Made to Pay: Seventeen

Sian Rule was silent as the Green Man led her through the halls of the nursing home, shoes echoing on the marble floors. Her heart was in her mouth. She hardly dared to think, let alone speak. And the grandeur of the house only impressed that thought on her further.

The nurse stopped by a great oak door.

"She's in here," the nurse spoke to the Green Man. "If you want to be alone...?"

"The girl needs to see her too." The Green Man sounded most emphatic. With that, he opened the door.
Sian had not known what to expect, but whatever it was, she had not expected anything pleasant. A drip, a life-support machine, a whey-faced creature who cringed from them, perhaps.

What she found was a tall, airy room, filled with flowers. And the blonde woman wore a pretty print dress. She was barefoot and had been looking at the window. She turned at their approach, a smile breaking out on her still lovely face.

"You've come to see me again!" There was something missing from the voice, but Sian could not deny that it was a nice voice. "And dressed up!"

That was interesting, Sian reflected.

"And I've brought a friend." The Green Man indicated Sian, who could not help but blush.

"She looks like me," the girl smiled.

"More than you know," the Green Man told her gently. "I'm here with news for you. Good news."

"You're taking me to the beach?" the girl asked breathlessly.

"Not quite." The Green Man spoke softly. "The men who hurt you. The men who put you here. They're dead. I made them pay for what they did."

The girl who had been Sparrowhawk smiled. For a moment, Sian saw steel in those limpid blue eyes, a spark of recognition passed between the two women. And she turned back to the Green Man.

"Thank you." She spoke the words with a calm sincerity, before moving towards the Green Man. He embraced her, and she hugged him, her head on his shoulder.

Then the steel was gone, as if it had never existed.