Chapter 28: 1-27: Quaza

Ilyah knocked on our door around eleven in the morning, soon after Hayli had gotten herself and a still unwilling myself ready. 

"Nice room," Ilyah said letting herself in. "Only one bed, huh?"

"Terra won't do anything." Hayli said, "Or let me."

"H-Hayli!"

My girlfriend giggled, "So easy."

"You ready? Lili said she was breaking Quaza out half an hour ago."

"Yep. Right, Terr-Terr?"

I sighed, "I guess."

We began our way out of the hotel and onto the street, Hayli and I holding hands as Ilyah lead us.

"So... how do you know Quaza." I ask, curious.

"Oh, well we first met when I helped free her with some kid, I forgot the name of."

"You mean at that party?"

"Yep."

"I wondered why you agreed to go."

"And you're friends why?"

"Because after that the two of us became roommates at school. I was there for her with the other girls for almost everything. She was only away from our sides when visiting the Human town with Olli."

"Really? Always?"

"Yep, from her first gala with her mother to comforting her over her grandfather's death- Shera, Lili and I were with her if Olli wasn't."

So, was she there during when Olli used that corridor to send my brother and me to the capital? She didn't act like it- then again Ilyah couldn't even remember my deadname. "So, you're her only friends?"

"Geez that sounds sad when you say it like that."

"Don't worry Terra only has three friends and one of them is her sibling and the other is me."

"And how many do you have?"

"T-two. Sairah and you."

"Your girlfriend and your Shield."

"Hey, maybe Quaza will be your friend."

"That would be an odd friendship, Ilyah. Hero, remember?"

"Quaza might be the next Lord, but she isn't one to care about that. She likes me, she'll like you."

"What about you, Terra?"

"I don't even want to meet her."

"I told you she won't kill you for being related to that murderer."

"What murder are you talking about."

Ilyah and I turned to Hayli, "When Sordi was felled by Earth, brother of the Hero."

"You say that like he was trying to kill Sordi."

"Of course, a human would believe that theory."

"You think two kids who were fourteen at the oldest killed a Lord candidate who trained the last demon to ascend to Lord?"

Ilyah seemed to be taken aback by that, "Oh, so you think Sordi was killed by an accident?"

"Unless you want to say he was weaker than children."

"So, why isn't Vern hated."

Together Ilyah and I replied, "The one who holds the blade gets the blame."

"No one cares he was involved?"

"There is some animosity but as I said."

"Yeah, Hayli, they don't even care about the fact Olli led them to those ruins."

Ilyah snapped her head to me, "You sure do know a lot about this, Terra."

"Yeah, three members of my family died because of the retaliation to it."

Ilyah nodded, "Right. Sorry."

We continued on in silence until the tops of a few sparse trees came into view and the stones path left the buildings and began to be surrounded by grass. Lili ran over,

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"Hey! Quaz and Sher are at one of the tables."

"You told her these two were here right?"

"Yep! I said, 'Oh, and Ilyah's cousin and girlfriend will be there too. Her cousin's girlfriend, not Ilyah's. I mean Shera is there too but she's not the girlfriend I was talking about.' to her."

"Ilyah, Shera and I aren't dating. We just sleep together. She's aromantic remember?"

"Yeah, but you live together also."

"Can you just show us to the table already, Li?"

Lili nodded and skipped forward, Ilyah in front, followed closely by Ilyah and Hayli and me behind them walking uncharacteristically slow.

I was nervous that I'd be killed on sight by Quaza, I was scared she'd hurt Hayli to get me to come with her for execution- but I was mostly worried about what if I saw her and didn't feel the hate, I had tried to bring up for her. She never killed anyone during the attack- none that I saw, she was focused only on me- I was her sole target. My mom, dad, sister, friends, neighbors were on the hands of her mother. But she had let it happen, I tried to argue against myself, she could have convinced her to another way. Then I would think, like me going with her when she asked? But that too was nothing but speculation. I was safe if I went- were the rest of them? 

We approach and soon those familiar antlers peaked into my vision. That long tan hair, those straight cut bangs, those greyish purple eyes, that nose that was just slightly to the left, those thin lips always slightly turned up upwards. She was just as I remembered her. No, that was a lie- she looked better than that. She looked like a proper princess- not the kind you see in real life but the kind all the stories are obsessed with. Her hair was perfect, no strand out of place; her makeup was just enough to help her features stand out without being so much that it felt like her looks were just by the skilled hands of whoever applied it, and her pale teal tinted skin was free of any blemish- save for a scar on the left side of her neck, jutting out like a mountain on a flat plane.

"Hey, the other are here!" Lili yelled jumping over the table and into a seat next to Shera and Quaza. Nox was nearby, grilling some meat.

Ilyah sat in front of Shera, Hayli in front of Lili, which left me to sit in front of Quaza. I kept my head down, never letting my eyes gaze at her.

"I'm Hayli. Ilyah's cousin. A pleasure to meet you."

Quaza spoke, a slightly lower register than she had those years ago. "It is a pleasure to meet you as well. Ilyah has told me many things about you."

"Thank you." Hayli replied.

"Are you going to introduce yourself?" Quaza asked me.

I didn't reply. Eyes down. The wood was very interesting to me.

"Or are you worried about that I'll kill you? Capture you?"

I was beginning to panic, sweat beginning to form despite the cool breeze that blew through the area. I felt my breathing shallow.

"Tell me, do you remember what I told you? Before we departed? Well? Answer me."

I move my head slightly up and down.

"So, you survived. You enter my mother's land. As such, I want to ask: do you want death?"

At this point the others at the table seemed to be confused, Shera speaking first. "Quaz, isn't that a bit much to ask someone you just met?" 

"Yeah, Quaz. What are you talking about."

"Let her answer. Do you want me to kill you? For my mother to kill you? Well, are you, Terra?"

I open my lips and let out a very soft "no." I bring my eyes up to look Quaza in the face.

"So, then I suppose you are fine with being mine, Terra."

Hayli slammed her tail against the ground, "W-what? Terra is mine. I mean my girlfriend."

Quaza grinned, "So? I'm fine with that. I just want her to be mine. You can date her, but unless she's also mine she isn't leaving this meeting free. After all, she is the youngest Thornell."

The other three's eyes grew wide, "What? But she's a girl."

Quaza shook her head, "Yep, always was clearly. Not her fault she didn't know. Now, I am being serious. That blood contract, my mother still has that on the table."

Hayli coughed, "Wait, hold on, if Terra killed Sordi why would your mom offer this?"

"Because she liked Terra. Not Earth. It was always meant that she'd be Terra when the contract happened."

"Terra just came out like a month ago."

"Terra was the name she chose when Olli sent her and her brother into the capitol. Mother had a very good opinion of her 'disguise' when she was here. I told her who Terra was and she let me have this."

If I agreed, the Island was out of the question. I wasn't sure what Olli's plan involved but Quaza was one who she never included in her schemes and experiments. I thought it for just another second, there really was never a choice, "I really have missed you, Quaza." I smile at her.

"I suppose that's your way of saying yes?"

I nod.

"Good. And same. I truly have. This weekend is the finalization. I want to do the ritual then. Is that fine?"

"You say it like I have a say."

"Not for this."

Hayli coughed, "So, are you going to fucking explain how you know each other."

Quaza laughed, "She never mentioned me? Can't say I'm surprised, you seem rather possessive."

Hayli huffed, "I am not."

"I can see why she likes you. Now, you want to know? Fine, it all began when I tried to eat her face on our first meeting..."

 

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