Chapter 21 #2
“No one knew who you were or where I could find you. When I finally gave up for the day and returned to my father’s manor, my brothers informed me they’d found the woman he wanted.
I knew it was too late for her.” Sadness fills his eyes.
“So, I focused on finding you. Eventually, my brothers convinced me to come see the woman who's keeping the future from my father. When I saw it was you they captured, you they strapped to that table, it took all my willpower to not rip those binds and carry you out of there that very moment. My brothers are powerful men; they would have put up a fight and you could have been hurt, or worse. I wouldn’t risk that. I couldn’t risk that.
“I hate myself for not coming to you sooner, for ignoring my brothers goading to come see the woman they had imprisoned. If I’d come sooner I could have saved you.
I could have spared you so much torment.
And I will do anything, protect you from anyone, to make amends.
I am so deeply sorry Aelavi.” His eyes never waver from mine.
The sadness and regret swimming behind them damn near breaks my heart.
I don’t know what to say. I still have so many questions bouncing around in my mind, but I can’t seem to settle on one, can’t seem to find my voice.
He’s standing so close to me that the toes of our boots are touching, the heat from his body searing into me.
His gaze drops from my eyes to my lips. I lick them, my heart hammering in my chest. Would I stop him if he kissed me?
I don’t have time to consider it. He shakes his head, breaking the trance, and steps around me and the tree I’m pressed up against. “Come on. We’re losing daylight.”
“We’re going back to Kalsevden,” I state plainly, voicing the one thought that stuck.
He looks at me over his shoulder, something twinkling in his eyes. “Fine. But we’re going to go the long way. If we turn back now, we’ll likely run into my brothers, and I’d like to avoid that if we can.”
I groan. “And how long will that take?”
He starts walking through the foliage again, twigs snapping under his enormous boots. “A few days,” he says without looking at me. “We have to go to the center of the forest and cut west. From there, we’ll make our way back on the main road.”
A few days may be too long for Isi, but getting caught by the twins isn’t exactly ideal either. I weigh my options as I watch Caene disappear into the fog.
I run to catch up to him, deciding quickly that his way is my only viable option.
I’ll never make it out of here on my own if his constant redirections are any indication.
I catch up to him and follow closely on his heels.
His shoulders are tight, his spine stiff.
He’s nervous. I thought he was agitated yesterday because he was concerned his brothers were right behind us, but today his head is on a swivel, constantly scanning our surroundings. It’s setting my teeth on edge.
“Why are you so tense?” My voice seems to startle him. He peers over his shoulder at me, irritation flaring in his eyes.
“We’re in the Elvael Forest,” he says like that answers my question.
I meet his irritation. Does this man know how to answer a question? “And?”
“Don’t you know the stories?” He turns to face me fully and I’m again overwhelmed by how attractive he is in the dim glow filtering through the mist. Nearly two days of traipsing through a cursed forest and two nights sleeping on the ground has caused his scruff to fill in more.
The dirt and ruggedness has somehow made him more breathtaking.
It’s frustrating really. I’m sure I look like a dead rat.
I huff. “Of course I know the stories. They’re just folk tales told to children to keep them in line. I’m surprised you believe them.” He walks back to me until we’re toe to toe. Again. I clench my jaw.
Ever heard of personal space there buddy? Annoyance flares in my gut. Still, I don’t move away.
“Haven’t you noticed the trees?” he asks me, pointing upward. “How all the branches are growing toward the edge of the forest? Even the trees don’t want to be here.”
I look up and all around. Of course I’d noticed the trees, but that doesn’t mean anything.
According to the legends this forest is overflowing with bloodthirsty creatures who will kill you for food, fear, and some even for fun.
As I said, they’re just stories to keep the children of Kalsevden from wandering into the forest. We’ve been here for almost two full days and haven’t come across a damn thing.
The trees must have a logical explanation.
Something to do with the thick fog, I’m sure.
I don’t bother arguing with him though; I just glare and walk around him.
The stench of rotting leaves and stale dirt slams into me like a brick wall. It’s so foul I have to bury my nose into the sleeve of Caene’s coat for reprieve, and get momentarily distracted by his earthy scent. “What in the abysm is that smell?” I look around for the source.
Caene grabs my waist and hauls me behind him, keeping one hand on my hip to hold me in place. Something instinctual tells me not to fight him. Whatever that smell is coming from, it’s bad.
All at once, I’m struck by the familiarity of the scene.
Green eyes meeting mine over a broad shoulder, the forest around us, his hand on my hip sending unwanted tingles rippling through me.
The dream I had weeks ago. From the trees, a massive four-legged form creeps forward.
The same creature from my dream. Decaying pine needles and black eyes.
I pull my dagger out of my boot. I’d almost forgotten I had it.
In my dream, this thing lunges for Caene and my conscience is screaming at me to prevent that from happening.
The pull I have to protect the man who went against his family to save me, who has been taking care of me for the past few days, who has been patient with me and shown me kindness and respect.
A flash of my dream comes to mind, Caene running at the creature and both of them going still.
I can’t let that happen. I can’t let anything happen to him.
In reparation for him saving my life, I suppose I’ll have to protect him.
I step around Caene and lunge for the creature myself.
It responds in kind, but before I can make contact an arm made of steel is wrapped around my waist and the trees spin around me.
Caene places himself between me and the creature again.
A thunderous roar splits my ear, making it ring.
I turn my head to see the creature has sunk its enormous, knifelike teeth into Caene’s shoulder.
Its claws are gripping his biceps, and blood drips from his wounds.
Caene throws me to the side, my bones crunching as they connect with the ground, twigs and thorns tearing at my face and clothes.
He reaches over his shoulder, grips the creature, and throws it into a nearby tree.
He then reaches behind him, unsheathing the sword strapped to his back.
The creature recovers quickly and charges for Caene.
I throw my dagger. It sinks into the pine needles on the creature’s side.
It growls but doesn’t slow. It leaps at Caene, taking him to the ground.
Another deafening roar echoes through the trees, and both forms go limp.
The forest falls silent. Even the few birds have stopped their strange twittering.
No.
I approach the heap of man and beast slowly. “Caene?” I whisper. Nothing.
No. No, he can’t be.
“Caene?” I say louder, panic creeping its way up my chest. If he’s dead, so am I. The heap shifts and I jump back. I have no weapon to fight with. I look around wildly for anything I can use to defend myself. I pick up a thick branch, though I know it probably won’t do me any good.
The giant beast rolls onto the forest floor, revealing Caene underneath soaked in blood.
My makeshift weapon falls to the ground with a soft thud and I rush to him, looking him over, running my hands over his chest, stomach, and arms, trying to determine where the blood is coming from.
I do my best to ignore how hard his body is under my hands.
Now is not the time. His tunic is torn in so many places.
My mother taught me if I can find the largest source of blood and stop the bleeding, I might have time to get help.
“You worried about me, little Aelavi?” His deep voice wraps around me.
I look up at his face to see he’s smiling broadly, showing straight white teeth and a dimple.
That unrestrained smile takes my breath away.
He reaches down and pulls his shirt up, revealing nearly unscathed skin underneath.
What wounds remain are closing in front of my eyes.
“Invulnerable remember?” he says with an amused twinkle in his eyes.
I’d forgotten that little tidbit in the heat of the moment. I grumble and shove his shoulder. He falls back to the ground, laughing. The sound snakes around me and through me. I momentarily close my eyes and let it.
You are so completely fucked, Vay. Story of my life.
Caene gets to his feet and offers his hand to help me to mine. I surprise myself when I take it. We approach the dying creature and I once again have to use the sleeve of Caene’s coat to cover the smell. The soft mewling sounds coming from it make my heart ache.
“What is it?” I ask, though I think I know the answer.
“A gijire,” Caene says as he slides his sword through the beast’s heart to end its suffering. He whispers something in old Lyclavish over the animal, almost like a prayer. I stare at it as it takes its final shuddering breath, unable or unwilling to believe my eyes.
I was so sure they were a myth. Gijire are enormous four-legged creatures, most closely resembling cats.
It’s said they survive on a diet of blood.
They will capture their prey and suck it dry, leaving the carcass for scavengers to pick over.
These creatures are one of the things we are warned of as children, one of the reasons it isn’t safe to enter Elvael Forest. If this thing is real .
. . I glance through the trees, shuddering, searching for any sign of movement.
Not that I would see much with this damned fog.
Suddenly, this forest looks much more perilous.
I bend to the dead animal and retrieve my dagger, wipe the black blood off on a bit of moss, and tuck it back into my boot.
I refocus on Caene to tell him we’d better get moving in case there are more gijire nearby but my breath lodges in my throat.
He has walked away from me to a small creek bubbling nearby that I hadn’t noticed earlier.
Maybe that’s what drew this gijire to us; it was just getting a drink.
He has shed his blood-soaked tunic and is rinsing it in the clear water.
He lifts his hands, splashing water on his face and combing through his thick, dark hair with his fingers.
His back is rippling with muscle and I can’t stop staring, my mouth hanging open.
He looks over his shoulder at me, notices my idiotic expression, and flashes me a mischievous smile. "Care to join me Aelavi?"
Yes. No! I shake my head and look away, humiliation heating my cheeks.
For Death’s sake Vayna! It’s not like you haven’t seen it before. He’s just a man, same as all the rest. I’m lying to myself, I know. He is unlike any man I’ve met before.
I clear my throat. “We should get moving.”
He nods and throws his shirt back on, pushing his damp hair out of his eyes.
He may as well have just left it off. The wet fabric is clinging to every muscle and my hands itch to touch them again.
Before I can act on my impulsive thoughts, I shuck off the coat I’ve held hostage from him today and chuck it at him, hoping he’ll put it on and stop distracting me.
I turn on my heel and walk away with my head held high.
“Wrong way Aelavi,” he calls. I turn and see him pointing to his left.
“My name isn’t Aelavi,” I storm back toward him, noticing he hasn’t put his coat on. “It’s Vayna.”
A small smirk lifts his lips. “Vayna,” he says as he drapes the coat back over my shoulders. “It suits you. But then again, so does Aelavi, little Aelavi.”
Grumbling, I walk in the direction he’s pointing. Aelavi may be a rude nickname, but there’s something about the way he says it that makes me tingle. I think I might like being called little Aelavi by him, but I will never admit that out loud.