Phoenix ducked behind a cottage as two soldiers paroled through the main street. She watched as they went by, releasing a tiny sigh of relief that neither were men she recognized.  When they were out of sight, Phoenix darted out, running as fast as she could, not stopping until she slid behind a bush at the Leyera home. 

From her place in the shrub, Phoenix stared up at the wealthy mansion. No light shone inside except from the left most window on the second floor. A balcony wrapped around the front of the house with easy access to climb up, but Phoenix knew the doors led to Aundreya's room, something Aundreya often exclaimed loudly whenever Maverick was anywhere within earshot.

Still, if that's Aundreya's room, Noelle's should be nearby.

After creeping around the house, Phoenix risked being caught by throwing a pebble up at the window with the soft yellow glow emanating from within. The outline of a girl appeared, lit from behind. Taking a chance, Phoenix waved up at the window. The shadow's head tilted to the side before lifting the window open.

Phoenix didn't wait for a second invitation. She jumped up, grabbing hold of a brick sticking out from the wall. With both extended and missing bricks, Phoenix maneuvered up to the window and crawled inside.

Rolling gracelessly onto the floor, Phoenix landed on her back, staring up at Noelle Leyera. She cocked her head to the side again, peering down at Phoenix.

"What are you doing here?" she asked, her voice a low whisper.

"I wanted to know why everyone thinks you're dead."

Noelle's brows arched, and Phoenix sat up. "That's a very honest answer."

"I can't help it." Phoenix pushed up to her feet. "Are you going to tell me?"

Noelle, so petite to Phoenix's tall frame, didn't seem intimidated as she stared up at the other girl. "I don't know what you mean."

Phoenix bit back a grunt of frustration. "Your name is Noelle, right?" The girl nodded. "Everyone in Treywick thinks you're dead, and when I met you in the basement you said you didn't exist."

"I don't." 

A prickle of pain swept over Phoenix, and she gritted her teeth. "That's a lie that I don't need my gift to see."

Noelle pursed her lips together, looking even more like Aundreya for a moment. "I don't know what you want from me."

"Uh, gee, I don't know. How about the truth?" 

"You're Laina, aren't you?" Noelle sighed. "Aundreya doesn't like you. I don't think you should be here."

"Do you always do what Aundreya wants?"

Noelle's jaw clenched. "It's better if I do." She fixed her gaze on the door, the muscle in her jaw twitching. "My parents think I'm too sickly and fragile to be out in the world. They thought telling everyone I was dead would be better than having people trying to come see me if I'm alive."

"Why would it matter if anyone came to see you?"

"They might bring in disease. My parents wanted me safe."

Phoenix looked the girl up and down. Though she could see a few bruises, nothing about Noelle seemed fragile or sickly. "You seem fine to me."

Noelle hesitated. "My parents--"

"I don't want to know what your parents think. I want to know what YOU are."

"I'm not supposed to tell. If Aundreya finds out--"

"I knew it." Phoenix cut her off, shooting a glare at the wall in the direction of Aundreya's room. "I knew she had something to do this. She made your parents think you were ill, didn't she?"

"She did."

"But why?"

"She wanted to be an only child. She thinks our parents favor me. When she wasn't strong enough to kill me, she found another way."

"What do you mean 'strong enough to kill you'?" 

Noelle frowned. "Aundreya tried to strangle me when we were little, but I fought her off. She's not physically as strong as I am."

"Is that your gift?"

Noelle shook her head. "No. I'm just flexible."

Phoenix blinked. "What?"

With a sigh, Noelle bent over backward, her body twisting like potters clay as she flipped her torso and looked at Phoenix through her legs. "Just flexible."

"I bet it's harder to kill someone like that." Phoenix grinned. "That's amazing."

"Thank you. But I think your gift would be better against my sister."

"Aundreya's gift forces people to believe her. My gift doesn't always fix that. She's a bully."

Noelle nodded. "Please, you should go. If she wakes up...it won't be good."

"I'm not afraid of her," Phoenix said. "I'm twice her size."

"It's not her fists I'm afraid of," Noelle said. "It's what she can do with her words."

Phoenix glanced back at the bruise peeking out from the collar of Noelle's nightgown. "Her words did that" Noelle nodded again. "Please, let me help you."

"It won't work.  Nothing you do will undo what she's done. My parents believe everything she says. It's better if I just stay hidden." 

"Does anyone else know about you?"

Noelle hesitated. "The Commander does. Him and two of his men. They came to dine with my family and saw me before I could be hidden."

Phoenix clenched her teeth hard. "Of course he knows. Don't worry, I'll find a way to fix this." It would be Eric's responsibility to handle a situation like this, and if he wasn't going to do it himself, she'd make him.

A sound from beyond the door jerked them both around, and Noelle's face paled. "You have to go!"

"I'll come back." Phoenix moved toward the window. "I promise." 

Noelle paused, frowning at her. "Why would you want to do that?"

"Because everyone needs a friend." Phoenix waved goodbye, disappearing into the night.

###

The next day, Phoenix marched right to Finny's cottage, knowing Eric would be there. Samson stood outside with two other soldiers. He crossed his arms as Phoenix approached.

"Official Army business, Laina. You can't go inside."

Phoenix clenched her fists at her side. "I need to see him, Samson."

The slightest flicker of his eyebrows hinted at his surprise. "You're here to see Commander Lee?"

"Not even you are allowed to call him just Eric anymore? Sounds like things have gone to his head."

"Laina..."

"Let me by." She stepped up and he placed his hands on her shoulders.

"I admire your fire, but I'm not letting you by."

"What if I made you?"

Instead of grinning or laughing at her the way the other soldiers around them did, Samson's expression remained sober. "I'd ask you not to. You aren't to interrupt an official interview. You may speak to him when he's finished, if he so desires."

"He's not the king, Samson." 

"No, but he still ranks higher than you do, Little Dove."

Phoenix pulled back, startled at the use of the old name. Samson released her and dropped his gaze, clearing his throat.

"What's this about? Tell me and I can tell him for you."

"Noelle Leyera not being dead." Phoenix mumbled the response, and Samson's brows arched.

"You know?"

"Well of course you know. For crying out loud, Samson. You've done nothing to help her? What good is the Army if it isn't protecting like it always says it will?"

Before he could respond, she elbowed past him, flying into the cottage.

Inside, Eric and Finny sat at her tiny table, both rigid and unyielding. At her entrance, they whipped around, shock on both of their faces.

"Laina," Finny said, her tone warning. "What are you doing?"

"Trying to get an audience with his majesty over there." At her sassy response, Eric flinched, his face paling. 

Why is he afraid now?

"What do you want?" Eric regained his composure, standing and approaching her. "Or are you just here to once again ruin things?"

Mouth falling open, Phoenix let out a soft squeak. "W-what? Ruin things? I am not the one who ruins things."

Eric barked out a laugh. "Oh, right. You're innocent and naive. Nothing is ever your fault."

"Where is this coming from?" Phoenix asked. "What did I ever do?"

"Everything! You're the reason I almost deserted the Army. I had to lie to keep you from and your brother from being executed. It's your fault."

"My fault? How is it my fault? You made that decision on your own!"

"It's your fault she's hurt!"

Phoenix blinked, thrown by the change of direction. "What? Who?"

"Abigail!"

"How is her being hurt my fault?" Who the hells is Abigail? 

"Because you're a girl! She thinks I left for you."

"I have no idea what you're talking about," Phoenix said, feeling waves of anger flowing from him - from the bared teeth to his clenched fists. "I came here to talk about Noelle Leyera."

"Who?" Eric blinked, his rage abated as his expression went blank. "Oh."

"Oh? Oh? THAT'S what you say? She's being abused by her own sister and her parents told everyone she's dead! Isn't that kind of an Army responsibility sort of thing?"

A commotion from outside cut off Eric's response.

"I said let me in!" 

BOOM.

The door flew open as Samson sailed backwards through it, hitting the floor hard. Maverick stepped in chest heaving and fists raised, ready for a fight.

"What in the hells has gotten into all of you?" Finny snapped, finally getting out of her seat. "Yelling, hitting, fighting - I won't tolerate it in my home."

Samson groaned as he got to his feet. "My apologies, Commander."

Before Eric could respond, Maverick crossed the room and got in his face. "You leave her alone." 

"I am not the one bothering anyone here," Eric tossed back, just as fierce. "Your sister entered during a private interrogation. She's the one causing problems."

"You can't talk about her like that." Maverick shoved Eric, his strength forcing the Commander back several steps.

"Maverick!" Finny shouted. "You will not behave this way."

Eric launched forward, shoving Mav backward as well. "Don't you dare touch me."

"Both of you, stop it!" Phoenix stepped forward just as Maverick raised his fist. Phoenix accidentally stepped into the path of his blow, but Eric threw her out of the way, taking the hit himself.

"Laina!" Maverick shouted as she rolled across the room. She didn't stop until she hit the wall, light exploding all around her. 

For a moment, she thought she'd hit her head, but then she realized she'd landed in Finny's lit fireplace. She screamed, despite not feeling any pain, but couldn't push herself up. Two hands wrapped around her ankles and dragged her backward, pulling her into him.

"Calm down. It's okay. You're okay." Maverick held her in his arms to keep her from continuing to swing them around. "You're not on fire. Are you hurt?"

She glanced down at her arms, and though there were no flames, something much stranger had happened. 

"What the - " Maverick sucked in a breath.

"How on earth..." Eric and Samson stood over them, staring down at her too.

Not a single burn showed on her arms our the rest of her torso. When Phoenix reached up and touched her hair, it felt fine.

"I don't understand," Mav said, eyes wide. "You were in the fire."

"What are those?" Samson's question raised Phoenix's gaze, and she saw he stared at her arms. 

She dropped her focus to see what he meant and let out a gasp. On each of her arms, a thick yet faint band had appeared on her skin, red on her right arm and blue on her left. They faded before her eyes, her skin returning to normal.

Eric knelt down beside them, staring at her with furrowed brows. "What are those?"

"I don't know." Phoenix let out a shaky breath, thankful she wasn't able to give a better answer. Before he could be stopped, Eric grabbed her left arm and forced her left hand into the fire. She shrieked and Maverick let out a growl of rage, shoving Eric back.

Phoenix pulled her hand back, once again feeling no pain, but the effect was the same. A wavy blue line ran down each of her fingers, meeting at her wrist before fading away. Not  far away from where she and Mav sat, Samson helped Eric to his feet.

"Whatever the hells you are," Eric said. "I'm going to find out." 

He stormed out of Finny's cottage, Samson on his heels. 

"This is why anger is so unwise," Finny said, her lips pursed. "You two have done a lot of damage today, and I don't think you're going to like what comes next."

Dun dun duuuun!

Looks like something way crazy just happened. What do you think it means? Tell me YOUR thoughts in the comments after voting for this chapter! Also, tell me what you think about Phoenix's second interaction with Noelle AND Eric (and first with Samson!). Looks like Eric blames Phoenix for how things ended with him and Abigail. 

Thank you for your patience on this chapter! Wattpad was doing a maintenance thing earlier and I couldn't post! Argh!

You're the best. Love you!