A Little Broken [Three Trinities Haven Church]

[Oriena]

She was aware of the intrusion, but her eyes didn’t flick up until he spoke. Had it been to ask to join her he would have received a blunt fuck off in response. But Ori rarely contested when others simply took the things they wanted – well, not unless she was in a particularly contrary mood. Tonight she only watched him press one hand close to the flames, so close she wondered if he was courting the pain. She’d used to do that as a kid; light a flame under her hand, see how long she could hold it there before the agony of it grew too much.

Nadezhda never noticed the burns, or if she did, she only gripped her rosary tighter and muttered about demons.

Oriena knew who he was; she didn’t forget names or faces. Her lips twitched in a hard smirk. “The opposite, actually.” She half laughed, a little bitter. The pressure in her head rarely let up its demand – the ijiraq’s constant reminder of her oath, and her utter failure to keep it. Oblivion had about run its course by now. Ori was good at distracting herself, in risk or in anger, fighting or fucking. But pin her in a corner and she was never going to go quietly.

She drank from the bottle. A few more pills weren’t likely to hurt, if that’s what he was offering. Something to fill the soul. But Ori didn’t have one of those. She looked him up and down, saw he clutched something in the hand not cradling the flames. After a moment she offered out the vodka. “You, however, do look empty.”