I can’t help but chat even more, trying to peel his layers like the onion he is.
“Did you have any pets as a kid? What was your first animals name?” I ask, sprinting towards him, trying to keep up with him. I might be tall and walk fast, but he is huge and marches like he is a soldier. He looks straight forward and answers my question.
“No,” he answers. He presses his lips together and doesn’t look at me. He might not want to talk, but I do.
“Why not?” I gush. I look at him and it is now that I notice again that I, with my 5.8 feet, need to look up to look at this boy’s face. He has some stubble on his chin, his expression very bittered and fierce, like he has experienced a lot, so maybe he is more like a man. I don’t know why I never noticed that he has something that deep. Since the first time I saw him, I noticed he was hardened, but I think something really might have happened to him. Nobody turns into the person he is without having a good reason for it.
“The king didn’t want me to be soft to animals. Out of protection I never asked for one,” he answers directly, still not looking into my eyes. His fists are balled, and I notice his jaw is ticking. I repeat his words in my head.
The king did not want me to be soft to animals.
What did he make Braxton do?
By his body language, I understand that he doesn’t want me to get deeper into it. I respect his boundaries. Despite the fact that we’ve been grumpy and a bit sassy to each other before, I feel bubbly, jumpy, and excited.
“Are you more of a morning person or a night person?” I question him. “No, I already know this one. You’re a night owl. I have slept with you,” I overrule. For the first time since he started walking again, he looks at me, his eyes wide and the corner of his mouth twitches. Shit, I shouldn’t have said that. I can feel the blush rise on my face and my ears turn red. “Not slept I mean,” I correct myself. “We shared a bed. Or no, that still sounds wrong. We were forced to spend the night together.” The more words leave my mouth, the worse it starts to sound. He must think so too, because his eyes soften and sparkle like they are laughing, while the rest of his face stays intact.
“If you want to ‘spend the night with me’ you could just ask, you know, Honey?” He winks. I spin around on my heel as embarrassment takes me over.
“No, I’m good,” I squeak out. My voice sounds pitched and high and this time I am the one taking the lead again. After my shame sank a bit, I start to make conversation again, and keep myself distracted from the sleep and pain trying to take me away.
The top of the mountain comes into view. It is so close I can almost taste the victory of the first trial. Stones and grind crack under my shoes as we climb further, ignoring my injuries.
Eagerness runs through my body. Braxton and I level up our pace. It can’t be more than a quarter mile away. The wind starts swishing around us and it rings in my ears. My heart beats fast and my mouth is dry. Sweat trickles down my back as I start to run.
“Fuck!”
A high growl leaves Braxton’s mouth. I turn around to look at him. He sinks to the ground and at the moment he reaches the grass, thunders of pain and anger rush through me. It feels like cymbals are slamming together in my inside and a shooting pain races through me. I look at my body.
I am not the one hurt.
Braxton is.
Three arrows stick out of his right shoulder.
A boy with reddish hair appears after him, followed by a small girl with a white streak in her hair, holding a bow and arrow. Before the words leave my mouth, Braxton jumps up. He bolts towards me and grabs my hand, dragging me with him. He starts to run, forcing me to follow in his lead.
“You’re hurt,” I whimper. He gives me a firm glare.
“I’m fine,”he accuses.“Now let’s go. I am not going to let that bitch win. A few arrows don’t scare me,”he growls. We still run, but a sting flies through me.
“You are hurt, I can feel it.” My body starts limping and he takes the lead, letting go of my hand.
Pain is an emotion, emotions can be switched off.
I repeat it in my head, not sure if I should convince myself or Braxton with it.
“These arrows are nothing, Honey,”he breathes out as he runs in front of me.
I can’t keep up with him.
I should say something. I want to scream but the words don’t leave my throat. My head feels light and the last few steps I take aren’t running anymore. They are unbalanced and I sink to the ground, crashing together.
“Eliane!” a voice screams. I don’t care enough to open my eyes to see who it is.
Everything will be fine.
Maybe this is my way to freedom.
