CHAPTER ELEVEN
Aurora watched as Eli quietly packed a single rucksack for himself. His past had finally caught up with him, and she didn’t know what to say to make everything better.
Things weren’t looking good for them.
Aurora left Eli and stepped into her own room; within minutes, she had her own bag packed. She had taken only the essentials; undergarments, a couple of her favorite tunics, some pants, her boots, and lastly, her dagger.
She was used to packing light, leaving the majority of the things she owned, following Eli to a new cabin in another Quart. It was what they had done to try and avoid the exact thing that was happening right now. They had become complacent and had stayed too long, and now they were paying for it.
She held her dagger in her hands. She was going to pack it away with the rest of her things for fear of losing it or having it taken from her but decided against it. Aurora turned the blade over in her hand as she contemplated what to do.
On her thirteenth birthday, Eli gifted her a beautiful dagger. She had been in total awe of it. The blade was sharp enough to cut with the slightest pressure. Still to the current day, six years later, she could slice through most things with ease, not once having had to sharpen the blade. Where the blade met the base, she noticed five points protruding. On the flat surface below those points sat a knot with no start and no end. Three identical-sized loops linked. The handle was made of seasoned wood with an ornate metal hilt, and although the weapon looked heavy, surprisingly, it was not.
She had always thought her dagger was stunning, but what Aurora loved most about it was the pretty gem at its base. A rainbow of colors sparkled within the stone, two of which reminded her of eyes that would always remain hidden. She made a decision and sheathed the dagger at her thigh, making it easy for her to reach if needed. She had never hurt anyone with it. The only thing she had ever killed were the animals she trapped for dinner. She had a nagging feeling in her gut soon that would change and change drastically.
She slung her pack over her shoulder. Aurora gave one last glance at her simple room; a twin-sized bed with white sheets, a simple bedside table where a single unlit candle still rested, and an armoire that still held some of her clothes. She left the room, she closed the door softly behind her.
Eli was already waiting, in all black. A dark cloak hung over his shoulders, and his pack rested on top. Through the cloak, she got a glimpse of all the weapons he wore. Multiple daggers, more she knew would be hidden under his clothes. A sword she had never seen him use hung close to his hip.
Eli’s gaze met hers, and fear struck her heart at the coldness she saw in them. The moonlight coming from the window cast shadows on his face making his scar look even more brutal. He looked like an assassin. This must have been the male so many feared and so many others admired.
The Phantom, the Guild’s best assassin.
As she approached him, he silently held out her cloak. A moment after she had taken it, Eli walked out of the cabin they had called home and without looking back, headed towards the clearing, “Just pull the door after you. I will make arrangements when we reach the Guild.”
Aurora just stood for a moment watching him. She blinked, their situation beginning to sink in. She hadn’t felt much of anything until this moment, but right now, all she could feel was fear slowly building as she watched him. Throughout her whole life, Aurora had Eli to lean on. No matter what she did, she knew she could always count on him. But the male who had just left the cabin was not her Eli, this version of him was a stranger to her.
Her Eli was witty, sarcastic, and funny at times, but he was also caring, and it showed in his tone and actions. The male striding off into the forest was quiet and guarded. He had always been a serious male, but he never shut her out or hid things from her.
This version of Eli was not something Aurora liked. As a matter of fact, she was quite sure she hated it.
Pulling the door closed behind her, Aurora took one last look at their cabin. The furniture they had would be left behind, and even though he said he would make arrangements for it, she knew deep down this would be the last time she would see it. Aurora rarely got attached to things; she couldn”t. Knowing what she did for the Guild, she couldn”t help but have a hard time letting her home go.
A strange type of sadness washed over her. She couldn’t help the feeling that crept inside her, burrowing deep. After one last lingering glance, Aurora turned and headed in the direction Eli had taken and, without another glance, left behind the life she and Eli had loved.