23. CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE
Startled, Alena snapped awake.
“Time to switch.” Leukos loomed over her, one warm hand on her shoulder.
She sat up, her back sore from sleeping on the hard forest floor, and squinted at the dying embers of the campfire.
“Take the dagger just in case and see if you can find some food.” Leukos passed her the bronze blade before lying on the cold, damp ground. Wrapped tight in his cloak, he rested his head in the crook of his arm.
Stretching her arms, Alena found her boots and left their makeshift camp. A quick glance at her Megarian companion told her he was already fast asleep. Despite his cold exterior, he’d let her sleep longer than him for two nights in a row, and dark circles underlined his eyes.
She went on the hunt for food. Berries, roots, and nuts were easy enough to find, and she gathered them in her satchel. The fiery rays of the sunrise revealed marigold fields and emerald greens—a stark contrast with the tawny, faded colours of the steppe.
The brilliant blue river babbled ahead, its waters lapping the rocky riverbank. Pebbles danced and tumbled as Alena dipped her toes in. Taking small steps, she braved the cold water until it reached her knees.
The river’s surface glinted beyond, a thousand tiny diamonds twinkling among the swarms of dancing dragonflies. The bright spectacle was mesmerising, and for just a moment, the rest of the world faded from existence, leaving behind nothing but dazzling colours, chirping insects, and birds.
Katell would have loved it.
Alena’s eyes burned, and her throat constricted. Was she safe? Her sister could fight but also be rash, and her short temper attracted trouble like nothing else.
Tears carved a path down Alena’s cheeks, and not even the sparkling river could lift her spirits again. Sucking in deep breaths, she washed and splashed cold water over her face.
She was quenching her thirst when a shout rang out behind her.
“Alena!”
She jolted.
Leukos tore a path towards her, a thunderous scowl on his face.
Stars have mercy! She’d left him alone.
She scrambled back to shore, her wet tunic dripping along her bare legs.
“Twelve be damned! What do you think you’re doing?” he shouted.
She grabbed her riding trousers. “Leukos, I’m truly sorry—”
“Don’t.” His voice was like ice, cutting deep. “I don’t know how things are done in your homeland, but abandoning your watch is a serious offence in Megara.”
“I know. I’m sorry—”
“When I sleep, I trust you to have my back and warn me of any sign of danger.”
She flinched at his harsh tone, unable to meet his gaze.
“Instead, I find you out here bathing in the river without a care in the world. What don’t you understand, you foolish girl? There aren’t only slave traders travelling along these paths, but also Rasennan scouts, not to mention the Blood Wolf. He’d have slit my throat while I slept and then come straight for you. Is that what you want?” He snatched her arm, pulling her closer. “Answer me!”
Her breath hitched, and she pushed against his chest. “No, of course not.”
He scanned her face for a beat and then released her. “I expect you to never abandon your guard duty again.” His attention dropped to the pile of food she’d gathered atop her satchel. “Get dressed and meet me back at the camp. I’ll try to catch some fish.”
He slipped off his sandals and waded into the river without another word. Alena gathered her supplies, unable to swallow the knot in her throat.
Breakfast was a quiet affair.
Leukos caught two large fish, which filled their bellies and gave them strength for the walk ahead. The day was particularly hot, and although they had plenty of fresh water walking alongside the river, they both needed more breaks than usual.
Once the sun dipped between rolling hills, painting the landscape in a warm glow, they stopped. Alena dangled her feet in the cool river while Leukos stood farther out, pouring water over his head using her cup.
It flowed down his neck, drenching his dark tunic and sticking to his toned chest. Droplets clung to his short, black locks, gleaming in the fading sunlight. Obsidian eyes stared back at her, and she blushed.
“This morning, when I caught you in the river, you were crying,” Leukos said.
Alena dropped her gaze. “I was thinking about my sister.”
He nodded and didn’t say another word.
The next day went by in the same manner. The searing heat made it impossible for them to move at a fast pace, and after hours of walking through an endless meadow, they finally spotted the edge of a forest ahead.
A dirt path, covered in footprints, cut through withered patches of dry grass and clover.
Leukos inspected it with a frown. “We’ll find a village soon. It’s best if we approach it refreshed and with a clear mind. We’ll camp in the woods and leave before sunrise.”
She followed him through the trees until he chose a soft patch of grass to camp on.
“No fire tonight,” he said. “We’ll just gather whatever we can from the forest before darkness falls.”
She dropped her satchel. “I’m going to wash up in the river. I’ll be back soon.”
Cleaning in the cold, clear waters after a hot day under the sun reminded her of a similar summer day she’d spent on the steppe with Katell, learning to hunt. Her sister’s skin had darkened under the sun’s rays, whereas Alena’s fairer complexion had turned a painful shade of red.
The memory wrapped around her chest, squeezing the air from her lungs. Katell’s absence was like an empty void in her heart, gnawing at her day and night. She had to find her—
“Crying isn’t going to bring her back.”
Startled, she whipped around. Leukos stood on the riverbank, watching her.
“I wasn’t crying,” she argued, although her voice shook.
He stood barefoot at the water’s edge, her cup in one hand, filled with berries to the brim. “What are you—?”
“If you want to help her, you need to be strong.”
Alena exhaled a long breath and waded back to shore. “As little as you think of me, I can defend myself. Katell taught me how to use a sword.”
“And yet you never once picked up a blade to come to your sister’s aid the night we escaped.” His words stung her like a sharp slap across the face. “If you weren’t able to save your sister last time, what makes you think you can save her the next chance you get?”
He leaned against a rock, popping berries into his mouth. She bandaged her feet with more force than necessary. Perhaps she should have taken her chances by herself instead of travelling with such an infuriating companion. Especially one who tended to read her darkest thoughts and throw them in her face.
“I’ll find a way.” Her voice sounded unconvincing, even to herself.
He raised an eyebrow. “Without more training, you’ll be killed before you even find your sister.”
His tone wasn’t unkind, but it hurt, nonetheless.
“Then teach me!” She pulled on her boots with a sharp tug. “You’re right. I’m not a skilled fighter, and I don’t have a Gift. All I know about this world—the Empire, Achaea, and the Western tribes—is what I read in old parchments and scrolls. But in those stories, no matter how dire the situation, evil men were always defeated. Diomedes, Telamon and Atalanta are all hailed as heroes Gifted by the gods, who triumphed against all odds.”
Leukos scoffed. “You forgot Nestor and Andromeda. And those are simply old myths to entertain the crowds. Stories for children.”
“Are they?” She shot to her feet, pacing towards him. He held his ground. “The Rebel Queen was real.”
“And she was captured by the Emperor after the Great Battle of Kendrisia and then paraded in the streets of Kisra with her lover, Kallinos, as enemies of the Empire. By the Sea, they were tossed in Laran’s arena along with a dozen wild animals, and the crowds cheered while they were torn to pieces.”
Alena’s stomach dropped, and she couldn’t hide the shock from her face. Was that why her father had never revealed the Rebel Queen’s fate to them?
Leukos’ eyebrows shot up. “You didn’t know?”
“No, I…” Her voice grew quiet. “Couldn’t that just be another story?”
A brief glimmer of sorrow crossed his face, and he shook his head. “I wish it were. But that’s the truth of the world we live in. The Emperor defeated the Rebel Queen over fifteen years ago and continues to expand his Empire without opposition. Ten years ago, he took over Achaea, tore down its temples, and killed hundreds of priests. The Achaean Twelve are in hiding or have disappeared. With the Emperor’s fourteen legions and Laran, the god of war, by his side, no one can stop him. Not even the Rebel Queen could.”
Alena’s shoulders slumped. “I supposed it’s good fortune then that Katell and I never made it to Megara. Still, there must be something I can do for my sister. I realise my skills are limited, but I have to save her.”
Leukos leaned over the rock and pulled out a long wooden stick. It reminded Alena of Katell’s wooden sword.
“You’re going to help me with a stick?”
He cut her a look and held it out to her. “No, I’ll teach you how to defend yourself using this. We may not have swords, but we don’t need any to train.”
She stared at the wooden branch he’d grossly fashioned into a pointed stick with his blade. “Kat and I were using sticks, too, before we got caught. Will it help me?”
“Probably not,” he answered, thrusting it into her hands, “but it will help me sleep better at night knowing you’re not completely useless in case of an attack.”