17

ARYA

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Nothing. Absolutely nothing. It was as if the whole coniferous forest had died out. No chirping, no howling, no tracks. Not even a rush of wind could be heard. And definitely not a rogue pack.

I pulled my black cloak tighter around me, ignoring the chilling cold that ate at my bones as we headed north; to the Skihlafelswanden. It had been hours since we left Xeno's estate and into deep Fyrsald Forest - and since neither of us had exchanged a word.

At first, Devon and Reah had made silly jokes, but when they realized that neither Xenos nor I responded, they fell silent, too.

Xenos stopped by a fallen log. "It's getting dark, we should set up camp and move on tomorrow."

I shouldered my bow, and though I wanted to run through the woods and confront Daemon as soon as possible, I agreed unresistingly. I was too tired to start a fight with Xenos. I just wanted to get this whole thing over with as quickly as possible.

"I'll collect the branches for the fire then," Reah announced loudly and nudged Devon in the side when he didn't say anything, but was already carelessly about to sit down on the spruce trunk with the provisions he had pulled out.

“Ouch, what the hell was that about?” He glared at Reah, then cleared his throat abruptly and stuffed his jerky into his pockets. "Uh yeah, me too."

I could still hear their mumbling as the two chatterboxes waddled away and disappeared behind the dense undergrowth.

"And you don't mind?" A provocative twinkle in his eyes. He just waited for me to complain loudly - sought the argument.

“No doubt.” Like calm itself, I cast off my bow and quiver.

“What happened?” His gaze darted to the homemade bandages around my knuckles.

"Nothing of concern."

Xenos snorted, his dark cloak, shoulder fur as soft as the finest sheepskin, swirling in the air as he turned and then sat on the fallen log. "Good." Then he drew his sword from the scabbard attached to his leather belt and silently—his sword in one hand, a whetstone in the other—began to sharpen it.

For a moment I considered sitting next to him, but then I summoned a branch of the large larch and swung myself up onto it. Dangling my legs to either side of the branch, I leaned against the strong tree trunk and took my provisions from my cloak pocket.

The sound of stone on metal paused. Xenos looked up and laughed in disbelief. "Do you really hate me so much you can't even sit next to me?"

I ignored him, pulled the hood of my cloak over my head and bit into the dried fruit.

"Don't you think that's a bit childish?"

I shrugged my shoulders. Maybe it was, maybe not. But the fact was that I “needed” the distance between us. Otherwise I would buckle, it got under my skin too much for that.

With a growl, he resumed the grinding. It was the same sword he had wielded in the battle against Serda's warrior from hell. A sword forged from the holy crystals of the gods, the only weapon capable of ending the lives of gods and demons. I drew my quiver forward and looked at the steel of the arrows. I had swapped the new arrows given to me by Rowtag with others from Xenos' weapon arsenal. Because they had to be adorned with the same steel as Xeno's sword. Daemon should beware - the first arrow “te Retani” never missed.

Hours later, when the great golden sun had long since dropped below the horizon and the black night sky was adorned by the two moons whose glow bathed the entire forest in a glittering sea of silver, I swung down from the tree and springed my leap skillfully.

Knowing that Reah had the watch under control and that it wasn't my turn until two hours had passed, I kicked off my leather shoes and dug my bare toes into the dirt. “I missed that.”

I'd spent the last few hours, with an unspeakable burning in my chest, internalizing every detail, every little scar and every little pit of his face. His sea blue eyes, staring thoughtfully into the black night, were burned into my brain and I knew I would never forget him - ever. I felt his lips on mine again, his voice softly whispering my name. I blinked away the tears and took a deep breath. “Enough now. “With this decision, I stepped between the fir trees, disappeared from my sleeping place and padded through the forest.

With my hands stretched out to the branches of the fir trees, which stretched out for me at every touch, I roamed through the night and enjoyed the silence that surrounded me. I didn't think about my father, Nzuak, or Xenos. Instead, I focused on my surroundings. The light wind rustled through the branches and leaves of the bushes, ruffled my hair and brought me the fresh smell of the northern forest. It was the first moment when my thoughts were swept empty.

"Come along."

I winced at his voice. How could he have sneaked up on me so quietly without my noticing? I stifled a snort. “wolves”.

"Go, “feyen”. Please.” There was no anger or annoyance in my words. Just tiredness. I just wanted to be alone for a few minutes. "Please leave me alone."

"I won't argue with you, word of honor." He was standing in front of me and holding out his hand. His short blond hair glittered brightly in the moonlight. "I want to show you something."

For a moment I thought about pushing him away from me again. But then I thought what the heck? It was most likely the last night we spent together. The last time I had him all to myself. What would a single night matter? So I put my hand in his... and immediately regretted it as the familiar tingle crawled up my arm and made the butterflies flutter in my stomach. “Teeruk”.

His eyes sparkled like the two big moons in the starry sky and he squeezed my hand. "Come." With that, he led me silently through the forest, along the Ayrun River, as if he had walked the path a thousand times. Knew every bend, every bush and every tree - just as I knew the jungle.

I followed him with a small smile as I felt the burden of the past few days lift from me and I could just be myself for a little moment. Not Arya, “Ahivi te Honaw”, or Arya, “the first arrow te Retani”, just “I”.

"Ready?" he asked me as he stopped.

I laughed. "On what?" We were standing in the middle of the forest, surrounded by conifers.

He just silently tugged at my hand and extended his other hand as a magical translucent barrier flowed around his outstretched arm and opened. He steps through the transparent veil and pulls me with him. Without hesitation, I followed him and disappeared behind the torrent of magic into an enchanting clearing.

The grass under my feet shimmered in a lush green and was covered with colorful flowers that swayed back and forth in the gentle breeze. But it wasn't what took my breath away, nor was it the tall cherry blossoms, pink petals dancing in the wind. It was the big rock face that loomed in front of me and from which a big waterfall fell down into a pool. It looked mystical.

"If I may present to you: the waterfall Lyssallas."

"It's wonderful." I couldn't help but put my hand to my mouth and marvel. I soon found myself kneeling in front of the waterfall, contemplating the sparkling water. "It looks like..."

"Magically off?" Xenos knelt beside me. "Yes it does. That's because it is indeed magical water. According to legend, an angel's tears should have fallen into this body of water and now he should bring a glimmer of peace to whoever drank it. Or rejuvenate, as some like to think.”

I pulled my hand out of the sparkling water and arched an eyebrow. I chuckled. "Oh, did someone study the legends?"

He rolled his eyes, but I saw the faint blush that settled on his cheeks. "Perhaps here and there."

I laughed when he gave me a serious look. "If you ever tell anyone about this, I'll grab you and throw you into the coldest vault on my estate."

"“Pfff”." I arched an eyebrow. "You'd have to get me first."

His lips twisted into an arrogant grin. "Oh, and you think you're faster than me?"

Before he could grab me, I was on my feet and, using a summoned branch from the cherry tree, I jumped forward. Laughing and with a fluttering cloak, I ran across the flower meadow. "Well, who's faster now? Can you already feel the hundred years on your hips?”

A growl, then I shrieked loudly as he grabbed my waist and threw me to the ground. At the last moment he turned us over so he was lying on the grass beneath me.

"Take that back." He snapped at me playfully.

"What?" I avoided his teeth and braced myself on his chest. "That you're slow? Or that you're already too old to be fast enough-"

"Ahh!" I cried out loud, only to burst out laughing. I tried to avoid his hands, which were wandering over my body, tickling my mind. "Xenos stop! Please!"

"Not until you say I'm not old."

I chuckled and held my stomach as I tried to wriggle out of his grip and rolled onto the floor. He instantly draped himself over me, his dark cloak hanging left and right, shielding my body from the world like a curtain.

"Say it."

"You are..." His hands stopped short and he looked at me expectantly. Then I grinned. "Older than my grandpa."

"Oh you're going to regret that!" He tickled me again and I laughed so hard I could hardly breathe.

"Okay, okay! You are not old! You're not old!” I was still laughing when his hands left me and rested on the floor beside me. He grinned mischievously and it was so boyish that I felt young and inexperienced myself as well.

"I'm glad you've come to your senses." He gently plucked the pink blossoms from my hair and all I could do was stare up at him, breathless. Then he stroked my cheeks and looked down at me with a smile so tender that it startled me. Something shimmered in his eyes that I couldn't name but touched a side of my heart that had been dormant deep within me.

"Xenos, I..." Not sure how smart it was to be here alone with him, I tried to push him away.

““Feyen”. Please.” He narrowed his eyes in agony and held my hand firmly to the floor as he whispered, “One hour. Just give me this “one hour.”"

““Vosheea ehsa.” Sorry. I can't.” I pulled my hand away from him and squeezed his chest. "I have to go."

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