A Small Change

“Your instincts are good, and you were able to activate your weapons the first time. Good job,” Shorty said quietly.

Wren took a closer look at the etchings on her bracelets. Her eyes narrowed, and she looked back at the little man before her.

“You knew it would take my blood the first time, yes?” she said, lifting her wrist to show him the bloody bracelet.

Shorty shrugged. “How did you know?” he asked. “Only one other knew before I told them.”

“No blood below the bracelets,” Wren replied.

Shorty nodded. “Just like your bond with Talon, your bracelets needed to make a bond with you. They do that through the sacrifice of your blood. Now that you have activated them once, they will respond to your will and you will be able…”

Shorty froze mid-sentence as one of the blades suddenly rested against his throat. He found himself looking into the eyes of a very angry lady.

“So what you are saying is that if I had not been hurt and bleeding, or if the blood had not reached them in time, you would have allowed that Being to continue its attack until I was unable to continue.”

***

Talon stared at the woman before him. She was different.

The timidity and hesitation were gone, along with her fear. Now, she was confident, calm, and…cold.

He was a bit unnerved at seeing the sudden change in her. First, she was timid, then she showed she could joke and flirt, now she looked as if she could become a cold-blooded killer.

Talon and Shorty watched as Wren dropped her arm and began to cry. Uncontrollable sobs began to rack her body, and she collapsed before them, wrapping her arms around herself as the tears continued to flow.

Acting on instinct, Talon once again wrapped Wren up in his arms.

“Every person has to go through this. You must figure this out on your own, so do not take your anger out on him,” he said.

***

Wren looked up at Talon, a mixture of fear and attraction hitting the middle of her chest. Once more, she pulled away, turning and giving Shorty a low bow.

“I am sorry, Shorty. That was uncalled for,” she said.

“Are you kidding? It happens more times than I can count. Besides, that was awesome!”

Wren’s head snapped up at his enthusiasm. What did he say?

“I did not know that you would have an evil twin. Damn woman, I cannot wait to see what you will be like after you have been properly trained.”

He quickly continued, seeing the shock and dismay cross her face. “I will never allow you to become evil. Just ~really~ good at what you do.”

Wren shook her head violently. “No. I do not want to. Killing that Being was too awful for words.”

“Yes, you will. You will kill hundreds before your training is complete,” Talon spoke softly behind her.

Wren felt the blood leave her face. Hundreds? She could barely do one.

“You just have to tap into your strength. Remember what you are fighting for.”

“You are going to rival Talon one day for sure.” Shorty started to jump up and down in his excitement.

“Can we do it again? Please, please, please?”

Wren looked at the man in front of her and shook her head. “You are not normal, are you?” she commented, watching him bounce around like a sparrow trying to attract its mate.

The man was unhinged.

“You will not be doing anything until these cuts are healed.” Talon raised the sleeve of her shirt, revealing the long wide cut she had received earlier.

“You will need to go have this healed before it becomes infected,” Talon commented. “Then you will learn basic fighting skills. That was just ugly.”

Wren noticed his cold attitude was firmly back in place. ~Good. I prefer this to whatever that was a moment ago.~

“Hey, at least I am the one still standing,” Wren shot back.

“Pure. Dumb. Luck.”

“Duh.” Wren rolled her eyes at him. She suddenly felt much better.

“What else did I have going for me?”

“Are you done here?” Talon asked Shorty, who was looking at the damage done to the training room. It was going to take a bit to get the room back in order.

“Yeah. I am done…for now. Come back soon.” He waved them away.

“Come.” Talon led the way as they left the room and headed for the infirmary.

Wren wiped the sweat from her face, only to realize it was blood. She must have cut up her face as well.

It was starting to sting now, and for that matter, so was her arm. She looked at the cut carefully, noting that it was still seeping blood, but not like before.

***

“Does it hurt?” Talon asked without turning around.

“What do you think?” she grumbled.

Talon shook his head. She was like a completely different person.

“You did not do too badly in there for a complete beginner. I was mildly surprised that you did not pass out the moment you saw the first one.”

“I told you before, I have already experienced the real thing once… Thank you for saying it, though.” Wren’s head was starting to hurt.

Talon knocked on a door and then ushered Wren in.

“Where are you, Doc? I have a patient for you,” he hollered.

“I think I can see that for myself.” A tall, thin man with an ugly scar running across his face appeared from behind a curtain.

“Hello. I figured I would see you sooner or later,” he said as he looked her over.

“You are not nearly as bad off as I thought you would be, though the cut on your head and shoulder is probably causing you some discomfort now. Come, sit, I will show you how to clean and heal the small stuff like this yourself.”

“Heal? Myself?” Wren turned to Talon. “I can do that? Even this?” She pointed to the cut on her shoulder.

Talon nodded. “Yes. Your abilities will allow you to draw on your power to heal yourself of small injuries. You cannot do anything too major, but you should have enough power to heal these. Just do not try to do too much, or you risk killing yourself. Understood?”

Wren nodded.

“Oh, a warning,” the doc interrupted. “Once you start the healing process, you will not be able to stop, so know your limits.”

“Got it. Now, if you could do something about these, I would appreciate it. My head is starting to throb.”

“All right. Let’s begin…”

Twenty minutes later, they were done. Wren no longer had any injuries, but she was covered in blood, and her headache had only diminished slightly.

Not to mention, they had skipped lunch, and she was starving.

“What’s next?” she asked Talon as they headed toward the mansion.

“Next, you are going to shower while I get us some lunch. Following that, you are going to lie down for a bit. I do not want to see you before supper.”

“That is still…” Wren looked at her watch. “Three hours away.”

“You need to rest and get rid of the headache I am sure you have right now.”

How had he known that? “Fine.”

They walked along in silence, each in their thoughts.

Talon wondered why he was being so nice, and Wren wondered if she could ask him about his weapon. He did not have bracelets like hers.

“Where is your weapon?” Wren asked suddenly.

“You will see.”

“You will not tell me now?”

“Everyone carries their weapons differently, and every weapon is tailored to each person.”

“So ours do not look the same.”

“No, but they can be put together.”

“Huh?”

“I will explain at a later date.”

As they came to her room, she finally got up enough courage to ask him something that had been on her mind since that morning. She did not know if she would have another chance. She might as well go for it.

“Why do you not eat with the others?”

“Why do I need to?” he opened the door and followed her in, escorting her to her bedroom.

“Do you not like their company?”

“It has nothing to do with that,” he continued through her bedroom and deposited her in her bathroom.

“Then what does it have to do with?”

“What is with all the questions suddenly? This morning you were a two-bit, timid little rabbit and now…”

Wren sighed. Her head hurt, and she was tired and grumpy, that was why.

Besides, she was done dealing with his high-handedness. All he did was argue and sulk and be rude to everyone around him.

She did not want to deal with him anymore.

“Do not worry about the food. I will be going to bed anyway. You may go away now. You do not need to waste any more time in my company.”

Wren shut the door on his face and leaned against it a moment before starting the shower. She was no longer hungry.

All she wanted right now was to be clean and to sleep off this headache.

***

“How did she do?” Lily asked Talon as he entered the kitchen.

It was Lily’s turn to prepare supper.

“She killed one,” was all he said as he prepared his meal.

“What?” Eric’s head snapped up from where he had been cutting the vegetables. “How did she manage that?”

“Pure dumb luck, but still…” He paused for a moment, speaking more to himself than to the others. “She is not as hesitant or as shy as she appears.”

“I could have told you that,” Carrie said from the table.

“You can see the strength in her eyes. Just wait and see. Soon she will be able to take even you on, Talon.”

Talon finished making his sandwich and headed for the door.

“Oh, Talon? Would you go collect Wren? Supper is ready, and she should not miss any more meals.”

Talon did not even stop on his way out the door.

“He seems to like her,” Michael commented.

“I do not think I have ever heard him speak so highly of someone. But still…” Lily shut off the heat.

“It will be a rough and rocky road for those two. He is unwilling to communicate, and she is only beginning to learn what she is capable of.”

“I have faith. After all, the director saw their bond, and he is never wrong,” Carrie commented.

As one, four heads turned toward the door.

“Are Evan and Emerald around?” Eric asked.

“No.”

“Good. Let’s go.”