He looked to the dimming light on the horizon, and his throat bobbed.
“I don’t.”
“Why risk it then?”
“Love.”
That was all he said before he suddenly stood and walked away.
I continued to sit on the stone floor, listening to the crackling firewood. What Yan had said struck a nerve deep within me. My mind stirred in the silence that followed until all distant conversations faded away.
My thoughts were littered with flashes of a large, calloused hand, firmly holding my own. The sound of my father’s boisterous laugh rang in my ears. His blue eyes were as pale as mine, and his smile was the warmest sight that sent pangs to my chest. After all these years, I still felt the space created by his absence. I spent most of my past grieving the loss of my brother, too embittered to mourn my father.
Tears slipped, burning my cheeks. I quickly wiped them away and stood, glancing around to see if anyone was watching. There were too many people, and I needed to get away before I made a fool of myself and had a breakdown for everyone to see. Thankfully, no one seemed to notice when I quietly disappeared outside the cave.
I ventured just far enough away from the entrance to feel both security and solitude. On the way out, I bit my lip so hard to keep myself from sobbing that I drew blood. The altitude made it harder for me to catch my breath as the world spun around me. I sank to the Ground and anchored my knees tightly to my chest, dropping my head between my legs. I let the thick mountain air settle in my lungs while I tried and failed to take purposeful deep breaths.
Once my breathing evened out, I leaned my head back against the hard stone of the mountain and tried to imagine absorbing its grounding power. It was working until a gust of wind hit my face, making me shudder and my teeth chatter.
“All alone?” A dark voice purred.
My eyes snapped open, and my muscles seized. The silhouette before me was none other than the shadow that had been haunting my nightmares for the past few weeks.
Balor.
Chapter 19
“A sword taken is a sword earned.
Bear your steel with pride.”
- Article 4, Section 2, of the Veiled Compendium
Balor twirled one of his beloved daggers, picking at the underside of his nails like this was a game. There were no threats present in his eyes, just a wicked promise of death—my death.
“One would think you’d learned your lesson about being alone in the dark. Dangerous creatures lurk there.”
I stumbled to my feet and carefully stepped backward. He let out a cruel laugh that twisted my insides. I could practically smell my fear—and so could he, judging by his widening grin. That damn split lip had healed, leaving behind a faint line of pink skin.
“I dare you to scream. Iwantyou to call out for help so that they can see how pathetic you truly are.”
I wanted to do what he said. But I couldn’t. I would not die today, not like this.
“I won our fight. Remember that,” I taunted. I just needed time to think.
Maybe someone would recognize my absence and come searching, but I wasn’t that optimistic about it. We were far enough away from the cavern that he could still lunge and strike me down before another arrived.
Balor’s grin immediately dropped, and his left eye twitched. He took a step closer to me, and I nearly stopped breathing altogether.
“I made an error. One I shall now remedy.”
“What was the mistake? Underestimating me?”
I drifted my hand toward my pocket. If I grabbed the knife I kept there, then I could defend myself. Hopefully.
“The mistake was taking too long to play with my prey. I got too excited and gave you the upper hand.”
“If you kill me, Rowan will—”
