Audentis Fortuna Iuvat

"What do you mean it was arson?" I demanded. "He wouldn't do that."

Dakota sighed and pulled out a stack of papers from his bag. "This is you dad's medical file," he said. "He was admitted to hospital over three times each year due to accidents he had caused. He was diagnosed with extreme anxiety, paranoia and depression. It even says that he was supposed to hand you over to a care home when you were four but he instead kept you and moved away everytime authorities tried to track him down."

I frowned. "These are... these are lies. I don't remember any of this. I mean, he was sad a lot and really protective of me all the time but he... he didn't do these things. 'July 1998, stole a car and chased innocent man at extreme speeds, accusing the man of being an ancient monster. Police captured him and held him for two weeks before he was deemed fit for society again.' This... this is a strange psycho. Not my dad."

"I know it seems wrong but we need to consider the possibility that maybe-"

"No!" I shook my head in anger and threw the papers at him. My voice climbed. "My dad didn't set that fire! Even if he's as messed up as you say he is, he wouldn't have done that!"

"Kerri, calm-"

"Oh hell no!" I screamed. "You don't tell me that my family is a mess and then tell me to calm down!" I took a deep breath and puffed it out through my nostrils. "I am so not in the mood for this." I turned heel and and stormed back down the hill, kicking gravel out of my path.

Just as I was about to reach the bottom, Octavian rushed from the side of the path and opened his mouth to talk to me.

"Kerri, we need to talk about how-"

I cut him off. "If you come a step closer to me then I will personally show you what it feels like to be one of your pretty little teddy bears."

He followed after me despite the threat. "Why won't you talk to me?" He asked.

"Do you want to die?" I snapped, my hand on my sword hilt.

"Listen, I'm sorry about the thing... with the scroll."

"Oh go to hell, Octavian. Saying sorry doesn't help. Would you say sorry to a plate after you smashed it?"

"Of course not." He said indignantly. "But I don't have to work with the plate for years."

"So you'll back off unless you want those years to be turned into minutes." I threatened.

"Why are you so angry?"

I balled a fist and smashed it into his jaw. He stumbled against the gravel and fell hard on his hip. A smile twitched at my mouth despite the sting where my knuckles had connected with bone.

"Stay away from me unless you have a decent excuse." I ordered, turning away from Octavian's injured body strewed across the path.

It nearly shames me to say that I hoped his jaw was broken.

Nearly.

Notes