There was so much anguish in his eyes, it was disarming. She wanted to do something for him to ease it but didn’t know what. How did you save someone who was drowning in sorrow?
In the end, she simply leaned in and wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling him tight against her, her head resting on his shoulder. It took a moment, but his broad hands eventually slid up her back, holding her too. He tucked his face in the curve of her neck and shoulder. When she threaded her hand through his hair, gently stroking the soft strands, he shuddered.
Slowly, the sounds of soldiers waking and leaving their tents filtered in, but they remained holding each other. She prayed to gods she did not believe in that her touch provided Vane some semblance of comfort.
When the passing of time became too heavy to ignore and the sounds of shouting and rustling about outside grew louder, she finally started to pull back. When she saw Vane’s face, a stone dropped in her belly.
His cheeks were damp with tears.
“Vane?” she whispered, slowly lifting a hand and brushing her fingers against his face.
He leaned into her touch for a moment before he said, “Don’t worry yourself with it, Soren. But…thank you.”
But there was something wrong.
Inside her…
A pain that mirrored his.
His brow creased, and she wondered if he saw it on her face. He seemed on the verge of saying something, but he remained silent. Her breath shook, and she pressed the heel of her palm to her chest.
He followed the movement, and his jaw tightened. “We should get you started with training for the day. We don’t have much more time.”
She gave a single nod. “I know.”
Her hand was still against her chest, as if the answer could be found in the alien pain she felt there.
Vane stood and brushed past her, re-securing his armor. She finally lowered her hand, and they slipped out of the tent. Her breath clouded in the air, the cold shocking her out of the haze that had settled over them. But the feeling…the unyieldingpain…
It remained.
The next morning, they were interrupted just as she was finishing up her strengthening circuit.
“Evva!”
Soren jumped at the sound of the commander’s harsh voice. She twisted to see him striding across the field. Thessa, who had been laying not far from her, rumbled, the sound low and aggressive.
Commander Eton glanced at the dragon warily before he said to Vane, who was now on his feet, “You’re needed. Mise, you’ll train by yourself for the next two days.”
“She isn’t ready,” Vane argued, holding the commander’s hard gaze. “Taking away two days of training right now isn’t wise, not when we have so little time.”
“Do I look like I care?” the commander snarked. “You’re needed.”
“You wanted me to make sure she was ready to fly to Alesia in less than a moon cycle,” Vane said, stepping closer to the commander. “We need moretime.”
Soren’s stomach dipped. Alesia was a small town in Mise, right on the border. If they wanted her to fight there, it meant Aren was pushing the front ahead, and she was going to help them do it.
The commander’s flat expression held. “It’s an order from the king. Go, Evva. Now.”
Vane tightened his jaw and gave a short nod, Soren staring at him in disbelief.
He was right—she was nowhere near ready, and he was just going to leave her now? Logically, she knew he couldn’t disobey an order directly from King Johannas, but she didn’t understand why the order had been given in the first place. It negated the point of Vane training her personally, if he was going to be constantly pulled away for other duties.
“Keep up with your strength circuit and laps,” Vane told her, leaning in. “And practice the same maneuvers with Thessilnn. She’ll remember if you don’t.”
“I’m supposed to leave in less than a week,” she hissed, her gaze flicking to Commander Eton, who was watching their interaction closely.
Vane grimaced. “I know. I should be back before you go… I’m sorry.”
