Rex Aftermath (Elei's Chronicles) by Chrystalla Thoma

was curled on his side, wrapped in a cocoon of blankets, warm and fuzzy from sleep.
    Soft voices were speaking somewhere behind him. Two people talking. He blinked at the bare wall.
    “I do care.” Ale’s voice was a faint whisper. “It scares me.”
    Elei frowned. Was he still dreaming? The words made no sense. He fought to get his limbs to move so he could turn.
    “I get it,” Kalaes said. “He frightened you tonight. Hells, he scared the holy crap out of me. But he survived. He survived telmion, and cronion, and Rex, and being riddled with bullets. What I’m saying is... He’s a survivor. Just remember that.”
    “Sh. You’ll wake him,” Alendra whispered.
    Elei froze.
     “I wouldn’t worry about that. He’s out cold.”
    They sat in silence for a moment and Elei thought of moving, but then Alendra spoke again.
    “I don’t know what to do.”
    “Don’t say that,” Kalaes muttered. “You’ll break his heart again, dammit.”
    Break his heart. Ridiculous. Elei closed his eyes. Then again, it might explain the pain in his chest.
    “I’m just keeping some distance. You make it sound as if I’ve left him on a bare mountain top to die.”
    “Maybe you have.”
    “There are moments I think to the hells with it, live for now, get all you can from this moment,” Alendra said. “And then it’s like I can’t breathe and need time to find my courage again.” She puffed out a breath. “Besides, you’re one to preach. You didn’t take any more strays after Pelia Enu left, did you? I’ve been listening to your conversations over the weeks, piecing things together. You didn’t, because you were afraid they’d die, just like the ones left under your care. You even sent those who survived, like Dain, away. Didn’t want to live through it again. Tell me, how is this different?”
    Kalaes drew a hitching breath.
    Elei opened his eyes, glanced over his shoulder and found Kalaes staring right at him, pain in his eyes. Kalaes winked, though, mouth curling in a knowing half-smile. 
    He knew Elei was awake, that he was listening.
    “You got me all figured out, Ale,” Kalaes drawled. “I’m a coward.”
    Alendra had her back to him, her head bowed, hair catching silver fire from the faint light of the open door. “No, you’re not. I’m sorry.” Her body trembled. “I just... I don’t know how...”
    “Dammit, it’s okay,” Kalaes said, turning and wrapping an arm around her shoulders. He gave her a small shake and smiled. “Sounds like I should be making some amends, huh?”
    Alendra said nothing for long moment. Time stretched into a path, a road. She slumped over. “Yeah, maybe you should.”
    Nothing more.
    But Elei understood her fear, and if she thought Kalaes had been wrong, then maybe, somewhere deep inside, she thought she was wrong, too.
     
    ***
     
    Elei woke to the gray light of dawn. He was staring at the bare concrete of the ceiling, a web of cracks and humidity stains, and a rectangular skylight set high on the wall.
    It took him a moment to remember where he was and why. The scars in his thigh and chest itched, the fracture in the thighbone ached. Bruises and scratches from the latest encounter with the Gultur in the street flared in protest as he sat up, the blanket pooling around him.
    He scratched at a scab on his chin, waiting for the headache to subside. He was a wreck. Briefly he wondered how he’d move around when he got old. Remembered he may not survive tonight, and forced himself to get up.
    A small noise made him turn. Golden hair spilled on the floor, a small body wrapped in a dark blanket. He stilled, but Alendra didn’t wake up, only curled up and sighed, her breathing easing out.
    The air in the hall was warm and heavy. He stalked among sleeping bodies, some very small, and made his way to the door.
    Outside the cold air kicked him in the face, waking him completely. Further down the alley, trash was being stirred by the warm air rising from a grid. Were they