Chapter 31 Kaed
Kaed
Kaed despised this situation. They quickly kindled a fire, struggling to coordinate their tasks among the three of them. Illyan had been of little help, frequently asserting their independence as a grown Fae. Zhal, on the other hand, contested every move Kaed made, claiming he was too slow.
It brought to the forefront the reason why Kaed preferred ranging over serving as a soldier in the Order. He relished working independently.
Or alongside just Azahara.
“Fae, I swear, if anything goes wrong.” Zhal had repeated that exact phrase at least five times by now. While Kaed shared the sentiment, he refrained from agreeing with the Vaeragi. “I’ll kill you.”
“You two don’t trust her.” Illyan chuckled. “Before you babysitters arrived, she relied solely on herself.”
“This isn’t about trust. You’re missing the point. She has us now,” Kaed chimed in, a sense of concern causing a gnawing ache in his gut at the thought of something happening to her.
Illyan leaned against a nearby tree, a knowing smile on their face. “She’s stronger than you guys think.”
A sudden scream pierced the air.
Kaed’s keen hearing enabled him to discern that it was a human cry, not an animal’s. He straightened, his focus zeroing in on the source. Noxus reared back and shook his head.
“She’s in trouble,” he huffed.
With that simple statement, all three of them sprang into action, heading in the direction Azahara had taken. Noxus led the way, and while horses had excellent hearing, pinpointing her exact location might prove challenging. However, Kaed had a hunch about where the scream had originated from.
Their determined footsteps echoed, creating a rhythm of haste and speed. The vibrant foliage enveloped them as they pressed forward, pure adrenaline coursing through Kaed’s veins.
Ahead, the horses galloped with unrelenting strength, their hooves thundering against the mossy ground. They adjusted their pace every time Kaed changed direction. Together, they pushed through the thick bushes and shrubbery to hasten their progress.
It was eerily quiet. There had only been that one scream, and then silence.
The stillness sent a wave of fear rippling through him. “Please be okay. Damn it, Red,” he muttered under his breath, his hair clinging to his forehead as he pushed forward, remaining on high alert in his search for her.
The wind whispered through the leaves, carrying the scent of damp earth and sulfur.
They approached a natural spring, and as they neared, the towering cliffside of So’ol came into view.
Those familiar with the place would recognize it instantly.
But where was she? Kaed felt his calves burning as he burst through a dense thicket, emerging into the open expanse of the So’ol cove.
His heart sank at the gruesome sight before him—blood, fresh and vivid, splattered everywhere. “Shit!” He heard Illyan exclaim.
“Azahara!!” Kaed’s voice pierced the silence, filled with desperation. It was clear the blood was recent; too recent for comfort.
He moved to it, his hand shaking as it came into his view. His fingers brushed against the thick crimson, its warmth startling him.
Turning to glance at Zhal, her complexion appeared paler than he'd ever seen, a ghostly shade that made his heart skip. Her typically twilight skin now resembled clay as she fixated on the bloody rocks. He refrained from meeting Illyan’s gaze, apprehensive about his impulsive reaction.
Swiftly, he surveyed their surroundings.
Noxus and Moondancer nervously paced nearby, shaking their heads.
“Starlight,” he called out, tension coursing through him.
“Where’s Starlight?” He could feel his heart pounding, and he swiftly readied his bow, nocking an arrow that made a conspicuous sound as it left its sheath.
A rustling in the bushes caused him to draw the arrow even tighter.
“Wow!” Her voice sounded like a melody to his ears. “Please, don’t shoot me.” Emerging from the bushes, walking alongside Starlight, was Azahara, her form covered in blood.
Kaed didn’t hesitate to lower his bow to the ground and rush to her side.
A soft thud hit the ground before he made it to her.
His hands quickly found her arms, his frantic gaze scanning her blood-soaked figure from her neck to her arms, and down to her drenched clothes.
He couldn’t be certain, but he suspected her hair was tainted with blood as well.
“What happened?!” His voice quivered with concern. “Are you okay?” His trembling fingers gently tilted her chin upward, locking onto her gaze. Her crystal-blue eyes, one reminiscent of the rising sun, met his. He noticed her pupils dilating.
“I-I’m sorry.” Her voice wavered with a hint of remorse, causing him to pause.
“I was attacked by a fucking gigantic cat.” Behind her, two massive paws protruded from the bush she had emerged from.
“It’s a puma, I think. It ambushed me from behind and I reacted on instinct, stabbing it before asking questions.
Then, it ran off. I thought I’d go fetch it for dinner. ” She shrugged nonchalantly.
“I’ll be damned,” Zhal exclaimed from behind him.
“Hah, I told you guys,” Illyan chimed in confidently, their tone dripping with self-assuredness. Kaed could almost picture the Fae standing there with arms crossed, leaning against something, mockingly untroubled by their earlier concern.
Kaed sighed and shook his head. “You scared the hell out of us,” he said, never once averting his gaze from her.
“Speak for yourselves, not me. I knew she was fine,” Illyan retorted.
Kaed was tempted to hogtie Illyan. He swore it.
Zhal walked past them, heading toward the big cat. “You were nearly in tears as we were running, Fae. Or do you conveniently forget that?”
Kaed rolled his eyes, feeling himself about to lose control as a soft hand pressed against his cheek. Her skin, with its gentle touch and silky texture, felt familiar, spreading warmth through him. Yielding to the sensation, he eased his grip on her arms.
“I’m fine.” Her beautiful smile was all he needed at that moment. It confirmed to him that she was genuinely okay. “I’m sorry for worrying all of you.”
“Come here.” He snaked his hand behind her neck and kissed her, the sweet taste of apple lingering on her tongue. “I’m rejecting all of Illyan’s ideas from here on.” He playfully chuckled, and he was delighted when she did the same.
As her arms wrapped around him, and her head nestled against his chest, he sighed in relief. He reciprocated by encircling her with his arms, gently running his hand through her damp hair.
“Oh...” He didn’t want to pull away, but she was slathered in blood.
“Yeah, I know.” She quickly stepped out of his grasp, a nervous expression on her face. “I’ll go get washed up. Can you guys manage taking care of the fire and cooking? Since, you know, I did the hard part.” Her toothy grin was aimed at Illyan, which caused Zhal to let out a laugh, surprising him.
“We can handle that, Red.”
Zhal pulled out a knife, preparing to skin the cat. While Kaed rarely ate any meat beyond the traditional pork, deer, and bison, sinking his teeth into that mammal would be satisfying, knowing that Azahara had been the one to kill it.
He tasked Illyan with gathering firewood while he cleared the area for their camping setup and the fire.
There didn’t appear to be many travelers in this area, which would be great for privacy, but they still had to worry about the Yuul.
He remembered their previous conversation during their journey here.
Illyan had commented that the closer they were to the star of So’ol, the cove that overlooked the opening to the sea where they were now, the safer they were.
At night, the lights cascaded from the sky and bounced off the waterfall, spring, and sea, making it seem like daylight, just more colorful.
While they prepared, Azahara undressed near the hot spring.
He peered up at Zhal, who was too busy cutting up the dead cat to notice.
He redirected his gaze back to Azahara. The orange and yellow sunset painted the sky, casting a fiery glow upon her skin.
Her flawless alabaster complexion seemed to radiate in the warm light.
With gracefully curved shoulders and a strong back, her form enticed him, leading his gaze down to the dimples at her lower back.
As she stepped into the steaming water, her hips swaying seductively, they beckoned to him, stirring a deep longing.
Get it together, man. He shook his head and cleared his throat.
“You technically need to change,” Zhal remarked while finishing peeling the skin from the cat. She turned her attention to him. “You have blood all over your tunic.”
Sure enough, a thin layer of blood adorned his front. “Great,” he muttered, realizing he was already running low on clean clothes. He pondered momentarily, glancing at Azahara as she stood shoulder-deep in the inviting depths.
“Got the wood!” Illyan announced, causing him to shift to face away from them. That wasn’t the only wood that had come.
Kaed took a deep breath and sighed, resigning himself to changing his top and getting back to work.
His tasks now involved starting the fire and preparing the meat for cooking.
Illyan had made it abundantly clear that they wouldn’t be handling the puma due to their aversion to meat, which he found rather ironic.
The sky had turned shades of purple and dark blue by the time everything was ready. Zhal swiftly began to butcher the puma and clean its skin, just as Azahara emerged from the water.