Page 54 of The Divide that Binds Us

Katarzyna pulls away again.“Please.You don’t know anything.”

“I know you have a light, dear.My daughter and your father believed it.And I know they’ve seen it.It’s a real thing,” Vinyl presses.

No, I just came to get answers.Not this.

Katarzyna bites her lip and looks away, holding back hot tears.Her scars feel fresh again.It’s all in her head, but it feels like blood is oozing from the pink cracks of healed skin.The mention of her parents slips Katarzyna into the dark void left by the guilt of her actions.

“There is no light,” she whimpers, giving up control of her quivering.“It’s just so pointless to believe.”She breaks into an uncontrollable sob.Grotesque visions of blood smeared on the walls overflow through her.“I...j-just miss them s-so much!”

“I do too, sweetie,” Vinyl whispers.

“No, you don’t understand.You’ll never understand!”

Katarzyna storms out of the apartment and runs up the incline of the street, ignoring the burn in her calves and forgetting that the cul-de-sac was her meeting spot.She wipes her tear-streaked face when she reaches the main road again and pulls out her vibrating phone, only to ignore it when she sees Vinyl is calling.

Tess hasn’t reached out—who knows if she’s even made it to her village yet.Time has a funny way of moving when Katarzyna is visiting Emerald.Her thoughts spin as she exhales sharply and stalks around the area until she finds a park to cool down.

There are better parks, but this one is dominated by a vast parking lot before the actual park trail appears.Katarzyna bypasses the rows of vehicles and carriages and walks under the billowing trees onto the trail.She manages her trembling hands to ignore another call from Vinyl and sends a brief text to Tess to meet at the park.Trying to get her thoughts under control is impossible with the constant surge of images of her parents, so she ventures deeper into the park, noting the warning signs of dragons possibly resting in the open spaces.

Fifteen minutes of passing benches, kids, and people strolling along and the end doesn’t seem near.Katarzyna doesn’t realize how big the actual park is, but if it’s welcomed to dragons, it must be spacious enough to accommodate them visiting too.

Tess replies that she’s on her way to meet up, so Katarzyna turns around to head back toward the entrance.Her body hunches as she’s been left alone too long with her invasive mind.The stone sensation on her skin returns, but she shakes her head to ignore the gnawing memory.

Is it just me?I want to know if anyone else is still traumatized by it.

She stops short at an open meadow that doesn’t branch off from the trail.Sunlight sprinkles in through the forest-like park and gleams on the metallic red scales of a dragon five times the size of her.The creature seems preoccupied with the person stroking its scales until Katarzyna notices that infamous scarlet uniform jacket.

Her chest tightens, propelling her toward the stranger whose back is to her.The risk is thrilling; she’ll do anything to stop brooding about her parents and Vinyl.Staying put to wait for Tess will only cause Katarzyna to spiral more.

She clears her throat.“H-Hello.”

The stranger turns, and regret floods through Katarzyna.She didn’t think the short black hair would be associated with the golden eyes, but sure enough, it is.The member Ultima has called Malice stands before her apathetically.

Maybe this isn’t a good idea.

“Hi?”Malice replies.“Can I help you?”

Katarzyna’s brain falters.She steps closer.“Are you trying to save the dragons like the boy says you are?”

The girl’s face drops along with the hand that was petting the dragon.She rushes in three big strides until she’s face-to-face with Katarzyna.Being this close now, their matching height is more apparent as Malice’s ravenous aura hums aggressively over Katarzyna’s timid feathery, swan stance.

“You know Wren?Where is he?”she asks.

So, it WAS her at the park that day,Katarzyna confirms.She’s surprised Malice doesn’t recognize her from the showdown.

She scans Malice’s uniform, but no badge is in sight.The thought of stalling comes to mind.If Ultima can arrive soon enough to capture her, Katarzyna becomes the hero.Her teammates will finally respect her, but she needs to act fast to keep Malice here and think of something.

“I, um...I’m not sure.”Katarzyna’s eyes dart around before meeting the fierceness of Malice’s eyes again, strangling her thoughts.

She grimaces.“You’re lying.You know something.Tell me now.”

“My grandma,” Katarzyna croaks, heart racing briskly.“He’s with her.”She tries to clam up, but everything keeps flowing out loosely.“He told me someone was trying to save the dragons with your description.I thought Elite wasn’t being deployed either?”

The girl glances at the red dragon and then fixes her sharp eyes back on Katarzyna.“That’s correct; we aren’t deployed.That’s all I can say, so please take me to him immediately.”

A few vigorous walkers move hastily around them on the path, causing Malice to withdraw back into the meadow, keeping her glare.Katarzyna pulls out her phone, trying to appear normal, but her hands are sweaty.

“S-Sure, let me just uh...see if they’re still home,” Katarzyna stammers.She shakes as she sends a distress signal to Rio and Tess of her location.Maybe Tess will arrive faster and help subdue her.

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