feared her heart would give out from the way it ached and pained.

But as she laid in that bed, soaking up her pillow with her tears, the tug and pull suddenly returned. Birdie gasped as her hollow chest suddenly filled with something else beside her dreadful nightmares.

Slowly sitting up, Birdie placed a hand over her heart and looked down. She could feel the sharpness of an invisible string pull at her. Knowing exactly who was at the other end, Birdie jumped out of bed and threw open her door.

The compound was in deep slumber. With the sun hidden outside of the gray walls, Birdie had no way of telling what time it was during the day. The only indication of daytime was the hustle and bustle of the jinns. But as Birdie walked down the halls, she could sense all the slow breathes of the people and families asleep behind the closed doors.

Barefoot, Birdie hurried down the halls, following the string she had no way of proving was tied to her. The pulls led her to a stairwell she gladly ran down despite the darkness. Her hands slid along the wall to keep her balance as Birdie arrived at the door guarded by two jinns. The men looked up at her and arched their brows at once.

"What are you doing here?" One of them asked.

Birdie did not think.

She raised her hand and began to chant in Roopcian.

Jinns couldn't cast witch spells. But Birdie could.

It was one of the advantages she had over any jinn she ever encountered. By the time the jinns figured out what she was doing and worked through their confusion, the spell was done and they were on the floor.

The loud thump of the jinns hitting the ground filled the narrow hall as Birdie grabbed the ring of keys from one of their belt loops and neared the door.

Her hands were numb. Her body was running on adrenaline. Birdie could hardly hold the keys steady as she tried one at the time. Her patience grew thin at key after key refused to match the lock on the door. She was ready to find another way inside when suddenly one of the keys slipped into the lock like butter. Birdie's heart leaped up as she turned the lock and pushed it open.

"Well, hello ther-" Wren did not get to finish as Birdie ran into the room and threw her arms around him.

Caught off guard and stunned by the wave of terror that pushed into his system through the autura, Wren wrapped his arms around the girl and pulled her closer. He backed up until his back hit the wall and he had his face buried in the crook of her shoulder.

Birdie's feet hovered off the ground as the fey crushed her against his chest. She felt as if she could finally breath as her nightmares began to retrieve. Wren's warmth engulfed her as she let her tears run. She knew her tears were soaking into Wren's skin once they slid down her cheeks but Birdie did could not care at that moment. She held on as long as she could before Wren suddenly swiped her up into his arms and slid down the wall.

"What are y-" Birdie tried to looked up but Wren stopped her as he leaned his head against her and whispered into her ear.

"Shhhhhhh," he said, pushing her head back down on his shoulder. "Don't talk."

Birdie bit down on her bottom lip as Wren settled down on the floor and placed her on his lap. His arms wrapped around her once more as he pushed once of his hands into her hair.

"Wren..." Birdie's voice shook as she spoke his name.

"I know," the fey said. "I felt it."

"I..."

"He's gone, little bird," Wren said quietly.

Birdie felt her chest quiver once more as she hid her face in curve of Wren's shoulder once more.

"How did you..." Birdie wondered, sniffling.

"How did you know where I was?"

"I could feel it," Birdie confessed. She placed a hand over Wren's chest and said, "Here...there was a tug."

"I feel everything you feel," Wren said. "We're connected by the autura and until it fades...I'll know about all of your nightmares."

"I can't sleep."

"I know," Wren sighed. "I can't sleep either."

"Every time I close my eyes, it's like he's right there."

"He can't hurt you-"

"But he does!" Birdie pulled back with tears running down her eyes. She let out a sob as her cheeks glistened. "He does it over and over and you're not there! You don't stop him!"

"I'm sorry," Wren raised his hands and placed them on either sides of her face. "I'm so sorry."

"You don't stop him," Birdie closed her eyes and cried.

Feeling the hollowness in his chest ache and burn, Wren pulled her closer and wrapped his arms around her. He placed his nose in her hair beside her ear and whispered to her how sorry he was for not stopping that monster in her dreams.

"Forgive me," Wren whispered. "I won't make the same mistakes again."

"Don't laugh at me," Birdie pushed at his chest.

"I would never laugh at you, Sultana," Wren smiled. "Especially not when you're angry with me."

"I am angry with you," Birdie said.

"I know," Wren rested his forehead on her shoulder as Birdie did the face. He let her breath in his scent long enough to calm her rapid heartbeat before speaking once more. "You shouldn't be here."

"I know," Birdie shivered, her senses coming back.

"But I don't want you to go."

"Why not?"

"Because I can't fight off the monsters when you're not beside me."

Slowly, Birdie lifted her head despite Wren protest and attempt to keep her the way she was. She pulled back and lifted her tear filled lashes to look up into those dark navy blue eyes.

But suddenly, a firm hand grabbed her by the arm and yanked her off of the fey's lap.

Startled, Birdie gasped as Ira spun her around and slapped her across the face.

Wren jumped to his feet at once and stepped in between the two. He pushed Birdie behind himself as he pulled at his magic only to be hit with the agonizing reminder that he couldn't summon it.

"How dare you?" Ira spoke to Birdie over Wren's shoulder.

"Don't look at her," Wren warned.

As if remembering he was in the room, Ira shifted her burning eyes to the fey, "I should skin you alive right now for daring to touch her."

"Then you better dig two graves," Wren said through his teeth.

"Azad," Ira called to the jinn who stood behind her. "Take her upstairs to my chamber."

"Don't touch her," Wren warned once more as Azad stepped forward.

"No, no," Birdie backed away, frightened by the thought of physical contact.

"Don't touch her!" Wren yelled as Azad grabbed Birdie and threw her over his shoulder.

"Back off," Ira yelled back, pushing the fey away and telling the guards to put on another set of dragon scale cuffs.

"Wren!" Birdie screamed in horror as Azad carried her off. "Wren!"

"You're going to mess her up!" Wren pulled at the chains that hung from his cuffs. "You have no idea what you're doing."

"I'll deal with her in my ways," Ira said, walking to the door.

"No, stop!" Wren protested. "Fuckin' hell, woman! You're scaring her."

But his words bounced off the cinder walls as Ira shut the door behind herself and marched off.

What will happen now?