Airess smiled slightly, suddenly proud of her abilities. She had been so focused onhisthat she forgot her own and how much it had helped her in her life. “Yes,” she admitted. “But my power goes beyond just sensing energies. I canseeenergy. It’s a rare trait, and as far as I know, I’m the only one with The Sight. It's how I knew you weren’t lying, that you wouldn’t hurt me. That you were finding your way, just like I am.”
“You’ve seen my energy?” Taryn asked, eyebrows raised.
“Well, yes,” Airess admitted. “It’s the first thing I noticed about you. Back at the engagement ball, I spotted you in the crowd like the pale moon against the black night. It was actually… beautiful.”
“Beautiful?” Taryn repeated with a smirk as he snuffed out his cigar. “Out of all the things females have called me, that has to be the most complimentary.”
Airess rolled her eyes.Arrogant Fae males and their notorious pride.
“Your aura is the color of your irises, combined with swirls of multicolored energy. It’s the first aura I have ever seen that was so vibrant.”
Taryn pursed his lips in thought. Airess began to nervously fiddle with her dagger, starting to over think she had said too much. Did she freak him out, saying all that stuff about what his energy looked like? Maybe she was being too open, too–
No. She shook her head. She would not allow her mind to drift like this anymore– wouldn’t let her anxiety get the better of her, make her think the worst of everything, everyone. Airess had lived and thought that way for far too long. She wanted to live boldly, unapologetically. She wanted to embody faith and positivity, and that would start with her thoughts.
“Do you know your way around a blade?” Taryn asked, pulling her out of her mind. She met his piercing gaze and shook her head.
“Highborn females aren’t allowed to eventoucha blade, let alone wield it.”
Taryn shook his head, clearly not in agreement with the customs that came along with living in court. She examined the dagger that felt foreign in her hand. If they were to be attacked right now, she would have no idea how to use it. That just wouldn’t do.
“Wouldyouteach me how to use this?”
His brows shot up. Airess studied the way his lips twitched up to fight back a smile, and the stubble that had begun to appear after days on endwithout shaving. She couldn’t help but find him attractive. Airess blinked and withdrew from her thoughts
“I would be happy to. I believe everyone should know how to defend themselves,” Taryn said, pausing to glance at her and the blade. “We’ll start your formal training after we’ve covered some distance.”
“Formaltraining?”
A wicked grin displayed his canines. “Yes, Haeleth. You’re going to need to learn how to use that bladeandself-defense when the time comes. Because it will. There are creatures and folk out there that will give us trouble. This journey isn’t for the weak, and I get the feeling youaren’tweak. You just need some guidance.”
She weighed his words. Taryn didn’t think she was weak. That surprised her. No male had ever spoken to her with so much confidence. It was refreshing.
Determination overtook her, “Very well. I’ll take whatever you can give me.”
They conversed for a little while longer before laying down, each of their cloaks acting as their pallet in the spring night. They spoke of finding a body of water to bathe in, and she looked forward to bathing more than she anticipated.
Airess lay down on her back, the starlight peeking at her through the treetops. She exhaled all the negative energy out of her body and into the open air. With each breath, she melted further into the ground beneath her. The earth comforted her, providing a stability that propelled Airess forward. At last, she had a real plan, a way to get away from here.
She had one goal, and one alone: Freedom.
She exhaled, closed her eyes…
And slept.
“Do you feel that? I think I’ve reached her–them – it’s hard to tell the difference from here,” said a young, feminine voice as Airess materialized in front of–what is this?
She stood before a circular portal opening made of swirling, purple flames.
Aside from the portal, she was surrounded by infinite space. It was as if she were standing on an invisible platform, yet nothing was holding her upright.
Looking into the portal opening, her vision cleared as her spirit seeped into the dreamworld. What kind of dreamscape was this? Beyond the flames, she saw two figures, presumably a male and female.
Airess couldn’t make out any distinct features beyond a blur of red hair. The other individual, seemingly male from a tall physique and broad shoulders, had a blur of black hair.
“I definitely feel one of them,” said the female voice to her counterpart.
“Hello?” Airess asked, her voice echoing into the vast expanse, startling herself.
