I turn back to Dahla, looking for my dagger. Caym had said he found it during … whatever scuffle occurred when I wasunconscious. The cool night breeze floats its way through the trees, spreading the scent of cedar and pine that seems to be charged by the moons’ presence.
My mind wanders as I search aimlessly in my saddle bags. A stinging bite pierces my finger. I rip my hand from the bag and watch the bead form along my forefinger, until it grows enough to create a tiny river along my wrist. I place my thumb to my lip, and kiss away the evidence before Leeson somehow sees..
My leather sheath was lost when I was taken, so I’m not able to strap the sharp steel to my thigh. Obviously this is my consequence of the blade feeling betrayed by its current home.
“By the moons’ light, damnit,” I mutter when I realize I cut further than I thought I had. I find it as irritating as The Devourer’s presence currently.
The crunch of a foot sliding across gravel and needles gathers my attention. The Devourer is tracking me with his serpentine eyes, raking his foot back and forth.
I’ve tried my best to ignore him altogether. Everytime I find myself too near him, I want to spend more and more time around him, hanging onto every action he makes. It’s sickening how I wait around for any insight as to what he truly is like.
I’m not sure what thisthingis between us, but whatever it is, it’s beginning to really unsettle me. I’m fairly certain it’s the idea of flirting with danger, things forbidden. Or it’s the fact that I haven’t felt hands claim me in far too long, that’s definitely an easier explanation to swallow, at least that’s what I’ll keep telling myself.
He watches me suck the coppery tang of hurt from my thumb, the green hue of his eyes practically glowing in the dark light around us.
In the distance I hear Caym and Leeson make their way back toward us, their soft whispers ceasing when they finally come into view.
Lees’ face transforms, becoming feline, her full lips curling up and her eyes settling on me. I watch her brow quirk up and her chin tilt. She’s always so damn observant.
Caym, on the other hand, looks as if he was just shoved into a pool of cold water. He levels a gaze at me, disapproval oozing out of him as if knowing I’m messing with fire by being so close to The Devourer.
“Alora, what are you doing?”Lee’s tone is playful, quizzical even.
My eyes snap back to her, leaving Caym’s stare to bore a hole in the side of my face.
“I was looking for my dagger.” The words snap out harsher than I mean so I quickly add, “I’ve just been feeling a little off and vulnerable since everything. I thought having it near me might chase away some of those feelings.”
Caym looks from me to our captive, his demeanor growing colder still.
“Is he bothering you?” The ice in Caym’s tone is like a bite of winter’s rigid teeth.
The Devourer stands tall, eyes locked on Caym, his face again set in stone, the only thing moving is the tick of his jaw. Again, the darkness seems to swallow him, surely just a trick of the light.
Silence fills the space again, only leaving the soft rasp of tree limbs swaying and scraping into each other. The phantom breeze picks up and my skin begins to crawl again. Perhaps we’ve stayed too long in this one spot of the woods. We know better, especially when spirits are not often welcoming to those that linger.
Lees and I exchange a look.
“Oh for goddess’s sake.” She breaks the silence first. Her hand quickly catches Caym’s arm, jolting him from his stare down.
“He’s bound and chained in culling bands. He’s not going to hurt her. Give Alora more credit, she’s the real viper here, and we need to be moving our asses before the spirits decide we need an extended stay.”
I smile wickedly at my oldest friend, “That I am. You should know that best, Caym.”
He finally turns to me, face still serious.
“I failed you once. I can’t bear for that to happen again.” His voice softens to a whisper, meant only for me. “I can see you’re hiding pain from me, from Lees. I won’t force you to speak about what happened, but it’s taking everything in me to not just kill this fucker.”
My smile falls, slowly turning into the broken smile I usually reserve for myself in the mirror.
“You can’t carry on blaming yourself. You know that, right?” I whisper to Caym, Lees’ face turned from us, studying The Devourer.
The clouds shift over the moons, causing more shadows to form under and against the tree line. Horses begin to make restless sounds, their brays and snuffling beginning to increase.
“How can you of all people say that to me?” The bite of his words sting more than they should, but he’s right. I’ve never forgiven myself either for losing my family.
“Would it make you feel better knowing he hasn’t touched me?”
“I should think so, he’s the fucking Devourer. You know what his touch brings.”Supposedly.
