11.

  Faelwen

  Our journey toward Erandur continued, the tensions from the day before had lessened. Ash and I exchanged small talk here and there. I still didn’t trust him, but until we reached Erandur, he was the devil I had to travel with. Thankfully his attempts at magical control over me had ceased, which made him slightly easier to tolerate.

  It was a blistering summer day; the sun blazed in a cloudless sky, and farmers toiled under its merciless heat, their sweat-drenched figures a testament to their labour. The hum of crickets filled the heavy air, accompanied by the rasp of Ash’s breathing and Artemis’s heavy panting.

  Ash reached for his waterskin and tilted it desperately to his lips, only for a few pitiful drops to fall. Frustrated, he shook the empty pouch and licked his parched lips.

  “Here, take mine,” I offered, handing over my waterskin. “I’ve got some left.”

  He accepted it with a grateful smile.

  “Thanks.”

  As he handed it back, I took a sip myself, the warm, leathery-tasting water doing little to quench my thirst.

  “We need to refill our supplies,” I muttered.

  “We’ll reach Dew by nightfall,” Ash replied, wiping sweat from his sun-reddened nose.

  “By that time my entire body will be burned by the sun,” I sighed.

  He turned to me, inspecting my face and reached out, brushing his fingers against my cheek. A shiver ran down my spine and I grumbled, swatting his hand away. He laughed once, low and pleased, but didn’t try again.

  After what felt like endless trudging, an odd quiet settled in over the fields. No birds sang, and the wind had stopped blowing. It must be the heat, I thought, looking at the scorching sun.

  Suddenly my foot caught on something and I staggered. With a grunt I fell on my hands and knees. My arms trembling and my breath scraping my dry throat. Artemis whined, nudging me toward the shade of a nearby rock.

  Together, we managed to crawl into the shadow, where Ash crouched in front of me, worry softening his features.

  “Are you okay?” he asked.

  “Do I look okay?” I snapped at him and brushed off the dry dirt from my grazed hands. He raised a single eyebrow, but remained silent.

  “My body decided it’s done for the day,” I said.

  “Yes and you’re not the only one,” he chuckled and sat beside me, taking the waterskin from my belt but pausing before drinking. With a sigh, he handed it back.

  “You first,” he insisted. I drank the last few drops and shared a bit with Artemis, who lapped it gratefully. He then moved away from me and stared in the distance.

  I smell water nearby, Artemis said, his voice cutting through my weariness. I looked in the same direction, but couldn’t see anything.

  “Go check it out,” I said aloud, forgetting Ash wasn’t accustomed to me talking to Artemis openly. Ash looked confused at me.

  “Check what out?”

  I sighed. “I’m talking to Artemis. He smells water,” I explained, waving vaguely in the direction Artemis had gone. Ash squinted his eyes.

  “I don’t see any water,” he muttered, leaning over me to get a better look.

  “That’s why he’s scouting ahead,” I said, shoving him gently back to his spot. Ash mumbled something and leaned back against the rock.

  I was too weary to respond. My legs were burning in the sun, but the cool stone in my back brought some comfort.

  According to Ash we would reach Dew in the evening. I remembered the shady little town very well. Especially my escape action in the middle of the night and the horse I’d stolen. The sound of a pen on paper brought me back from my thoughts.

  I looked to my side and saw Ash sketching something in a small brown leather book. It looked like a drawing of me. He noticed me staring and closed the book, his eyes narrowing suspiciously.

  “I wasn’t planning on reading your secret diary,” I chuckled. He smirked back.

  “Good, because these stories are not for children to read.”

  I raised my eyebrows at him.

  “I’m not a child.”

  “It was a joke,” he answered, his tone flat. I rolled my eyes at him and looked away.

  Artemis soon returned, confirming the presence of water. With trembling legs, I forced myself up, but Ash, noticing my struggle, scooped me up effortlessly.

  “You don’t—”

  “Hold on,” he said gruffly, ignoring my protest and carrying me the last stretch. With my arms around his neck and my head leaning against his shoulder, I could feel his heart beating slow. He smelled faintly like burned embers. Heat coiled in my stomach and my grip tightened. No! I tried to push the feeling away.

  The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation.

  When we arrived, we found a babbling creek winding through a small farming village. The icy water was a godsend, and as Ash filled our waterskins, I splashed my face, wincing as the cold stung my sunburnt skin. Ash, smirked.

  “Nice colour on your cheeks,” he teased. I shot him a glare. He pressed his lips together, quickly looking away as heat lit up his cheeks. I chuckled, shaking my head.

  After the refreshing cold of the water, we resumed our track again. By the time we reached Dew, the sun was setting, casting a golden glow over the dusty streets.

  The town was quieter than I remembered. Shops were closing quickly, and people scurried indoors, their faces etched with fear. The once busy streets were now quiet. No drunken travellers outside, nor any laughing children, and lanterns stood cold and unlit as evening closed in. We walked past the alley where I saw the sign of two minstrels making music and dancing.

  That was the inn where I had stayed the first time I came here. I sincerely hoped Ash wasn’t planning on renting a room there.

  We walked on towards the bakery for some food. I stayed outside as Ash entered the bakery, watching nervously through the window. When the baker hesitated, Ash leaned in, and I caught the glint of something sharp.

  Then, a strange silver-green light rippled from Ash towards the man. It caused the baker to move stiffly, his face twisted in pain, as if fighting against invisible strings.

  The light reminded me of my father’s body jerking in the air. The snap of his neck. I shook my head to clear the memory.

  Ash approached me, a soft smile playing on his lips, oblivious to my inner turmoil. He handed me the bread without a word, and we moved on. At the butcher’s, I didn’t even glance inside, opting to sit with Artemis instead.

  Some memories keep haunting me, I spoke to Artemis.

  Some things are unforgettable, Wen. But we can learn from them and move forward. His wisdom brought little comfort, but I nodded, grateful for his steady presence.

  I’m here for you, Wen. For we are pack.

  I smiled at him. “

  We are pack,” I whispered to him. My eyes scanned around for Ash, but he wasn’t back yet. As darkness crept in, a frail old man hurried passed.

  “You should be inside, girl. It’s getting dark,” he spoke. His voice was shaking a little.

  “I’m waiting on a friend. Why is everyone in such a hurry to get inside?” I asked the old man. With frightened eyes he eyed the dark corners of the street.

  “Westray has closed its gates because of the demons…” he looked around, as if he expected one to jump from the shadows. “Townhaven went up in flames, they say. The Necromancers couldn’t save it and now…” his eyes widened and he leaned forward, whispering: “Demons are coming this way. The Necromancers think the High King Edmund is behind these attacks.”

  My throat suddenly went dry and I thanked him. The old man nodded and quickly left. A cold weight settled in my bones.

  My thoughts immediately went to Thalor and Gwen. Had they made it out? Tears pricked in the corner of my eyes and I angrily swiped them away. Not now.

  Then Ash stepped out of the shadows, his face grave as if he’d heard the old man’s words.

  “Something dark has arrived,” he said, his words sending a chill through me. He pulled me up and we quickly left to find a place to sleep.

  The good fortune of not staying in the inn where I had stolen the horse was overshadowed by the need to share a room with Ash. Almost all the rooms were booked for the night, and we had arrived too late to have many options.

  The room was small and plain, with no tub for washing. A modest fire crackled in the hearth, casting flickering orange and red shadows across the cramped space. The bed, a massive thing that could easily be filled with three sleeping persons, dominated the room.

  Artemis grunted and padded over to the warm spot in front of the fireplace.

  “I think your wolf should sleep over there, “ Ash remarked, gesturing toward the hearth.

  ‘Don’t worry, he will,” I replied, keeping my tone neutral.

  “Good.” A silence fell between us as he casually walked over to the bed. Without hesitation, he kicked off his boots, dropped his bag to the floor, and pulled off his robes.

  I froze for a moment, caught off guard by the sight of his lean, muscular frame.

  He noticed. His gaze caught mine, one eyebrow arching with a sly grin. Heat rushed to my cheeks, and I looked away, busying myself with removing my boots and pretending I hadn’t been caught gawking.

  I unfastened my cloak, laying it out for Artemis, and slipped out of my leather gear, keeping my leggings and tunic on as I climbed into bed.

  “Nice cloak,” Ash said suddenly, his voice light but curious. “I noticed the elvish embroidery.”

  I glanced at him. He was sitting up in bed, his back propped against the headboard, a small book open in his hands.

  “Thank you,” I said. “It was a gift from my mother. Same as my leather corset.” My fingers brushed the dark leather next to me.

  His eyes flicked to the corset, then to the necklace around my neck, and for a moment, there was a glint of something in his gaze; curiosity, greed, or something darker.

  “Magical?” he asked, voice low and measured. I hesitated, then shook my head.

  “Just decoration,” I lied, tucking the necklace beneath my tunic. I knew my mother had told me this necklace was similar to hers. I turned my back to him and closed my eyes, feigning sleep. I heard Ash close his book and make himself comfortable in this bed.

  An hour passed, but sleep eluded me. The quiet of the room only amplified the weight pressing on my chest. And a familiar feeling crept in.

  Loneliness.

  Its cold fingers pulling memories to the surface of those that were gone. Their absence felt like an ache I couldn’t soothe. I missed their voices, their reassurance, their warmth. Fear joined the chorus of emotions, making my heart beat fast and my palms sweaty.

  A tear slipped down my cheek, and I curled tighter, willing the sobs to stay silent.

  “The girl who never breaks… breaks,” Ash’s voice whispered in the darkness. It was gentle, barely audible over the crackling fire.

  “You’re always hiding your tears behind smiles. But I see those melancholic eyes of yours.”

  I turned to face him, no longer bothering to hide the vulnerability etched across my face, the strong mask I had put on for the last two days. A single tear betrayed me as it rolled down my cheek. I quickly wiped it away.

  Ash shifted closer, wiping a tear from my face. My heart skipped a beat and I instinctively moved away.

  “I did not want to frighten you,” he said, his voice soft. I let out a shivering breath, willing my body to relax. Artemis climbed onto the bed, settling near my feet, grounding me.

  “You don’t have to hold it all together,” he murmured in my ear, “this pain might feel endless now, but in time, it will fade. The scars it leaves may stay, but even scars lose their sharpness. I, of all people know that…” he fell silent.

  His words felt earnest, and as he lifted my chin to meet his gaze, his soft smile let me know his words were true. Silence stretched again as he lowered his hand and turned on his back.

  “You’re something, you know,” he murmured.

  “What?” I whispered.

  “Nothing…” he whispered back. “Try to get some sleep.” He gently squeezed my arm before turning on his side, his back to me. I took in another shivering breath, willing my heart to calm down and the tears to stop falling. Finally my body surrendered to exhaustion and I slipped into sleep.

  ? ? ?

  I awoke with a jolt as two rough hands yanked me from the bed. A cold palm clamped over my mouth, silencing my cry. My heart hammered in my chest as I tried to free myself, but his grip on me only tightened.

  A sudden magical pull made my head spin. The room disappeared, the air turned thick with a strange choking darkness. I felt myself falling, spinning through a void and my stomach lurched. The night air hit me like a slap and I felt soft grass underneath me. I had no time to look around as two giant clawed hands pinned me to the ground. My eyes widened in shock.

  A monstrous figure loomed before me, its twisted mouth revealing long, bloodied fangs. Blood dripped from his crooked lips as he spoke. Its voice was a rasping growl, dripping with malice.

  “Darkness has come to claim you, little elfling.”