Page 72 of Into the Abyss
Magnus
“I… I smell water again,” Amalia said, lifting herhead and sniffing at the air.
Her hair hung lankly around her shoulders.After our last swim, her braids had come undone, and ever since weencountered Bale, she’d been distant.
“I have to… to…wash,” she said andglanced at me from under the thick fringe of her multi-huedlashes.
“I understand.”
We should continue our search, we weregetting closer to the monolith, but she needed a break, and Icouldn’t push her when she looked so beat. Besides, the last time,the water revitalized her and hopefully it would again. The otherjinn thrived on the life force they spread through here while everynew one wilted Amalia like a plant denied sunshine for weeks.
Though, there hadn’t been any lightning in awhile.
I briefly contemplated going back to see ifanyone from our camp remained in here, but I didn’t want to wastethe time it would take to return.
Amalia headed for a crevice in the rocksthat was barely large enough for us to walk side by sidethrough.
“I hit Bale,” she said after a few feet. “Ipulled her hair too.”
“I saw.”
A crease ran across her delicate forehead asher pale eyebrows drew together over her nose. “I never believed Iwas capable of doing such a thing.”
I now understood her brooding demeanor. “Ifit’s any consolation, you didn’t hit her very well.”
A small smile quirked her mouth, but hereyes remained sad. “There was no need to fight behind theseal.”
“There is on Earth and in here.”
“I’m not a fighter.”
“You’re more of a fighter than you realize,and if you want to survive, you need to learn how to fight well.When we are free of this place, I will teach you.”
“And I will learn,” she murmured. “But Idon’t like it.”
“Self-preservation is agoodthing.”
“I know that, but I didn’t hit Bale for me,I did it… I did it because it made me somadwhen she hurtyou.”
Her eyes reflected her confusion as theyshifted to the color of honey. “It’s not…” She shook her head andlooked away. “I shouldn’t have done it. I’m not violent.”
“There is more than fae in you; there isalso jinn,” I reminded her, “and all demons are violent. The faeare dead now because they wouldn’t fight.”
“And the original jinn no longer existbecause they weretooviolent. Just because something hasalways been one way, doesn’t mean it should remain the same.”
“You want demons to be less violent?” Iasked incredulously.
Her hand trembled when she brushed her hairover her shoulder. “I understand fighting is necessary forsurvival, especially now, but I can dream maybe one day we willexperience a better, more peaceful world.”
I couldn’t shatter her hope by telling herthat would probably never happen. Besides, maybe I was wrong in mybelief and she was right to dream of such things. No matter who wasright or wrong, I determined that if I could, I would bring herthis better world she envisioned.
The pathway opened to reveal a small pool ofwater at the end. Amalia kicked off her pink slipper shoes as sheapproached the pool, and I winced when she revealed the oozingblisters on her feet.
“Your feet,” I said.
“They’re fine,” she replied. “The slippershave rubbed them raw since our swim, but they’ll heal now that theshoes are off.”
“You should have stopped wearing them.”
