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Meren was many things. Feral, aggressively protective, and a daddy’s girl are just some of them. Right now, she’s leading the rest of her siblings through the Treviso market on their way to Auntie Aloe’s place on her own. Papa let them go on their own because Uncle Larry says the streets are much safer now.
“Ren,” Leon states as they move past an alley. “We’re being followed. I think it’s Dad.”
“Dad probably just wants to make sure we arrive okay.” Fey chimes in. “Papa probably made him when he agreed to let us go.”
“Daddy?” Matti asks from where he’s receiving a piggyback ride from Fey. “Here?”
“Not yet,” Leon states. “He’s keeping his distance. There’s at least two blocks and fifteen stories between us.” Ren’s never understood how her blind little brother could locate people and things with that much accuracy. Then again, she’s also not a mage, and she knows at least half of Leon’s abilities stem from that.
“So we have some space,” Ren states, grinning. “Let’s find out exactly how much!”
“Ren. No.” Fey tries. “You know we’ll get in trouble if we avoid Dad like that.”
“But Fey!” Ren tries. “Don’t you want to hurry over and talk with Uncle Larry about clothes or whatever?”
Fey pouts at her. “Just because I get along with Uncle Illario and you don’t doesn’t mean you get to call him Larry.”
“That’s not a no!” She grins, grabs her brothers’ hands, and begins to rush off through the market. She gets about three steps before Leon puts his foot down. Literally. He stomped his foot into the ground, using his magic to anchor him in place.
“Leeeoooon!” Ren pouts. “Stop that! Let’s go!”
“Not until you agree not to try to outrun Dad. You know he’s faster than us. All you’re going to do is get us punished, and I actually enjoy my lessons with Grandpa Emmrich.” Ren pouts. She’s the only one who doesn’t get extra lessons with Grandpa Emmrich all because she’s not a mage like her brothers. Sure, she gets lessons with Uncle Moni, but it’s not the same.
“I will not,” Leon states. “Not until—“ He cuts off, probably sensing something else. “Move.” He demands, releasing himself and leading them through the crowd. Fey shares a look with her before they rush off after their brother. There’s clearly something going on, and Leon’s the only one who knows what it is.
“Get under here!” Leon demands, ushering them under a covered stall. Ren dives under first, followed by Fey and Matti, and finally Leon. He pulls at his magic, waving his hand about until stone comes up to block the side they entered from.
“Leon! What are you doing? How are we supposed to get out?” Fey complains.
“Someone’s following us. Give me a moment, and we’ll have a way out.” His yellowy magic is the only light they have as the ground below them shakes before giving way to a rough tunnel. “Let’s go.”
“It’s dark down there. We won’t be able to see anything!” Ren mumbles, slightly anxious.
“So hold on to each other. I’m going first.” Ren nods resolutely, grabbing the back of Leon’s shirt and Fey’s arm. If she’s going into an even darker pit of hell, then she’s going to do it on her terms.
They don’t even get three steps into the indomitable darkness before Ren’s fangs itch, demanding she find something, anything, to bite before her anxieties get the best of her. It’s fine. She can handle this. It’s just a little darkness. She’s not going to bite her brothers because of it. She won’t bite her brothers because of it. She refuses. Even if it’s becoming harder by the moment to keep her cool.
“Ren?” Fey’s quiet voice asks. “Are you okay?”
“’Course I am!” She tries, knowing she’s not fooling anyone.
“If you say so,” Fey states as the tunnel begins to fill in behind them. “How far are we going like this, Leon?”
“Not too far,” Leon states, pushing them forward. “We’ve already confused our pursuers. As long as we pop up somewhere secluded, we should be okay.” Ren bites her lip, drawing blood, waiting for the trip to be over.
A tiny hand lands on her back. “Iz kay Wen. Fefe, Lele, here. ” She chews straight through her lip, feeling her teeth click together while still inside her flesh. Matteo’s not worried. Why is she being so silly? Why can’t she figure out how to deal with this stupid fear when her brothers are all fine?
It’s not fair! She’s—
Light drips into their tunnel as Leon opens it up into the city above. Ren barely waits for her brother to finish opening the way before scrambling out and breathing in the fresh city air. Why is she breathing so hard? She wasn’t that scared.
It’s a matter of minutes before her brothers are all up on the surface with her, and Leon’s filled their tunnel in. Ren looks around. They’re at the end of an alley on the other side of the markets. They should be able to get where they’re going without running into whoever Leon found chasing them.
Fey puts Matteo down, letting the toddler walk on his own for a while. Matteo decides to toddle over to Leon, make grabby hands, and then snatch Leon’s hand for his own. Finally, something normal.
“What do we have here?” Ren’s blood runs cold as she turns around. A man even larger than Dad stands between them and their exit. Her instincts race, demanding she bite, scratch, do anything but let them take her. Fight you idiot, fight!
She glances over to Fey. Her brother’s pulled a pocket knife and has something between determination and terror on his face. “Leave us alone!” Fey tries, holding his knife in front of him. It would have been a good attempt had he not been shaking.
The man laughs. “Or what? You’ll poke me with baby’s first training weapon? You’ve got a lot of gall, kid.”
“You won’t like what happens if you don’t,” Leon states calmly. “You’ll be lucky to get away with your life when our Dad gets here. And even if he spares you, Papa won’t.”
“I’m not scared of a pair of fa—“ Ren doesn’t let him finish, chomping on his leg with as much force as she can muster. How dare he insult their Dads! “Ow! Little shit.” He tries to kick her off, but Ren stays locked on. He grows frustrated, slamming his fist into her head.
Her brothers yelp, tears well in her eyes, and her head spins, but she refuses to let go. No one gets to insult Dad! Not even Papa! There’s no way this guy gets to!
“Ren! Move! Now!” Leon calls with urgency. Electricity fills the air. Ren releases his leg, scampering out of the way as she feels lightning crackling across her skin.
A crash and the feel of Dad’s magic coats the area, flowing around them protectively even as it sharpens with something dark and heavy away from them. Ren blinks, trying to clear up her blurry vision as she looks for Dad.
The ground in front of them is cracked. Dad’s standing over the body of that man with his lightning sparking around his hand and arm. His hand is inside the man’s chest, and his eyes glow in anger. Dad pulls his hand out, covered in the man’s burnt, charred blood, and turns to them.
“How’s your head?”
“Spinning?” Ren tries. “’M lightheaded, too.”
That glow increases. “And the rest of you?”
“Fine,” Leon states. “Fey’s shaken, but Matteo and I are fine.” That glow subsides somewhat, and Dad kneels to go through that guy’s pockets for information. She’s pretty sure he takes something before coming over to her.
“Come on. Let’s get you guys to your aunt.” Ren’s scooped up in her Dad’s safe, protective arms. “Fey?” Her brother squeaks. “Right.” Dad leans over and gathers Fey in his arms as well. “Think you can handle Matteo?”
“Yeah,” Leon states. Dad starts moving. It makes her head feel worse, and Ren feels like she might just throw up. Squeezing her eyes shut, she whines as she rests her head against Dad’s chest.
It doesn’t help. Ren ends up vomiting and only just misses Dad, Leon, and Matteo. “It’s alright,” Dad states plainly. “We’ll get to Aunt Aloe’s place soon and get you fixed up!” Ren whines, hating the way she feels right now.
Ren decides to settle in and hopes she can keep herself from vomiting for the remainder of the trip.
Ren whines as she’s moved, reaching out and clinging to Dad. She doesn’t want to be put down! She wants to stay where she’s at!
“Oh, sweetie, I know it hurts, but I need to be able to get to you to be able to heal your injury.” Dad shifts her away from under his arm, settling her squarely on his lap. It doesn’t make her feel any better.
“I know. It hurts.” Auntie begins. “Your Dad told me what happened.” Ren feels that soothing warmth of Auntie Aloe’s magic washing over her. “You were a brave girl, Ren. You gave your Dad enough time to act to protect you and your brothers.” That sparkly warm feeling concentrates on her head, soothing the ache Ren’s already grown used to.
It makes her head feel better, and the icky feelings start to go away. Dad whispers soothing words in her ears, promising it’ll be alright soon. She believes him. She always believes Dad. Dad never lies to them, after all.
Ren doesn’t know how long it takes before her head feels a lot better and those icky feelings finally leave her, but she does know she’s tired and wants a nap when Auntie finishes healing her. Dad moves to put her down, but she’s comfy where she’s at and doesn’t want to move.
“Ren. You have to let go. I need to speak with Luca, and you don’t need to hear that.”
She grabs onto whatever she can, leaning into his warmth and starting to doze off. “Dun wanna.”
“You don’t want to spend time with your aunt?”
“She can always visit later.” Auntie Aloe states. “Let her rest. She’s been through a lot.” Dad doesn’t say anything else, but he does kiss the top of her head and carry her home. Ren falls asleep before they’re even out the door.