Chapter 33 Kaed
Kaed
The smell of cinnamon and firewood tickled his nose.
It was the first sensation he had felt in who knows how long.
The light poured against his eyelids, causing him to squint and shield his eyes from the sun’s rays.
The warmth in the room was almost unbearable, but the cozy mattress tempted him to stay and resist getting up.
These blankets can go. He thought, kicking them off his feet.
A solid mass met his foot, and he groaned. “Sorry,” he muttered as he shifted to turn onto his side. “Aza, why are you at my feet?” he whispered, cracking his eyes open.
Two endlessly gray eyes stared back at him.
“I just want you to know that if Azahara hadn’t made me promise to protect you, I would have left you there for the Yuul,” Zhal said, devoid of emotion.
His eye twitched, and he felt the heat recede and transform into ice.
“What happened...” He began to roll the other way when he realized that a wall prevented him from doing so.
Everything was a bit hazy. The last thing he remembered was fighting alongside Azahara, and then darkness.
Trying to bring himself back to that moment, he closed his eyes and cleared his throat.
“Do not go back to sleep, you filthy half-breed.” Her tone now filled with anger.
“What’s your problem?” He sat up and looked around. They were in a room with walls lined with wood and no furnishings. There was a single closed door, and beyond that, a solitary window blaring sunlight.
“It’s you,” Zhal replied, already at the door. “Get up. We need to go find her.”
“I don’t... wait...” At that moment, he began to remember. “No… Azahara… they took her.”
“No shit,” she spat.
The memory of the Fae using Magic on them and dragging her away was now at the forefront. He was on his feet, frantically searching for his shoes. “How long have I been out?” He was afraid of the answer.
Zhal didn’t answer him right away. “Your shoes are downstairs. Let’s leave before we speak again.”
They quickly made their way downstairs, where a father, mother, and two daughters were sitting at a table, eating food.
Zhal took the initiative to speak for them while Kaed found his shoes and put them on.
Both of them thanked the family for their hospitality, but it was clear that the family was the one showing gratitude.
Zhal had been doing a lot of chores for the family while Kaed was asleep, it would seem. Whether it was hunting for food, chopping down wood, or patching up a window, she had been helping them during the time he had been unconscious. This only worried him more; just how long had he been asleep?
When they left the family’s cottage, their horses were waiting. Before Kaed could reach Moondancer, he saw out of the corner of his eye, a fist swinging right at him. He quickly sidestepped. The gust of wind that brushed his cheek indicated that it had not been a playful attack.
Steadying himself, he clenched his jaw and tightened his hands into fists. “What the hell is your problem?”
“You,” Zhal spat and took a step towards him.
“It has been five days, Kaed. FIVE DAYS!” Another attack, and this one was faster than before.
He put his hand out, taking the brunt of the blow, and swung his leg up to collide with her arm.
The Vaeragi barely budged; in fact, she just rolled her eyes at him.
He kicked off of her, putting a few feet between them. He reached up to Moondancer and grabbed a dagger tucked into Azahara’s pack. “We don’t have time for this.”
“Yes, we do.” Charging forward, the ebony giant pulled her fist back and struck with such force that had Kaed not sidestepped quick enough, she might have sent him back into a coma. “You can protect yourself, but can’t protect the woman you love?”
His eyes widened, her words hurting far more than that punch would have.
“Why didn’t you take her away?” She threw her hands up in frustration. “Instead, you let her run into battle and then stop her when she’s about to fight back. You’re a hypocrite, and now look, she’s been taken by the Fae who think she used black Magic!”
“Why didn’t you?” he retorted, and she glared at him. “The Fae overpowered you, too. You’re to blame as well.”
“You’re right. I did fail her. However, you and Illyan are cowards. You stopped her from using a power that likely would have kept her here. With us.”
A sense of regret filled him, and while he knew he had let her down, hearing it from someone else was unbearable.
The fear he felt when she looked at him with those black eyes returned to him.
It was unlike anything he had ever experienced, and quite frankly, he had no desire to witness the consequences if she were to unleash it upon them.
“It could have killed us all,” he said, his hand tightening around the hilt of the dagger. “It could have hurt her, or worse. You just don’t know. She likely doesn’t know.”
“Why don’t we ask her, hmm? Oh, wait.” Zhal turned and walked over to Noxus.
“Try to convince yourself you did the right thing, half-breed, but I know better.” Swinging her large form over the beast, she steadied herself on top of him.
“Do you know what they do to those they suspect of using black Magic, especially during a time when Magic is at its most volatile?”
He felt a lump in his throat and a tremor wash over his body.
“Five days, boy.” There was now pain and fear filling her voice.
“They will have starved, tortured, and humiliated her. They will want to know who taught her black Magic, and we both know she doesn’t use it.
Whether Illyan tries to help or not, it will be useless.
Illyan has no say over their laws. Until the Rite, they will try to make her talk. Then...”
Kaed was on Moondancer, the dagger back in the bag.
“Once the Rite has been performed, they will use their Magic to tear apart her mind to extract the information they want. When they don’t find it, they will strip her of everything we—” She bit back her final words, but he knew exactly what she was going to say.
His heart raced, and anger coiled within him. “How can you be so certain? History books tend to exaggerate when it comes to the Fae.”
Zhal stiffened. “Because I have witnessed it firsthand. My sister, driven by her pursuit of black Magic to tame the Fae if they ever dared set foot in our domain, was transformed into a Siinix. Her mind, body, and soul were stripped away, reducing her to a mere vessel for servitude. She likely wanders the realm of Howl, bound in service to some powerful Fae entity today.” With determination, she guided Noxus toward the forest. “That’s where we’ll head after we locate the Yuul.
Maybe we can barter for information about Helio’s killer for Azahara. ”
There was no argument from Kaed as he started to follow her. His gaze shifted to Starlight, who stood riderless, before returning to Zhal. “I’m sorry about your sister,” he offered sincerely.
Zhal remained silent, leaving him alone with his thoughts. The knowledge that he couldn’t protect her gnawed at him once more. What good was he as a ranger if all he did was continuously fail? He knew she would reassure him that it wasn’t his fault, but deep down, he believed it was.
He should have recognized the danger, scooped her up without hesitation, and swiftly escaped. Undoubtedly, she would have been furious, but at least she would have been safe.
“I never had a choice. Please don’t take it away from me.” Her voice echoed in his mind. Even if her decision would get her hurt, he had to let her go. He didn’t want to be the one to take anything away from her.
They set their sights on the most central point in the Avlyrra forest and the last known sighting of the Yuul.