Io’s home was still the same as Atticus had left it.
A small bed at the furthest side of the room, the fur covers folded neatly. Beside the bed was a nightstand with assorted items on the surface. On the other side of the room was a table with a couple of seats. Toys lay scattered across the floor; some were broken while others were intact.
The sound of water could be heard running through the irrigation. It kept the inside of the building cool. But upon closer inspection, there were cracks in the irrigation system. Water escaped through the cracks and trickled down the wall in a constant flow. Warping the stone walls and floor.
Atticus strode to an empty chair by the table. He dragged it out and attempted to sit but Io stopped him.
“Give me a moment.” Io said. “I don’t want you getting blood all over my clean furniture.”
Without letting Atticus say a word, Io rushed to the cupboard and picked a large bowl from within. She placed the bowl under a spout then pulled on a latch. Water rushed out of the spout into the bowl. When it was filled most of the way Io lifted the latch then placed the bowl on the table where Atticus stood.
Io bent down, took a handful of her dress at the end and tore a piece off. Io gestured for Atticus to turn and when his back was to her, she cupped water in her hand, letting it fall over his shoulders.
“You still don’t know how to take care of your body.” Io said half-jokingly.
The muscles in Atticus’s shoulders tensed as Io dabbed at his wounds. “Sometimes you have to disregard safety in order to eat.” Atticus said.
Io smacked his shoulder and he winced. “Sure, whatever you say.” She said.
Atticus placed his hands under his armpits. Goosebumps broke the surface of his skin. He shivered against the cold air. Io’s hands left a faint trace of warmth as she cleaned the blood from his body.
Amara played with her toys. Silently watching them while remaining firmly planted in her spot.
It was at this moment that it occurred to Atticus how scary he must look to the youngblood. A tall, ghastly man covered in blood should have been frightening to the girl, but she still talked to him and didn’t shy away too much. She was a very odd one and that thought made Atticus laugh a little.
“I don’t see what’s so funny when you’re this hurt?” Io muttered.
Atticus shook his head. “It’s nothing.”
Io untied the gauze around his leg, blood leaked onto her finger. Her hand froze as she let out a gasp.
“What’s wrong?” Atticus asked.
“What is this?” Io exclaimed. “What is this! You have a chunk of flesh missing from your leg!”
“Yes, that did happen.”
Io leaned away, shaking her head. “What? Did you offer your leg in exchange for a gem?”
“It’s not like I offered it willingly.”
Io sighed, rubbing her face with the back of her hand. She let her hand linger on her cheek then let out a defeated breath as she rolled her neck around her shoulders.
“Hold still,” Io said, placing one hand on his shoulder and the other on the wound.
Atticus wrapped his fingers around her wrist and pulled her hand away from his wound. “No.”
Io raised an eyebrow, snatched her hand back and placed it right back where it was before. “It’ll get infected if I don’t do anything.”
“You’ll get sick if you-” Atticus cried out in pain as the wound on his leg pulsed and twisted. He could feel the flesh and muscles in his leg grow and connect as an immense heat poured through Io’s hand into him.
Atticus’s knees buckled. He gripped the chair to keep from falling. A heavy pressure weighed against his shoulders. His vision went back and forth between blurry and clear. Sweat slid down his neck and his breathing was labored.
Io lifted her hand and backed away.
Atticus fell to his knees, catching his breath. He glanced at the wound he had and saw the aftermath. A bit of pink flesh could be seen but otherwise it completely healed.
“Thanks.” Atticus said.
Io waved a hand but said nothing in return. She sat herself on the ground, her face drained of any energy. A thin layer of sweat could be seen on her brow and her hands shook a little.
Amara rushed to her mother’s side, whispering something Atticus couldn’t hear. Io wrapped her arms around the youngblood and rested her head on the small girl’s shoulders.
Amara twisted her little body as much as she could to face Atticus. “Did it hurt?” She asked, the words from her high-pitched voice filled with deep concern.
“Yes.” Atticus answered.
“Why? It never hurts when mama heals me.”
Atticus gawked at Io who lifted her head and had the most wicked grin on her face. “You can control it to the point it doesn’t hurt anymore?” Atticus asked.
Io shrugged, “I can but it uses a lot more energy.”
Atticus struggled to stand, plopping himself down on the chair, hard. Did removing pain from the healing process really make her tired? Or was this some sort of petty revenge for his past actions? Should he even bother saying anything?
Atticus shook his head as he leaned forward, clasping his hands together. “Now, do you want to tell me about what happened between you and Edan?”
Io leaned back, facing the ceiling. A few moments of silence passed before she let out a groan. “He told us to leave him a little while back.” Io answered.
“Why?”
A pause.
“Differing opinions.” Io stood up, Amara still in her arms. She crossed the room and placed the youngblood on the bed. Gently wrapping the fur blanket around Amara’s shoulders. She offered the youngblood a toy then gestured for the little girl to stay put.
Atticus watched as Io went towards him then sat herself down on the other side of the table. Io rested her chin in her hand and tilted her head. She stared through Atticus, her face void of any emotion.
Atticus could tell something was going on inside her mind. Io dug her nails into her chin. A layer of tears filled her eyes but refused to fall. The corners of her mouth twitched as if she were fighting against her own instincts. He reached over and touched her hand, giving it a gentle squeeze.
Although she didn’t look his way her lips curled into a small, sad smile.
“It’ll be all right.” Atticus said.
Io laughed. The laugh was tinged with a hint of guilt. The tears that had gathered in her eyes fell. Io pressed her fist against her forehead, her jaw clenched, and shoulders shook.
Across the room Amara moved to the edge of the bed, one hand extended toward her mother. She didn’t leave her spot or speak a word, just silently reached out.
Io said something to Amara in a different language, one that Atticus couldn’t fully understand but he was able to get the gist of it. The youngblood relaxed but her eyes were still on them.
“That’s the thing, Atticus.” Io whispered. “It’s not going to be all right.”
“What happened?”
Leaning forward, Io pulled Atticus’s head closer to hers. Their faces were nearly touching. “Edan has been gaining power since the gods destroyed the fields.” Io said, each word barely hanging on to her every breath. “He started asking for...things.”
“What things?” Atticus asked. His fingers clenched and unclenched into a fist. His knee bounced up and down uncontrollably.
“It wasn’t his normal favors. His taste started shifting, he was getting violent. He had the men and women under him perform.” Io trailed off, her eyes glazing over. “I think he enjoyed watching us in pain. It hurt a lot but I thought it was fine because we had food.”
Io rested her head on Atticus’s shoulder. Her tears landed on his arms. He didn’t move. He waited until Io regulated her breathing.
“He forced us to watch him cut a girl that stole from him. He cut open her belly. Everything fell out! I didn’t know she was pregnant. He made us watch as she died.” Io pulled back. She sneered at the ground through her tears. Her hands trembled as she clutched them to her chest. “He said if we ever did anything like she did, if we stole, if we ever got out of line, then he would do the same to us.”
Atticus gritted his teeth, letting out a shaky breath. He clenched his fist, glaring at the wall.
Food was scarce. Ever since the gods burned the fields it cut their food supply to a dangerous degree. A punishment for being unable to meet the gem quota they had set. What could they do? If there was nothing there, there was nothing there. But here they were. With Edan killing a girl who needed food for her unborn child. This went beyond crossing a line.
“Who was the girl? When did this take place?” Atticus asked.
If the murder of the girl happened recently, he would have heard of it. The whole city would have heard of it. So, why hadn’t he?
Atticus took a closer look at Io. There was a little more meat on her bones than the average citizen. He hadn’t seen her in the mines nor anywhere that could get her rations. If this had happened a long time ago surely, he would have seen her struggling. And if he hadn’t seen it, he would have heard of her struggles before now.
“A few days ago. I don’t know her but I do know she was a friend of Kalista’s.” Io answered. “I don’t care what happens to us out here. We needed to get out of there.”
Atticus scratched the short hairs on his chin and frowned. “The girl didn’t survive?” He asked.
“She was dead before her body hit the floor.”
If the girl was dead her body should have appeared in Terrenus in some form or fashion. When someone dies, they are usually sent to the river to disappear into the Abyss. If anyone had been sent down the river in that state it would have been the topic of conversation all over town. Why wasn’t it?
“What happened to the body?” Atticus whispered.
The look on Io’s face caused the pit of Atticus’s stomach to turn violently.
“I don’t know.” Io said.
Atticus frowned. “Strange.” If the girl did die, where did her body go? Atticus stood up from his seat, taking out the rations from his pocket. “I’m sure you haven’t eaten since you left Edan.” He held out the bag and offered the food to her.
Io reeled back, raising both hands defensively. “I cannot accept that.”
“You can and you will. Consider it a thank you for healing me.” Atticus whispered. “I have to go but I will be back soon.”
Atticus approached the door but stopped short. Hand on the handle. “Why don’t you hate me?” Atticus asked.
“What makes you assume that I don’t?” Io retorted.
Atticus smirked at the ground as he shook his head. “Because I know you.” He said.
Io paused, wrapping her arms around herself. She turned her face to the side, a sad smile played on her lips. “Why don’t you hate me?”
“I suppose for the same reason you don’t hate me.” Atticus replied.
“You know, Atticus.” Io said, closing the distance between them. She took his hand in hers, gripping it tightly. “If there was a way for us to have survived back then without having to do what I did I would have done it. But I didn’t know any other way. We would have died.”
Atticus hung his head, retrieving his hand. “I know.”
“Food was so low back then and it has only gotten worse. Know that I only slept with him after Amara was born, it was the only way I knew how we could all eat!” Io pleaded.
“I can tell that she’s mine,” Atticus said. Io dropped her shoulders. Atticus continued. “And I am sorry I left but it’s still not easy. However, I do understand what it must have taken to make the choice. And I agree that times have only gotten worse.”
Atticus turned his attention to Amara who had snuck up to them and clung to her mother’s side.
“I will do what I can to take care of both of you from now on and I will do my best to forgive you.” Atticus said. “And I hope you will do the best to do the same. Until then I will go, but know this, I will be back. So, please, be ready to welcome me when I return.”
Io nodded. “We will.”
Atticus left, taking a moment to glance back as the door closed behind him. He caught Amara’s gaze, her face crestfallen. Her expression was similar to the one he had when he watched his mother leave when he was younger.
The youngblood didn’t know him, so how could she love him? Yet he had no doubt she did. Somehow, some way, she did.
Even if he said those words in the heat of the moment, he knew that he would have to be true to his word. He would return to them. But for now, he had to find some answers because something about the way Io told her story didn’t sit well with him.
There was something wrong. And he was going to find out what it was.
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