grabbed her waist. "I prefer girls with long hair, but if you like that sort of stuff, you might interest me too!"
Seeta looked at him in disgust. Another voice behind him shouted, "Mika! Sit down!"
Still holding Seeta, Mika replied without looking back, "Ayk, don't interfere! I've found my dream girl!"
Seeta kicked Mika's leg and shoved him away. "Don't touch me!"
Mika laughed loudly. "I already like you, girl! I've decided—I'll marry you! What's your name?"
Ayk stood up, grabbed Mika by the shirt, and forced him to sit. "I said sit down!", he said to Seeta quietly, "I'm sorry."
Mika grumbled, "Don't interfere in my love life, brother!"
He watched Seeta return to her seat—her unevenly cut short hair, her wound, her mismatched clothes… She really was beautiful, he thought.
Just then, the carriage door opened again, admitting another group of children. One particular face ignited fury in someone sitting quietly at the back.
There he was—Elir, the reason Inini suffered Azar's 'army-prevention treatment,' as Azar called it. If not for him… If not for his victory… Inini would've been fine. Arlo would have freed her!
Arlo sprang to his feet, standing before Elir, his voice trembling with rage. "Because of you, Inini got hurt! Because of you!"
Elir lifted his head and asked, "Who are you?"
He forgot me, Arlo thought. He forgot my crying and screaming. He forgot Inini. He forgot her so easily.
Arlo's eyes burned with anger. He grabbed Elir and shoved him against the carriage's side. "I'll kill you!"
Nier stood up, trying to calm Arlo, and said, "Hey! I don't know what happened, but we don't want anyone getting hurt in a carriage full of Frata's soldiers, right?"
Arlo didn't look at Nier. His gaze was locked on Elir. He wouldn't let him go this time. He'd restore Inini's proud look! He would definitely win this time!
Arlo screamed, "Stay out of it! He deserves to be hurt—this bastard!"
Nier said calmly, "I'm not talking about Elir."
Arlo glared at Nier in pure anger, but then he saw her behind him—Inini. She was looking at him with that same fearful gaze. She used to feel protected and safe with him. All because of Elir… all because of him!
Inini interrupted and shouted, "Arlo!"
Mika murmured in surprise, "Girl… I thought you were a ghost. You scared me."
Arlo looked at Inini's trembling voice and wounded face. She said, "It's not his fault!"
She couldn't look Elir in the eye. Even though it wasn't Elir's fault Arlo lost, she still felt fear and dread whenever she saw him.
Inini cupped Arlo's face. "He is not the one who hurt me."
Arlo looked at her face but quickly looked away, struggling with immense sorrow. Inini's once round, lovely face was now pale, bruised, and covered with painful (if shallow) wounds. This was why he had fought in Azar's rings for six months, hoping to buy her freedom before her "treatment."
Because of him! Because of Elir, I lost… Arlo thought. Now look at her—thin, hungry, her face full of wounds.
Nier pulled Elir's hand off Arlo and moved him away.
Arlo had wanted to fight him for Inini. But Inini stood there looking at him with that gaze. I wouldn't have won, would I? he thought. She led him back to their seat, and he couldn't meet her eyes. He stared at the scarred boy, as though the answer to restoring Inini's proud, old gaze lay within him.