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Liorah

The floor seemed to give way beneath me and I twisted in midair, catching the fall like a cat. I thudded onto the floor, absorbing the impact on my back and using the momentum to spring to my feet.

I had no idea what had happened, all I was certain of was that I didn’t like it and whoever was responsible wasn’t getting away with this.

I ripped my sword out of its scabbard before I stopped to assess my surroundings. I needed weapons before information. The heavy, firm grip of the sword felt familiar, the only thing that stayed by my side no matter what.

The barely healed burn blisters on my hands were still tender but I would fight. If something was going to attack me, I would drag it into death with me.

I was filled with rage and I had nothing specific to direct it at, so I hissed a strong, emphatic profanity at the entire world in general. I raised my sword into a ready, defensive position and glared around at my general surroundings.

It was a cave filled with people who looked every variation of confused and scared.

Why was this situation so familiar? I groped around in my memory, frowning as I tried to find it among the shattered memories I was either trying to forget or trying to remember. It was a mess. I had to remember to organize it later.

As soon as I found it I groaned and rolled my eyes. This, again. I thought that was a dream. It was so long ago and so much had happened in the meantime.

“What is wrong with you? Leave me alone, I already did this,” I told Lord Castle, a distinct threat in my voice.

“Welcome back! Seems nothing has changed, has it?” The metallic voice said, with a horrible cheerfulness.

Finally, I had something to be angry at.

I glared straight at the castle wall and replied, quietly.

“Oh, it has. Remember how I said I was going to rip out your wires, intestines, or other internal workings, and then strangle you with them? I came back to follow through on that.”

“Lovely bluff, my dear.”

“My omnicient friend, what makes you think I’m bluffing?” I asked, sarcastically. I had never hestiated before and I never would.

The castle was silent for a long, satisfying instant and I shot it a malicious grin, but I still felt cold inside. Cold, calculating anger.

I didn’t sheathe my sword but shot a look around the room, assessing who was here and what I was supposed to do with it.

I instantly recognized Klein and nodded a greeting, though I didn’t smile. Everyone else was replaced.

There were two tall men, one with dark, curly hair, the other with long white hair who were looking at each other with extreme astonishment, and a short girl in armor looking on.

A dark haired man knelt next to a smaller one with crutches.

Over in the shadowy corners, a man with gentle eyes was bandaging his arm. A tall girl with dark hair hovered near him and a smaller girl in tattered clothes was standing by awkwardly.

A man with bright red hair and blood seeping into a bandage around his leg was shooting me a rather confused look. I raised an eyebrow at him and tossed my long braid over my shoulder.

And then I finally caught his eye. It was none other than Lorcan. I hadn’t forgotten him and I wasn’t about to. I shot him a dark glare that could not be interpreted other than ‘Don’t think I forgot.’ Ugh, him. I wasn’t taking any of that this time. I wasn’t who I had been nine months ago.

I sheathed my sword with one swift movement.

“I’m Liorah. I’ve been here before and I’m not letting it get away with this again.” Even I recognized the resigned bitterness in my tone that hadn’t been absent since the war started.

I hadn’t been able to prevent anything before, but I was going to die trying.

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Oh, gosh, she’s as bad as ever.