She sighed, not feeling the least bit tired, and set off at a leisurely pace through the quiet alleys, sand-softened paths winding between low stone dwellings and the whisper of palm fronds shifting in the night breeze.
I wonder if things will be any different this time.She’d been in similar roles before; different lives, different ages, but it was always the same. She was the outsider, trying to fit into a new life on a new world. Then came the struggle to save it, and on to the next. She’d done it hundreds of times.
Must be later than I thought. She pulled herself back to the present. The faint smell of dried herbs and spices wafted from closed vendor stalls, lingering in the air as she passed. The village, usually alive with the clang of blacksmiths and the chatter of merchants, now lay still under the weight of the rising moon.
She smirked, remembering how Bran had practically drained Guide Brian’s wallet during dinner, ordering course after course with wild enthusiasm. It wasn’t until the tavern began closing for the night that the poor man finally ushered them out, insisting they get some rest before meeting their new Unit Leader the next day.
I just hope it’s not Guide Kora. Rynna cringed at the thought.
The one time she’d seen the woman, the word intense hadn’t even come close to describing her. But Rynna didn’t know any of the Vessels or senior Hollow-born, anyway, so it hardly mattered who it turned out to be.
Someone would need to keep an eye on Bran, though. If she wasn’t already in his unit, she’d need to figure out how to get there. It was just a gut feeling, but she’d learned long ago to trust her instincts.
When she looked up again, Ember Reach unfolded below her. Somehow, in her wandering, she had made her way to the top of the pale sandstone cliffs above the Great Phoenix.
“Damn.” She sank into a cross-legged position, leaning back on her hands, letting her eyes drift to the stars.
How long will I be under these ones,she wondered, when the sudden snap of a branch caught her attention, pulling her gaze to the hedges on her right.Who could that be?
Not that it was unusual for people to be out late. This was a hollow-born settlement after all, and nighttime comings and goings weren’t out of the norm.
Another sharp crack echoed through the night, and a masked man clad in the traditional Ember Reach leathers stepped into the moonlight.
Oh my, she thought, watching the deep brown ends of his hair flare blood-red in the soft light as the Ember Reach medallion at his throat caught the stars. A cloth mask was pulled up over his nose, leaving only his eyes visible—one sharp brown and the other, pale and clouded like a storm frozen mid-turn.
Seeing her, he paused.
His fingers brushed the back of his neck in an almost sheepish gesture. “So sorry, miss. I didn’t realize anyone was up here.”
She remained quiet, watching as he walked toward the cliff's edge. He was a stranger to her, but he was obviously a Hollow-born. The leathers and medallion gave it away. And by the way he carried himself, she could tell he was skilled. It wasn’t confidence, but rather a lightness in his steps, each motion perfectly balanced and controlled. He moved like a wolf, relaxed but ready to strike at any moment.
“A beautiful night.” He exhaled, then turned back the way he came. “I’ll leave you to it.”
“There’s more than enough space.” The words fell from her mouth before she could stop them. “Don’t leave on my account.”
Facing her, he shoved his hands in his pockets, giving a slight bow. “If you insist.”
Then he turned and eased himself to the ground, pulling out a small notebook and flipping it open so he could jot down notes by the light of the moon.
Sitting in silence, Rynna tried to clear her mind, tried to recapture the peace she’d been chasing before his arrival, but her eyes kept drifting toward the stranger with blood-tipped hair.
She knew the red ends were sometimes a side-effect when the Hollow-born pulled too much of the Source at an early age, but she’d never seen it.
Who is he? The question burned in her mind with a sudden, inexplicable need to know more about him.
She should leave. She knew it. Getting caught up with a random, unknown warrior wouldn’t help her in whatever Mission the Weaving had set for her. Besides, she was supposed to be playing a trainee for crying out loud. Not even a Novice yet. Speaking to him like this, as a peer, was already breaking character. If she stayed…
Nodding to herself, Rynna looked up to the sky, where the moon hung like a coin of silver, and moved to stand.
“Leaving?” the stranger asked, though he hadn’t moved from his relaxed position. “I hope I didn’t disturb you.”
Rynna scrambled the rest of the way to her feet. “No, no. I’ve been out too long already and have an important day tomorrow. Just needed to clear my head.”
“I understand that.”
“Oh?” she asked, waiting for more. Though when no further explanation came, she shrugged.Time to go, I guess.
But as she took a step to leave, his voice stopped her.
