Chapter 12 #2
Taryn scoffed, beginning to fiddle with a leaf beneath his fingers, “I am compelled in another manner of speaking, yes. But I… I’m starting to change.
” Taryn sounded confused, his face grimacing, as if he were uncomfortable with himself.
He said the words personally, as if they weren’t meant for her.
Airess sat up straight at his confession.
When his eyes finally met hers again, his determination was fierce.
“I’m letting you go. After everything that happened, everything I’ve seen in the last twenty-four hours.
..” He trailed off, his face now graced with a subtle smile.
“Besides, I don’t stand a chance against your power.
Your combat skills, however, are quite questionable. ”
Gratitude welled within her, a warm feeling roaming over the surface of her heart and spreading out to her entire body. She didn’t need her Sight to know his sincerity, it was written all over his face.
“But… what will you tell your Guildmaster?”
Airess couldn’t voice what she really thought: Where will I go now?
Taryn looked at her quizzically, eyebrows arched, as if he wasn’t sure why he was sharing this with her. He took a deep breath in, gaze looking out to the rushing stream beside them.
“I’m not returning. I'm going home.”
“Home?”
“Yes. I’m going home to Rune.”
Airess’ breath hitched. She almost toppled over as she recalled what the dreamwalker said in the dreamworld. Stay with the male, no matter what, and travel to Rune. The Obadiah awaits the both of you. Airess didn’t believe in coincidences, and this synchronicity was far too uncanny to cast aside.
“We can sever the chain and part ways. You can go about your plans to escape the Luciens. We can both forget this ever happened.” Taryn stood up, offering a hand out to her. She took it, knees wobbling slightly as she stood, her mind numb from everything she had learned in the past five minutes.
“How long was I out?”
“A day.”
Three days since the engagement ball. If that explosion never happened, she would be married right now.
Taryn lifted a hand, fluidly guiding a stream of water into the air from the river nearby. The water coiled around the chains. Airess watched, speechless, as he squeezed his hand into a fist, turning the water into ice. Wow. He really must be Waterborne.
He grabbed two rocks, breaking her entrancement. “The chains will break easier if frozen. Here.”
Taryn’s hand grazed hers as she took the rock, sending a jolt of electricity down her arm.
Airess nodded, unable to conjure the energy to reply.
She shook the feeling off, not wanting to get lost in what his touch made her feel.
They worked together and pounded the chains with the rocks until they finally shattered.
When that was done, she glanced down at her own clothing. Horror coursed through her as she took in the splatters of blood inked into the fabric of her dress.
“I hope you don’t mind,” Taryn said sheepishly as he scratched the back of his neck, his cheeks reddened. “I sort of cleaned all the blood off of your face. It was the least I could do after… compelling you.”
Airess examined a tendril of her hair, the white strands now crimson as if they were dipped in paint. She tried her best to calm her beating heart as she looked up at him. “Thank you. I—I appreciate it.”
A silence fell between them. Taryn shifted on his feet, disappointment flashing in his eyes as he spoke. “I suppose this is where we part ways—”
“Let me come with you,” Airess blurted, surprising herself.
Desperation boosted her confidence, the realization that she was about to truly be alone in this world fueling her words.
If what Ima said was the truth, and The Obadiah was waiting for the both of them, could there be more to Taryn than meets the eye?
“I’m sorry?”
“Let me come with you,” she repeated. Airess shifted on her feet, as if she were going to lose her boldness if she didn’t say more.
“You’re leaving the country and—well, so am I. We both have the same goals. It would be an awfully long trek to the south alone.”
Taryn raised a brow in question. “You’re traveling to Rune?” he asked incredulously.
“Do you have any other ideas where to flee?” she asked rhetorically. Taryn folded his arms and frowned at her. Her smile fell.
“Please, let me travel with you. If—when—we make it, we can go our separate ways, pretend like we never even met and leave this country behind us.”
His heavy gaze penetrated into her, searching her face. Airess bit the inside of her cheek, on edge while waiting for his response.
“You do realize it's a month or so long journey to the south, don’t you? And then an entire ocean to cross. It’s not necessarily a suitable journey for a Lady.”
“If you haven’t noticed,” Airess said, gesturing to her soiled dress. “I am no longer a Lady. Please, Taryn. I have nowhere else to go.”
She no longer had the energy to appear strong and determined. Airess tried to ignore the feeling of dried blood caked onto her face, nails, and skin. Her garments were soiled. She was fighting to remain calm, to refrain from shaking.
She was a mess, physically and mentally.
Taryn took a deep breath in. His eyes roamed down her figure, not sexually, but as if seeing her clearly for the first time.
He nodded slightly before his face drew into a smug grin.
“Alright, Haeleth. You want to travel with me? Stay close, don’t get caught, and when the time comes, run like hell. ”
“Run like hell?”
Mischief glinted in his eyes. “You’ll see.”