sasi

  Lou

  "Hey, kid!" His friend grinned broadly. Remy looked young. Like a teenager. "I brought you something!"

  "Something for me?" Lou let himself be pulled into a shady alley. Lou knew the alley. The smell of the old walls of stone and cy was familiar to him. The two boys were leaning against one of these stone walls. Both houses were empty. Therefore, no one would shoo them away here.

  "Yes. Hold up your hands!"

  "Okay." Lou nodded and did as he was told. Something soft fell into his hands. "What is that?" He touched a soft ribbon and a smooth stone and held the gift close to his reasonably functioning eye. But it was too dark in the alley. He didn't see much. It was a fabric chain on which a rounded pendant hung. Heart-shaped. The hands with which Lou held the chain were those of a seven-year-old. He frowned. "Thank you. That's pretty. But why do you give me a neckce? I'm a boy!"

  "That's a promise!" said Remy. "Not an easy chain!"

  "A promise?"

  "Yes!" His friend touched the old scarf with which Lou protected himself from the sun. "The ribbon is made of velvet, and the pendant is a heart of rock crystal. It glistens in the sun."

  "Why do you give me a heart?" Lou felt the shape. The stone felt smooth and cool. "Shouldn't you give a girl such a pendant?"

  "At some point, I'll give a girl something more valuable. The rock crystals are plentiful in one of the mines that my family has digging. I give you a heart so that you know that I am on your side. One day I will free you from the curse, if there is one! Then you can be happy and smile freely." Remy sounded a little mocking when he spoke of the curse.

  Lou blinked. He was suddenly no longer standing in the alley together with Remy. Everything around him was dark. Was he still dreaming? Or was he awake? Lou remembered the day Remy had given him the pendant. A heart on a beautiful string. Lou liked the piece of jewelry. It had been lost for a long time.

  He remembered all the jewelry he had worn the day before. It had felt heavy. Unlike the heart. Or his sparkling stone, which he now wore around his neck after Harper had drilled a hole in it with a cw and pulled a long ribbon through it. Just like the pendant back then, Remy's promise, the sparkling stone now hung around Lou's neck. It was the only piece of jewelry that didn't feel like an iron chain to take away his freedom. Iron chains... Lou trembled.

  "Vivi!" Harper's voice startled him.

  Lou sat up quickly. He had been lying with his head on Harper's p, his face buried in the fabric of the dragon's clothing. That's where the darkness came from. He didn't know when he had fallen asleep. "Oh."

  "Sorry. I didn't want to wake you up!" Harper grinned sheepishly. Lou recognized the smile with his almost good eye. Harper often leaned close to him so that Lou could see his face with one eye. He would never recognize anything with the other.

  "Hm."

  "You slept so peacefully and smiled in your dreams. What were you dreaming of?" Harper stroked Lou's hair and pulled him close. "It must have been a beautiful dream."

  "The past. A promise from Remy. He had given me a neckce."

  "A neckce?"

  “Hm. A heart."

  "A heart?!" Harper raised his eyebrows. "Why a heart? I've never seen such a neckce with you... A HEART?! Why?" The dragon snorted indignantly. "I should give you a heart. Not... He!"

  "Hm..." Lou shook his head. The neckce had been taken away from him. From other boys. After Lou moved into the hut on the city wall. They had probably sold it. For bread or something else. These boys had been hungry. And Lou's neckce was worth enough to fill their bellies.

  "Vivi? What is it? Shall I get you a heart too? Your sparkling stone is one! Do you like hearts? Are you sad? Vivi? Don't cry!"

  Was Lou crying? His eyes actually felt a bit moist. "It was a promise. That Remy will always be on my side", he expined. "Hence a heart."

  "Ah. And where is the neckce now?" Harper id his head on Lou's shoulder. "Sounds like the neckce was important. Don't cry, okay?"

  "It was. But I don't have it anymore."

  "Oh?"

  "It's gone." Stolen. "Just like Remy. I have your sparkling stone now. And even more jewelry. Remy has kept his promise. Even without the neckce. I guess I don't need it anymore... He never broke his promise."

  "You're right", Harper agreed. "But the neckce... It was important to you, wasn't it?"

  "Do you think Remy is still alive?" Lou replied quietly.

  "Maybe!" Bojan's voice thundered through the cave. "If he's alive, then hopefully he'll swing his butt here quickly!"

  "Bojan!" shouted Hallie.

  Lou hadn't noticed the two dragons. But now he saw all the white. The entire family was gathered in the cave. He heard cracking and chewing noises. Presumably, they ate. Lou didn't want to know what. He hadn't heard them at all... "Oh. Hm." His face felt hot.

  "Dad's right!" Max grumbled. "Remy should come here quickly if he's still alive. He causes our sweet Lou to cry with worry! Stupid wizard! Good for nothing. Better he comes back quickly. Together with Nour's brother and the other two! Poor Nour. The little one is still dying of worry. Just like her parents."

  "Hm." Lou very much hoped that Remy was still alive. If not, then he had died because of Lou. Then Lou would be a murderer. Remy's murderer. And Narcisses' murderer. The murderer of Renan and Basil. The thought made him sick. Lou jumped up. Harper grunted in surprise and bumped his head against the cave wall. But Lou didn't notice this. He ran, staggered to the cave entrance, and spat out the little food that was in his stomach. Immediately, Connie, Sally, and Harper rushed to him.

  "Sweet Lou, what's wrong!" Sally stroked his back, Connie held his hair out of his face, and Harper stroked his cheek. But that was too much. Lou shook his head. He pushed Harper away from him and ran out of the cave until the fence stopped him. There he sank to his knees. The world turned. He had to choke again, but nothing came.

  Lou was a murderer. His breath caught in his throat. He cked air. The world turned.

  "Lou?" That was Ross's voice. Harper's older brother knelt cautiously beside him. "Everything is fine. Can you hear me?"

  But Lou covered his ears and fought for every breath. Hands touched him. Someone screamed. Maybe he himself...

  When Lou opened his eyes a bit ter, he was lying on Harper's p again. "Huh?"

  "You've lost consciousness!" his friend whispered.

  "Oh..." Lou buried his face in Harper's clothes and closed his eyes again. Harper's hands stroked his back gently.

  "It's okay..." Harper's voice was low, his body pleasantly warm. Warmer than human bodies should be. Lou kept his eyes closed and tried not to feel anything.

  sasi