Typhoon & Tempest

Chapter Nine

Lily woke to birds chirping, the sunrise tickling her face, and someone yelling about all their cereal being eaten.

"Annie! Did you eat my cereal?!"

"No, Nick! People are still sleeping!"

"What?"

"I said people are sleeping!"

"Cay, did you eat my cereal?"

"Nick it's seven in the morning! What are you doing waking everyone?!"

"Someone ate my Lucky Charms!"

"Have you asked Niall?"

"He's blind not stupid! He wouldn't eat my cereal!"

"But he invited people over last night!"

"What! Since when was Niall social?!"

"Why don't you ask him Nick, you've probably woken him up!"

"Hey Niall? Did you eat my cereal? Niall!!!"

Lily groaned, her hand slamming against her forehead. She sat up, struggling as her shoulder spasmed. The knot, which she guessed was Yuric's claw fragment, was moving with her shoulder. Lily hissed as her left arm shook bracing her weight. She couldn't go much longer with it still embedded.

She lifted herself off the bed, swaying slightly. Her right arm was still paralysed, her left trembled when she moved it, and Lily knew she wouldn't get anymore sleep thanks to this Nick guy yelling. A quick look around the room told her that she was alone. She had no idea where Jack was.

Lily saw she was still dressed in the clothes from yesterday so she reached for her suitcase, flinching as she pulled her shoulder again, but managed to tug the zip enough to open the case. She frowned when she saw what lay on top - her blue formal dress with a note stuck on from her aunt.

You can't not never go without a great outfit on a trip - wear it Lily! Let your hair down and party like your old aunt!
- Ollie Xo

Lily shook her head at the message but shoved the dress aside to pick out some fresh jeans, singlet, a button up blue and purple plaid shirt and some soft socks. Her hair needed to be washed soon but Lily couldn't wash it with two bad arms. Maybe Jack would help her wash it? She didn't know where the bathroom was anyway, she fell asleep before Niall could give her the tour of his family home so she'd have to wait.

As Lily removed her clothes she checked her body over in the mirror against the wardrobe. The sling was too dirty to wear again so she removed it and the bandage beneath, her paralysed arm hanging loosely against her side.

Two deep red bands circled her ankles and four her wrists from the zip ties Kristofer used on her, and from her mother's bracelets melting over her wrists. The scars from Yuric's claws peaked over her shoulder, five swollen lines going over her shoulder blade from where her neck met her collarbone. Lily's fingers gently touched the inflamed skin around the newly-healed area, swallowing the thought a piece of claw still in her flesh.

Lily's right arm didn't move. Her fingers brushed the harsh white lines almost like cobwebs - the lightning had seared her veins, leaving an almost white mesh behind. It was like wearing a long lace glove. Every piece of her arm was covered in the lightning scar. The only piece of difference was the large white scar at the last knuckle of her smallest finger, where the strike left, and the identical scar at the top of her shoulder, where it had entered.

Lily's eyes welled up at the sight of her scarred body. The light from the sunrise faded from the room as clouds blocked the view. A chill raked through her and Lily turned hastily away from her reflection and threw her clothes on as quickly and painlessly as possible.