And that confirms one thing for me.
He cares for others and is definitely not the monster he wants everybody to think he is. And for that I am thankful.
He cares.
Chapter 40
Braxton
I didn’t want to tell her. Deep down, I knew I would have to eventually, but this didn’t feel like the right moment.
When Hazel died, Eliane looked away, I made her look away. Completely in shock, not thinking much of the consequences.
I knew she would want for Hazel to have a good goodbye, but I didn’t want to burden her with that at that moment. When we went to Zephron, I knew I was going to talk to him about it. It was pretty clear by then they were in a relationship or something. I told him my ideas, put out a plan and he fixed the last few things. The day Eliane went to steal her memories back, Hazel was buried.
I wanted to ask her to go there, but she needed to rest.
So I didn’t.
I hope she doesn’t blame me for that.
However, it is a decision I made that I can’t change. Death is a weird thing. I never knew how to find comfort after killing or people dying.
I never found comfort.
Hearing her voice again helped me relax after Ethan died. She helped me relax.
I never liked killing. But I kill.
Even if I killed by accident, it is still killing—taking a life that wasn’t mine to take.
And somehow his scream drove me insane. My hands were shaking as I saw the clotted blood on them. As I stroll further towards the mountain, my leg gets heavier with every step. Ethan made a good cut in my upper leg, and my ankle is swollen because of one of his kicks. I bite my lip as I force myself further.
“Are you okay? It feels like something is stabbing you,” Eliane bites at me. Shit. I forgot for a moment she could feel some of my pain if she let me in.
“Yes,”I stammer. She can block me out if she wants to, but I am not going to tell her that. I don’t actually want her to block me out. The compass flies in front of me and I look up.
I have a long way to go.
At least two hours must have passed. I haven’t come across any other candidates, and no walls have tried to squeeze me. According to Eliane, nothing unusual has happened to her either. She hasn’t seen anyone or experienced anything special.
Eliane’s compass does work the way she promised, and the mountain is now in front of me. The only thing holding me away from it, being a running river. The mountain isn’t as big as the one in Fosia forest, but still it is a big climb. My feet drag me to the left. I can’t look around the mountain, therefore it is way too big, but it seems like the mountain is in the middle of the forest, surrounded by water and trees. But as I said, it really is too big to actually tell.
“I am almost at the mountain. Where are you at?” As I ask Eliane the question, footsteps fill my ears and I freeze, reaching for my sword. I spin around, ready to defend myself.
A dagger presses against my sword as I slash forwards.
“Hi, Brax.”
Two honey brown eyes and a wide grin look at me as she presses her dagger against my sword.
“Eliane, jeez.” I laugh, letting go of my sword, slipping it back in its holder. I wipe the beats of sweat on my forehead away with my palm, scanning her completely from forehead to toe to see if she is okay. She follows my lead, slipping her dagger in its belt. Her eyes keep hold on my cheeks, and by the thoughts I read before, I know she is looking at my dimples, resulting in me only smiling wider. Just for her.
I step forward, wrapping an arm around her. Her face was covered in little strokes of mud and sweat. I don’t even want to imagine what I look like. Something like her, only covered with the smell of blood I assume.
“Hi,” I breathe out.
She holds onto my grip, but steps back and looks me dead serious in the eyes.
