Chapter 33
THIRTY-THREE
"A rms up," he commands, holding the hoodie up for me.
"You're being awfully bossy," I mumble under my breath, but I do as he says. I raise my arms, allowing him to slide the hoodie down on my body.
My clothes are now dry, and I'm no longer cold. But more questions than ever are clamoring inside my head.
"I told you before, human. You are my person. That means I protect you," he mentions smoothly before he throws a few more twigs over the fire. He tugs me closer to the flame, his hand moving up and down my back as he emulates the comforting gesture I used on him.
"What did you mean by that? If the markings were not made by a human, then who..."
He compresses his mouth in a flat line as he tightens his hold over me, pulling me closer and sliding his arm over my shoulder.
"A god," he answers grimly.
"W-what? But how? Why?" I burst out. "I don't understand..." I add weakly.
"I do not understand it either. But I aim to find out." He grinds his teeth, his body tensing.
"You'll help me figure it out?" I ask in a small voice.
He breathes harshly.
"I will not spare anyone who laid a hand on you, human. You have my word," he assures me. "For now, you need to eat. We have a long day ahead of us."
I nod weakly.
He grabs our supply bag, taking out a couple of nut bars and handing them to me. I blink in confusion when I note he's not eating any. Then it dawns on me that I never inquired about the most important thing.
"How are you feeling? I'm so sorry. I should have asked that first." I sigh dejectedly.
His lips twitch, though he forces himself not to smile.
"I am perfectly fine. The venom is out of my system and I am back to my optimal functioning capacity."
"That's good to hear. You scared me last night."
"You were that worried about me?" he asks hesitantly.
"Of course. You're my friend, Ze. I don't want anything bad to happen to you." I smile.
He doesn't return the smile. Instead, he just stares at me, mumbling something inaudible under his breath.
"Let us depart," he suddenly declares, getting to his feet and sheathing his sword at his waist.
"What's wrong with you?" I mumble the question, quickly chewing on the remainder of my nut bar. "I haven't even finished eating."
Wasn't he the one who told me to eat earlier? Now he won't even let me do it at leisure.
He glowers at me, his lips tight and unmoving.
I pop the last piece of the bar in my mouth before placing my hands on my hips and returning his intimidating glare—all the while chewing very loudly. To my surprise, that doesn't seem to bother him. Annoyance gives way to amusement as his lips curl at the corners, his features softening. Grabbing the bag off the floor, he searches for something inside of it.
I frown at his contradictory actions.
"Here," he says, throwing something at me.
I catch it instinctively. But as I open my fist and peel the thin tissue away, I notice a few squares of chocolate.
What...
"What's this?" I whisper.
"Chocolate. You like it."
"Yes, but why do you have it? We didn't pack any."
"I packed some for you," he immediately replies, folding his arms across his chest and proudly pushing his chin up.
My lashes flutter in confusion as I look back and forth from Ze to the chocolate squares.
"But why ?" I ask again.
Now it's his turn to frown, staring at me as if he doesn't understand why I'm questioning his goodwill when that's exactly why—Ze is not known for his goodwill.
"You like it," he reasserts. "The journey is long and harrowing. It is good to have something you like along the way."
He states it as if it's self-explanatory.
"How did you know? That I like it?" My voice is softer, a smile trembling on my lips.
"It is all you eat, human," he huffs. "When you are not eating that cow of yours, of course."
"Of course," I repeat, amused.
"It would not have been ideal to bring a cow with us on this journey," he continues. "I could have carried it, of course. That would have been no hardship. But I am not sure whether the vegetation in this realm would have agreed with it," he muses quietly.
"You would have carried a cow on your back?" I blink numbly.
"Do you doubt my strength, human?" He thunders.
"No, no, of course not. I would never doubt your strength. But cows are not small..." I trail off, not sure how I should react to his statements. Should I laugh? Should I thank him? Should I tell him that no one carries cows around like he described?
"They cannot be bigger than you," he says with unnatural certainty—despite never having actually seen a cow in person.
"Did you... Did you just say I am the size of a cow?" My eyes widen, and I barely keep myself from bursting out into laughter. This man...
Ze shakes his head, coming closer.
"You do not have enough meat on your bones," he says as he circles around me, his eyes studying my body intently. "It is quite strange," he continues as he pokes a finger at my chest, right above my breast. "This part of you is disproportionately larger than the rest."
"Ze," I squeak, jumping back. "You can't just touch my breasts as you like."
His brows shoot up as he gazes at me, and he looks the picture of innocence.
"I am just stating a fact," he adds nonchalantly. "But do not fret, human. I like you as you are," he states confidently, nodding to himself. "After much deliberation, I have handpicked you as my person, and I happen to have very sound judgment."
"Right... Because you are so glorious and awe-inspiring and I bow in front of your magnificence," I reply drily, shaking my head at his antics.
"You forgot the most important thing," he suddenly interjects, placing one finger up.
"Huh?"
"Nice. I am nice to you." He smiles to himself.
I blink in confusion.
"Yes. That is true." I nod. "I'll even give you extra points for the chocolate." I chuckle as I bite into a square.
He stares at me for a moment.
"Extra points?" he inquires, almost unsure. "You mean"—he straightens his back and clears his throat—"I can earn extra points? Then I can be more than nice?"
I nod, my lips spreading into a genuine smile. Who said even Ze wasn't teachable? After I'm through with him, he'll be the nicest man ever.
"Yep. Every time you do something nice, you'll get extra points."
Excitement shines in his eyes, his mouth slowly curving into a smile.
"I do enjoy a challenge," he adds slowly.
I take another bite of chocolate as I gaze around to make sure we haven't forgotten anything. Then, both Ze and I resume our journey into the forest.
"Is it good?" he asks a few moments later. "That chocolate." He points to my hand.
"You've never had it?"
"I did once try that chocolate cake you have in your world," he recalls thoughtfully.
That's it? The only time he tried chocolate was back then? And not even by itself, but only as a cake? Somehow I find that hard to believe. He's over seven thousand years old, for God's sake. And clearly, chocolate exists in other worlds too. Why has he never tried it? It's just odd.
But then again, when is Ze not odd...
"Ze, what the hell do you usually eat?" I ask him.
A look of panic crosses his face.
"I eat," he quickly adds in a defensive tone. "I have a strict regimen... because I am a soldier."
I watch him from the corner of my eye. No doubt his menu is just as dry as his empty very expensive palace.
"Well, allow me to awaken your taste buds," I declare, handing him the last square. "Come on. Try it. Cake has nothing on pure chocolate."
He's skeptical as he stares at the chocolate square. Using his other hand, he breaks the square in two, popping the first half in his mouth.
I surreptitiously watch for the play of emotions on his face. At first, he frowns, his jaw working as he munches on the chocolate. His tongue darts out to lick his teeth, his expression one of contemplation. Still, there are the small signs. The way his eyes flicker in surprise or how his lips smack together as he searches for more of the flavor. Finally, his Adam's apple bobs up and down as he swallows, a low, guttural sound escaping him.
"So?" I ask, eagerly awaiting the verdict.
"You may have the other half," he says, dropping the last bit of chocolate in my hand.
"That bad?" I sigh. Although I'm happy to have the other half, I'd still secretly hoped he'd like it—at least to have some sweetness in his life since it seems so utterly bare. Alas, if he doesn't like it, then maybe I should think of something else he'd like. He needs that—to unwind and enjoy life.
I still can't believe he's thousands of years old and he's more sheltered than me—and even more alone.
"There are better things out there," he muses, his gaze lingering on me.
I give him an awkward smile as I redirect my attention ahead of me. But since I can't stop myself from talking, I end up recounting to him another one of my favorite romance novels as we walk farther into the forest.
We fall into a comfortable routine. Walking for a few hours before taking a short break and resuming our journey. All the while, Ze continues to ask me to tell him more and more stories, listening attentively to every detail. Who would have thought that Mr. Warrior would be so invested in romance novels? There isn't a quiet moment, and as it gets dark once more, my throat becomes sore from talking too much.
"How much longer do we have?" I ask a while later, tired and out of breath. My muscles have started to ache again. God, what I wouldn't give for a hot, steamy bath to soak in right now. But it's a luxury I don't know when I'll be able to afford again.
I let out a weary sigh as I prop myself against a tree trunk.
"By my calculations, we should be close to the area where that plant grows," he replies as he studies our surroundings.
"What does it look like again?"
"We will not miss it. It has a flower with white petals and a black pistil. The stem is a light green, but if broken, it oozes a black liquid and the inner tissue is a dark blue."
"That is...very specific."
"Finding the plant itself was never the hard part."
"How do you think Thea and Cer are doing? They need to find two plants."
"That are just as easy to find. Do not worry about them, human. Cerenios is my most skilled warrior. He will not let anything happen to Erithea."
Now that is high praise coming from someone like Ze.
"But who will protect her from him?" I joke. "I've never seen two siblings fight the way those two do."
Ze's lips flatten.
"They are indeed...unusual."
"Thea mentioned you've known each other for a long time?" I probe, curious about their acquaintance—especially after her warning.
He frowns.
"She said you used to go to her house when she was younger," I add.
"Rubbish," he huffs aloud. "I have only ever been to her home on official visits. I do not simply go to people's houses."
"But you're friends?" I ask tentatively.
"I am her brother's superior. Nothing more, nothing less."
Why is this so complicated? Thea tells me they're friends but that I should be careful with him. Now he's saying they are not friends. Just what the hell is going on?
"What about Cer?"
"He is"—he pauses—"agreeable."
Well, I guess that's as much of a praise as I'll ever get from him.
"Cerenios exhibited abilities similar to mine from a young age. His parents wanted him to have the best training, and they beseeched me to take him under my wing," he continues to explain. "Of course, I initially refused since I do not like people around, nor am I good with children." At my confused expression, he clarifies, "He was only a few hundred years old at the time. Around seven years of age in your human biology.”
Oh, wow. I didn't expect him to be that young.
"I gave him a series of tests in order to accept him, and he surprised me by passing them all. Although it wasn't the most ideal situation, I could see potential in him, so I decided to take him as my apprentice and protégé."
"How long was that?"
"Our kind matures differently than yours," he notes. "He was a juvenile for hundreds of years. He reached his majority when he was three thousand years old, after which he was allowed to return home."
"You mean you spent three thousand years with him? You basically raised him!" I exclaim.
"Indeed. Which is why he is such a good warrior," he adds proudly, a smile playing at his lips. "He has displayed the highest degree of skill. Soon after he was finished with his training, he was voted to represent his family in my army, and he's been my subordinate ever since."
"I see..."
"As for those visits"—his lips curl—"they were merely official meetings with Cerenios when he was on his break at his home. My acquaintance with Erithea is merely a by-product of my association with her brother. But whereas Cerenios is cool and disciplined, Erithea is the opposite. She has quite the reputation, and it is unlikely she will secure a good mate—or any at all," Ze comments, his biting tone suggesting he disapproves of Thea. Even without telling me that, I could see that there's some undercurrent between the two of them. I wonder what exactly happened that made him dislike her so much.
Sure, she's bubbly and energetic, but she's also nice, kind, and thoughtful. I don't see why she would not be able to find a mate.
"You don't seem to like her very much."
He narrows his eyes.
"I do not like her effect on Cerenios. She rattles his focus and has become his weakness. In our line of work, one cannot have any weakness."
"Well, if there is any consolation, it seems she considers you her friend," I say with a smile, hoping I can put in a good word about her.
He rolls his eyes.
"Perhaps because she has none."
There he goes, being mean again.
"I could say the same about you," I quickly fire, raising my brow.
"I do not require friends, nor do I want them. That is the difference between us," he states unequivocally.
"What about me then? I'm not your friend?" The question was supposed to be jocular, but the moment the words are out of my mouth, I feel a sharp pain in my heart. It's quite strange, but despite not knowing Ze for long, I've come to understand him and consider him a good friend. It saddens me that he might not feel the same.
"You are different," he replies smoothly.
My brows shoot up.
"Different how?"
"You are my person. That is a category reserved only for you."
My lashes flutter in confusion.
"I don't understand what you mean, Ze."
"It means I am responsible for you," he adds gruffly.
"So I'm your new protégée?" I giggle. "Will you teach me how to fight too?" I ask enthusiastically.
Now, that wouldn't be such a bad idea. If I've learned anything so far in this game, it's that I'm far from properly equipped to deal with the competition. Almost everyone has some sort of power, or at least combat knowledge. And then there's me... The only reason I'm able to move forward, despite my ardent but useless desire to win, is due to my team—and more importantly, due to Ze. If it weren't for him, I'd be dead.
I have no trouble admitting that, and in a way, maybe it is foolish of me to continue on while knowing I don't have the ability to win even one battle. Maybe it's even more foolish to put my trust in others. But it's that foolishness that fosters my hope and the fact that I'd do anything in order to win and get Nikki back. There is no place for pride or shame.
There is only persevering and enduring. Although I may benefit from having strong teammates, I cannot always count on them. That means I must learn to fend for myself, too—one way or another.
After all, this is kill or be killed. And I have no intention of being on the losing side.
Ze gazes at me intently.
"You want to learn how to fight?"
"Oh, I'd love to!" I nod fervently.
He ponders it for a moment, his eyes narrowed as he gazes at me.
"Fighting requires close contact... physical contact," he muses quietly.
"I know. I promise I'll do my best and I won't complain if it gets too hard," I'm quick to assure him. Yes, it might be physically grueling, but I'm ready to put in the work. I'm not afraid of pain—not anymore.
"I shall teach you," he eventually nods. "I am, after all, the best suited for this job."
"Yay!" I jump up to my feet in excitement, clasping my hands together in front of me. Unfortunately, my feet are too tired to withstand the sudden movement, and just as I find myself upright, I totter to the side, my knees buckling just as my ankles bend sideways.
Ze's eyes widen, and with his characteristic swiftness, he catches me before I hit the ground.
"What happened?" he barks out, scooping me up in his arms.
"I'm fine." I muster a smile. "My legs hurt a little. I'm not accustomed to walking this much," I admit, although I don't say the entire truth—the fact that I've been pushing myself far above my limits. That I've made it this far is a wonder, but because of that I'm not going to give up when we're so close to our goal.
"Your legs hurt?" He frowns, a panicked expression appearing on his face. "Do you need me to heal you?"
"No, no," I hurry to say. "I'm only tired from walking. I am human after all," I try to joke lightly.
He doesn't seem to see the humor in my statement. Placing me on the tree trunk, he gets to his knees in front of me, extending my legs to have a look at them. He examines them on one side, then the other, not finding anything wrong with them. Still, he isn't satisfied.
"We are not far from the location. It should take us a few more hours to get there. I shall carry you so we can reach it before nightfall," he simply states.
Turning with his back to me, he motions for me to climb on him.
I may be a little reluctant to keep taking advantage of him and his kindness, but he is right. We do need to get the plant as fast as we can.
"Thank you," I murmur, wrapping my arms around his neck and hopping on his back. "You're very nice to me today," I praise him gently, knowing he loves being called that.
He tightens his hold under my knees as he starts walking. I'll never fail to be amazed at the easiness with which he's able to carry me. Somehow, I have no doubt he'd carry a cow just as easily. My lips crack in a smile as I get the mental picture of Ze giving a cow a piggyback. That would certainly be something to behold.
"Remember to add another extra point," he suddenly mentions.
"What?"
"You said you would give me extra points. Remember to add this, too." His voice is brighter than usual; his countenance, too.
I frown.
Oh, God! Of course he wouldn't realize I was speaking metaphorically. I open my mouth to explain what I meant but end up closing it and swallowing my words. He seems so excited about the potential of earning more extra points that I can't ruin it for him.
"Yes, it's added," I end up saying.
"Will you give me a boon if I accrue a certain number of points?" he asks sheepishly after a moment's thought.
"How many points are we talking about?"
"What about... one hundred? Will I get a boon if I get one hundred points?" he inquires in a rather hopeful and innocent tone—almost like a kid asking for something off his wishlist.
"I don't see why not," I agree, leaning in and placing my chin on his shoulder.
If the points matter so much to him, then I'm sure he'll put in the effort and be nicer, not just to me but to everyone else too. A smile plays at my lips. Ze is competitive—and proud. By turning this into a competition, I can give him the incentive to stop being rude to people.
"Good," he purrs, satisfied. "Make sure you do not forget to add up my points."
"I won't, I won't." I chuckle.
"I shall hold you to that." He smiles.
Pleased about our deal, he hums lightly to himself as he continues walking. I can feel the deep vibrations reverberate from his warm body, melting into my own and lulling me into a sense of peace and comfort. I nuzzle my cheek against the material of his shirt, releasing a soft yawn as I feel my eyes slowly closing, my body demanding some rest.
"Sleep, little human," I think I hear Ze whisper.