Chapter 86: Chapter 86: Condolences
"Thank you, Sister. You were a really big help." Dana hugged the packed tea leaves against her chest.
Beatrix smiled. "You call me Sister and then thank me for something like this. How am I supposed to believe you mean it?"
Dana giggled. "Alright, Sister, how about I say I appreciate your help instead?"
"Much better."
"By the way," Beatrix added, "do you want me to walk you back? I don’t think Percy is coming back from his work anytime soon."
Dana shook her head. "I’m a lady now, Sister. I can manage by myself. I’m not a child anymore." She glanced up at the sky. "And nothing is going to happen in broad daylight."
"Alright." Beatrix released her hand and drifted back toward her stall. "Safe travels then."
Dana waved with her free arm, the other wrapped around the tea leaves, and set off through the street.
She made her way back through memory alone, her pace easy, taking in the morning around her.
A man caught her attention.
His face seemed to be bruised and was limping through the crowd, shoving people aside without a word whenever they got too close.
"How rude."
She was still watching him when she walked directly into someone.
She stumbled back and looked up immediately. "I’m so sorry.."
The person looked down at her and went still. His hand rose slowly, hovering near her face.
Dana flinched and stepped back.
The man’s hand dropped. "Oh! I’m sorry. I didn’t see you either." He smiled. It was a warm smile, though it sat on a face that looked thoroughly worn down. "And I apologise for just now. For reaching toward you like that."
Dana steadied herself. He looked haggard. But it was his eyes that held her , there was a sadness in them that ran deep enough to show clearly even to a stranger.
She thought of Sister Mara’s words, repeated so many times over the years. "Come out of your comfort zone. Talk to people. Help where you can. That is how you earn the blessings of the Goddesses."
She took a breath.
"Are you alright?"
The man’s smile widened slightly. "What a caring young lady. Yes, I’m alright now."
"You don’t look alright."
He blinked at that. His gaze drifted past her for a moment, then came back. "You remind me of my daughter."
Dana said nothing for a moment.
"Do you want to talk about it?"
He stared at her as though the question had genuinely surprised him. Then he looked away into the middle distance and back again.
"I don’t have much time. But I would like to."
They found a nearby bench.
"My name is Dana Fellia," she offered first. "I turned fifteen not long ago."
He looked at her with something gentle in his expression. "Similar to my daughter’s age." A pause. "My name is Harris Den. And her name was Mary."
"Was?" Dana asked quietly.
Harris’s face fell. "She passed away. Not long ago."
"I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to..."
"It’s alright, Miss Dana." He waved it off. "Besides. Even if I were offended, I couldn’t be. Not with you looking so much like her."
"She sounds like she was someone very special. I’m sure she loved you very much."
Harris looked up at the sky. "Apparently not enough for me to save her."
Dana’s hand moved hesitantly toward his shoulder and rested there lightly.
Harris’s gaze shifted suddenly toward something in the distance. He stood.
"Well. It was short, but I have to go."
Dana nodded. "I hope you find happiness, Mr. Harris."
He let out a quiet laugh. Then reached into his pocket.
"Here." He held out a bracelet.
"Oh, I couldn’t.." Dana raised her hands.
"Please." His voice was gentle but firm. "This was something I wanted to give her. I never got the chance." He looked at Dana carefully. "So at least let me give it to a lovely young lady who reminds me of her."
Dana couldn’t refuse after that. She took it slowly.
Harris smiled , properly this time, something satisfied and quiet in it, and turned to go.
Dana stayed on the bench and watched his back grow smaller as he disappeared into the crowd. Then she looked down at the bracelet in her hands.
Her eyes were wet before she noticed.
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Heniston placed Cindy’s head onto his lap and reached into his pocket, producing a transparent vial.
He uncorked it with one hand and gripped the knife handle with the other, pulling it free in a single motion before immediately pouring the liquid down onto her neck. The flesh moved, trying to close itself.
"Damn." His jaw tightened. "The wound is too deep."
Percy finally moved. He pulled himself off the ground and walked toward them, eyes fixed on Cindy, his gaze carefully skirting the body laid on the ground, the one still bleeding into the alley floor. He stopped beside Heniston.
"Will she be alright?" His voice came out with a tremor.
Walter arrived seconds later at a run. He stopped when he saw the body. His eyes moved from it to Cindy laid across Heniston’s lap, and something in them dimmed.
Heniston stood abruptly, gathering Cindy into his arms. Her eyes struggled to open, flickering.
"Don’t give up, Cindy." His voice almost loud. "We’re getting you back to the church. You’re going to survive. Don’t lose hope."
Walter moved in without being asked, helping take her weight. Heniston glanced back at Percy.
"We will get her to the church fast and report on my end. You report to the Syndicate."
He didn’t wait for an answer. He was already moving, Walter beside him, their footsteps fading quickly down the alley until Percy couldn’t hear them anymore.
Now Percy stood alone along with the body. He turned back to it slowly, his stomach turning with him.
"Ronan watched from behind Percy’s eyes. Percy stood before a corpse Percy had just shot."
"It was necessary", he told himself.
He looked at the body and thought about whether he should move it before someone came through.
Then the corpse jerked.
Percy flinched back, revolver up and aimed at it immediately.
The body began to change. It folded inward, shrinking, the clothes collapsing with it, the whole shape pulling itself down and inward until what lay on the ground was no longer a man at all.
A straw puppet now lay where the body had been. He was hit by a sensation from it .
"An Anchor!"
