DG pulled a small decorative cloth off a table, wadding it up in her cut fist with a wince. She jumped as the door to the room clicked open, her three friends looking for the world like they didn't want to intrude. She smiled welcomingly, her arms beckoning them to her while steadfastly not looking at Cain. Out of the corner of her eye she saw him move to a far point of the room and rummage around some cabinets as she hugged Raw.
"DG," she heard her mother call and turned to see Lavender standing on the balcony, hand outstretched towards her and DG moved to join them. Keeping her hand hidden at her side, they watched the dual sunrises over the horizon until they were high in the sky, flooding the dark tower with light. DG glanced over the railing to see the rebels round up the long coats below. Her mother followed her line of sight before pushing away from the railing.
"DG, remain with your sister. Your father and I must go below. Raw, please join us. I think it likely you will be needed."
She nodded at her mother before following her sister into the room. Az swayed a little on her feet and settled heavily in a nearby chair, her face pale. DG looked concerned but was waved off with a small smile.
"I'm fine DG….better than I've been in years. Just exhausted."
She smiled back and squeezed Azkadellia's hand gently. She was startled by a touch at her elbow as Cain wrapped his fingers around her wounded arm. The contact made her arm tingle and she could tell her cheeks were flushing as they made eye contact. If he felt anything, he gave no indication, instead just jerked his head to tell her to follow him.
"I'll just be over here," she told her sister and followed Cain to a well lit area across the room.
"Need to take a look at that hand, Princess," he stated plainly, gesturing to one of the empty chairs. She sat feeling suddenly shy, and not really knowing what to say. She studied him as he knelt on one leg and took her hand, gently pulling the bloodied cloth away. He was bruised, black and blue blooming on his cheek.
His eyes are ethereal... and it should be illegal to have that jaw line. What's the age difference between us? Fourteen years? But Glitch said the suit changes that so who knows...Except for the slightly receding hairline, he still looks awfully young...
His eyebrows drew together sternly as he eyed the jagged lines of her ruined palm and she looked away quickly to prevent from being caught.
"What happened to the knife?"
"Fell out my pocket."
"When?"
"When I was trying to not lose my grip on the railing and plummet to my death."
His stoic face revealed nothing as he just stared at her for a few heartbeats.
"And that's why you did it," he said quietly.
She nodded, "I'm sorry, Cain, I didn't know what else to do-"
"You saved my life," he interrupted, still holding her hand as he pulled out a small medical kit and clear concoction from his inner pocket. He withdrew some tweezers from the kit, and started on removing a sliver of glass from her wound. DG winced and he looked up briefly to give her an apologetic grimace and went back to pulling out shards.
"Had a gun on me when you did it," he said nodding his chin toward the blood stained hole in his duster. "I'd have three more in my head if it weren't for you. Brace yourself, Princess. This is going to burn."
He poured the contents of the bottle over her hand. Fire shot up her arm as she let out an involuntary whimper of pain and doubled over. A warm weight settled on her cheek as tears threatened to seep through her closed lids.
"Just breathe, DG. It'll pass. We have to keep infection from setting in until Raw can get back to you."
She nodded against his palm, breathing deeply through pursed lips until the burning dulled.
"Cain... what are we going to do?"
He had started to wrap her hand with gauze, glancing up only briefly as she spoke. She might have imagined it but it seemed he was having a difficult time looking at her.
"That is one hell of a loaded question, kid," he paused to sigh, "and the truth is, I don't know yet. But I think we should keep this to ourselves for now. And while this week has been a crash course on each other's personalities, I don't really know you and you don't know me... hell, I don't even know me anymore."
The last part came out muttered and he tucked in the tail end of the gauze to secure it.
"I think we should take time and figure out what WE want before others start giving us their opinions."
He held her damaged hand briefly before setting it back in her lap.
"What about Glitch and Raw?"
"They already know. They were with me when it happened but they'll keep it to themselves. Sound like a plan to you?"
She nodded and he gave her a small, tight smile before helping her to her feet and they started back towards the others. She noticed he seemed to be flexing the fingers on his right hand, occasionally giving it a little shake.
"Glitch... stay here with the princesses. I'm going to find my son, see if we can organize a sweep of the castle, and secure this place down. Don't let anyone in that's not me, Jeb, or the Queen and Consort."
Cain reloaded his weapon before leaving the room without a backwards look. DG leaned against a tall pillar as Glitch came to stand by her side.
"If anyone gets in here that's not supposed to, protect Az. I'll be fine."
"Yea, from what I hear, no one can ever hurt you again," he said gently, a sad smile on his face.
"Except for Cain."
Glitch looked a little startled, like the thought had not occurred to him before.
"He's a little screwed up, doll, but he would never... Raw said he's a good man. I believe him."
DG let out a strangled laugh, "I'm not afraid of Cain, Glitch. At least not like you think I am."
She reached out with her good hand and patted his shoulder before returning to the balcony, unable to help herself from searching for a familiar fedora in the chaos below.
