Page 60 of Payne's Envy

“Ow. Payne. Ow. It hurts,” she whined.

“Here, let me see.” I lifted her arms and inspected her wrist. Nothing seemed broken, but her palms bled. “What am I’m going to do with you?”

She waved her hand around. “All better!”

Sure enough, the wounds were closed. I sighed as I stood with her. When she got hurt, I never could remember she was immortal and invincible. I feared that if I didn’t grow up in time, I wouldn’t be able to protect her. Which was absurd. I’d never be as strong as a child of Grim. Nothing seemed to exist like me, but when I held her, a sense of knowing always came. I just had to grow up. The answer would come then.

I might not be like her. I might not be immortal, but I would grow strong enough to protect her. That was the only thing that mattered.

“You are very little,” I said as I placed my nose against the top of her hair. I didn’t know why I had the urge. I never wanted to sniff anyone else’s hair, only ever with Joy, but I’d never tell a soul, especially her brothers. They gave me plenty of trouble because Joy liked me more than them. “I wonder how long it takes to grow up?”

Joy giggled. “You’re big!”

I wasn’t, but in her eyes, I guessed I was.

“Again?” I jumped at the sound of Sebastian’s voice. I set Joy on her feet as he and his brothers walked up. “Why do you always go to Joy?”

“It’s dangerous for her to play on her own,” I muttered as Joy latched onto my pants.

“It’s our father’s woods,” August muttered. “Nothing will harm her here.”

I scowled. “And yet the Devil cursed all of you a year ago.”

“Payne…” Barron stepped forward, and it was like seeing a different friend when his curse surfaced. His red essence circled around him as he stalked forward.

“Easy, Barron. Control yourself,” August said, grabbing his brother’s arm.

“Let go,” Barron warned. “It’s weird that Payne goes to Joy like he does.”

It’s weird?

I tried to look at it from their perspective. I didn’t understand. They were my friends, and I enjoyed playing with them. I had to protect Joy and grow up. I wasn’t sure why, but I didn’t see how it was wrong. They wanted to look after their sisters. Why couldn’t I do the same for Joy?

“She’s three, Payne,” August said as he crossed his arms. “What’s so fun about her?”

“Why are you all always this way?” I wondered.

“You look at our sister like our dad looks at our mom!”

Confusion hit me, and I scowled. “I do not!”

“It’s not normal. I’m a teen now and you’ll be one yourself in a few years. Maybe then you’ll understand why it’s strange.”

I rolled my eyes at Sebastian. As he got older, he became more and more of a know-it-all. His behavior annoyed me because I wasn’t sure what infuriated him. I wasn’t much younger. I just turned eight and everyone said I was tall for my age. Dad said I was going to be a big man, and I liked that possibility. Being bigger meant I would be more capable of taking care of Joy. Like Fear took care of my mom.

Then the shame hit, and my face got warm.Was it weird that I had these thoughts?

“Come here, Joy.” August beckoned his sister to him.

“No!” She gripped my pants legs harder.

“Go on, Joy. Go with your brothers.” The Reaper brothers turned at the sound of my mother’s voice.

At her penetrating gaze, I froze. I couldn’t tell what she was thinking, and that troubled me.

“Go on, Joy. It’s not safe for you to be out in the woods alone.” I gave her a nudge toward her brothers.

With a pout, she stumbled toward them, and it took all the restraint I had not to reach out and steady her.

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