The sound of sizzling stirred me from my sleep, but still drowsy, I drifted off again. A while later, the smell of burning meat roused me once more. This time, my body shot up, my eyes snapping open. "What's going—" Panic gripped me for a split second before subsiding, replaced by a gnawing hunger.
Dolion knelt by the fire, tending to fish skewered on a stick, cooking it slowly over the flames. I never liked fish, but I hadn't eaten since before Dunstan and I found Odessa in the tower, before the bandits attacked. My stomach growled, and I touched the spot where the arrow had pierced me, almost forgetting the pain.
Noticing I was awake, Dolion looked up. "Hungry?" he asked, waving the stick around before placing the cooked fish on the ground. "They're Soviri."
"Sorry?" I replied, more focused on the food lying in the dirt.
Dolion picked up a piece and took a bite. "The type of fish, my dear boy. You can tell by the color."
I glanced at the fish, its golden-brown skin crackling from the heat. Despite my usual aversion, my hunger overpowered my reluctance. Hesitantly, I picked up a piece, feeling the warmth seep through my fingers. The aroma of cooked fish filled my nostrils as I took a tentative bite. It wasn't the best, in fact it tasted terrible, but food is food.
"How long was I asleep?" I asked, my eyes drifting to the sky. The sun had already set, casting vibrant hues through the canopy of leaves.
"No more than an hour," he replied contently.
I nodded, then noticed something on his arm. His sleeve had rolled up, revealing a trickle of green liquid. It looked old, at least a few hours, judging by its dryness. Dolion quickly rolled his sleeve down when he saw me staring.
Spotting that, my distrust returned, and I stood up, dropping the fish, "What is—?"
"Dolion!" Another unfamiliar voice bellowed from behind, deep and commanding. Another fucking mystery. I didn't need to turn around; the man marched straight up to him, shoving the old man back with a forceful push. He wore armor similar to Ikevine's, but somehow less impressive. The stomach area was mere chainmail. "You can't keep doing this."
Dolion set the food down and crossed his legs, his demeanor calm. "Doing what, Elias?" he asked, his tone steady.
"Don't act fucking stupid." Elias' hands clenched into fists, his eyebrows furrowed in anger. "You know Ikevine is losing his goddamn mind, yet you keep prying and prying." He jabbed a finger into Dolion's chest. "They almost had us in Heladon. We would have been killed, all for some worthless—"
"Shh..." Dolion quieted him with a sharp whisper, his voice suddenly lowering, taking on a more sinister, threatening edge. "Where are they?"
Elias muttered a curse under his breath and pointed behind me. "Right there."
Turning to look, I saw a group approaching, their outlines barely visible in the fading light. My mind raced, trying to piece together the situation, yet as they got closer, my heart sank. Dunstan and Odessa.
Relief washed over me as I launched forward. "Guys—" I spoke almost inaudibly, still hoarse. Odessa quickened her pace, her eyes wide with concern, and pulled me into a tight hug. I could feel her heart pounding against my chest, a rapid thud that matched my own. Thank God they were okay. If they weren't... I wouldn't be.
I opened my eyes to see Dunstan standing there awkwardly, his arms wrapped around himself as if to shield against the chill. "You might kill me," I joked weakly, tapping Odessa on the back, trying to lighten the mood despite the tightness in my throat.
She pulled back and punched me lightly in the arm. "Asshole," The girl muttered, a hint of a smile playing on her lips.
"For what?" I asked, turning to Dunstan, who now approached with hesitant steps, his expression softening. The ground beneath our feet was uneven, covered in fallen leaves and twigs that crunched under his boots.
Surprisingly, he pulled me into a hug too. It was a gesture he'd never done until now. Dunstan was always so reserved, so guarded with his emotions that this felt almost surreal. His arms were stiff at first, but then they relaxed. "For disappearing on us," he said, then backed away.
"Even after—" I hesitated, unsure if I should continue. "What I did?"
Dunstan sighed and looked away, "It wasn't your fault, or... you didn't mean to do it." He couldn't make eye contact, his gaze fixed on something distant and unseen, so I turned to Odessa
"It's what you had to do," Odessa said firmly, voice steady and eyes narrowing. She took a step closer. "Survival, Alaric."
"You shouldn't look at it like that..." I let out a sharp breath, white air following suit, my shoulders slumping under the weight of guilt. "So many died..."
"But you didn't," she cut in, her eyes locking onto mine. Odessa reached out, gripping my arm with surprising strength. "That's what counts. Remember back at the house? You should've defended yourself then. Fewer people would've died. At least you did something this time... y'know."
I glanced over to Dunstan, avoiding Odessa's gaze. He stared at Elias and Dolion, who were still bickering. The wind picked up, swirling around us, carrying the scent of damp earth.
"Hey." She tapped me, her fingers cool against my skin. "Distracted?"
"He is too..." I muttered, then took a step towards Dunstan. Violence is violence, but sometimes it's necessary. She was probably right afterall. "How'd you two get out?"
Dunstan took a silent breath. "Elias... barely. Avelina, that weasel, knew we were somewhat close. They kept a close watch on Odessa and me." He rubbed his nose, red from the cold. "Had to sneak in, use whatever magic to transport us."
Only somewhat? Hearing that hurt, but I didn't say anything. "So, they're looking for me?"
He paused, contemplating something for a long few seconds. "Chlodovech is set to marry the daughter of Orerha. Made the speech soon after you escaped. That would end the war, Alaric."
"And he wouldn't need me anymore..." I finished his thought, now staring blankly into the distance.
Chlodovech. A monarch whose spent his life alone, yearning for a lover, and children to continue the bloodline. Someone never meant to inhabit the throne. During a time of plague, it wiped out the other royals, leaving him as the only successor. One unfit, unlovable.
"If they think the curse is a threat, they'll just kill you." He continued.
"Don't you think it's strange?" I asked, ignoring what he said, "This war's been raging since before Chlodovech's reign... why would Orerha allow this marriage?"
"Dunno... lack of resources, influence?" Dunstan shrugged, "It doesn't concern you and Odessa."
"You either..." I replied, nudging him.
Dunstan gave a weak nod, eyes trotting to the grass. I myself stayed silent. Without words the two of us still shared the moment.
"No more—okay?" Elias shouted, his voice echoing through the clearing. "If you want dirty work done, find another group, and stay away from Ikevine." He cast a flicker of his eyes towards us before disappearing in a flash of white light.
"Hey—" I moved quickly, kneeling beside Dolion, who had been shoved to the ground. "What was that about?"
He grumbled something inaudible before sitting up, his face twisted in annoyance. "Friggin' bounty hunters," Dolion spat, dusting himself off. "They dont understand good payouts." The old man reached out a hand, which I grasped, helping him to his feet. Strangely, the earlier distrust had melted away, replaced by a cautious hope that he could help us.
"Lavshire..." Dunstan cursed, his voice lowering as he took a step closer. Dunstan cursed, his voice dropping as he stepped closer. "Ikevine? Those aren't normal bounty hunters, Alaric."
"My friend, I've saved all of you from tyranny," Dolion replied calmly, attempting to suppress the tension. "They're nothin' more than bounty hunters who won't get in our path, as long as you stick by me."
Dunstan looked away, shaking his head in frustration. "The Sovurn—and don't act confused."
The Sovurn—once a vast network of criminals and bounty hunters—now merely a myth, long faded into history. Ikevine and Elias, whatever group they were in, couldn't have been part of them.
"Ikevine doesn' lead them—it's a scare tactic, my dear," Dolion said, putting an arm around my shoulders. It felt strange, but his next sentence settled my unease. "If you want to break the curse, I'm your only solution."
Dolion fell silent, waiting for a response, but only the forest answered. The rustling leaves and distant bird calls seemed amplified in the quiet. Dunstan stood with clenched fists, glaring at Dolion with barely controlled anger. Odessa held back, her usual fiery spirit subdued, her eyes flicking between us—a rare sight for sure.
"I can't do this," Dunstan finally spoke, his voice cracking. "I've..." He faltered with a step back, raw emotion breaking through his tough exterior.
I moved away from Dolion, placing a hand on his shoulder. "What do you mean?" I asked. The chill of the forest air subsided with the heat of his emotion.
He avoided eye contact, looking anywhere but at me. "I've built something in Heladon. I can't leave that behind," Dunstan muttered, his voice strained and thick with regret. He kicked at a fallen branch, the movement sharp and angry.
"Dunstan... you're kidding me, right?" I whispered, disbelief washing over me. "You can't—"
"Yes! I can," he shouted, his voice filled with rare fury, directed at me for the first time. "If I don't go back there and work with the Fausts, we'll never find my brother."
That's right. After his mother died, Dunstan's brother ran away. He had confided in me in the woods, something I forgot about. "It's been years—you won't find him. They won't even help you," I said, my voice shaking.
"No," he replied, his eyes finally meeting mine, filled with a pain that made my heart ache. He pushed away the hand I had placed on his shoulder. "They found him, but they told me they'd..." The man paused, swallowing hard, "If I helped you, they would kill him, and I can't let that happen." My oldest friend took a step back, the distance between us growing. His breath was ragged, and he looked as though he might break at any moment.
"You won't ever make it," I said quietly, my voice heavy with dread. "Who knows where we are?"
Odessa stepped next to me, her eyes scanning Dunstan's face intently. "He does," she huffed, eyes hardening. "This is bigger than your fucking brother," The girl continued, her voice low. She advanced on him, jabbing a finger into his chest with each word. "If you go back there, they'll torture you for information."
"It's a risk—" He grabbed her hand, shoving it away, "One I'm willing to take."
"You're a coward," Odessa stated firmly, her voice cutting through the cold air like a blade, as she backed away.
Dunstan hesitated; face adorned with conflicting emotions. "I always have been," he admitted, his voice barely above a whisper. With that, the man turned to face the dense forest, its shadows stretching ominously. "Keep him out of trouble, will ya?" he muttered, attempting a lighthearted tone that fell flat.
We stood in silence, watching as Dunstan, once someone I thought I had figured out, took a single step into the woods. The underbrush rustled around him, the sounds of leaves and twigs breaking underfoot growing fainter as he walked away.
Even with all the anger I felt, Odessa was wrong. Dunstan wasn't a coward. If someone you loved who'd been gone for years was suddenly found and threatened, you would do anything to keep them safe. I understood why he did it, but it didn't feel any less wrong.
"Didn't mean to stir any quarrels, my friends," Dolion apologized from behind us.
Ignoring him, I sent a tilted look at Odessa. "You shouldn't have said that."
She shrugged with a frustrated laugh. "He's being selfish."
"Not inherently." I replied, "He's trying to save his brother." Swallowing hard, I continued, "Even if..."
"We die, the curse isn't broken." Odessa closed her eyes, frustration giving way to resignation.
"The curse doesn' want you to die," Dolion spoke up, trying to be heard again. "We will break it, all you have to do is trust me." His hand outstretched and pointed toward the trees. "A ceremonial site a few nightfall's from here. That's where we can get rid of this nasty ol' spell."
Odessa took a breath, her skepticism evident. "Do you trust him, Alaric?"
I wasn't sure. On one hand, I had just met this cryptic stranger around midday. How could I trust him when there's no evidence of anything? On the other hand, I would have no idea what to do without him, and if he was telling the truth, then it was my best shot.
"Yeah..." I nodded after a moment, "For now." With a flick of my head, eyes locking onto Dolion, I conveyed my cautious acceptance. The old man decided to remain silent for a few seconds, uneasily.
"I ought to tell you how I can break the curse, my friends," he finally responded, plopping onto the ground. With one finger, he began to draw a scene in the dirt. "There's a stone, a monument of sorts, used when the curse was first forged—"
"Forged?" I interrupted, eyebrows furrowed. "I thought Vesperus did it to me here, in Chepstow."
"Yes—yes." Dolion started back up, his initial confidence wavering. "Curses take... many days, yes, many day' to fully form. Depending on their complexity, nonetheless. Finding the original point where he crafted the spell is where the energy is the strongest. Destroying that monument, disrupting the energy, will break the curse." The old man stopped his lengthy speech, seemingly proud of his answer.
Odessa frowned, her skepticism returning. "And you know where this monument is?"
"No." He admitted, "But I know how to find it." Dolion raised a fist, then smacked his thigh with a loud thud, "And then we'll beat this curse, my friends."
"Doesn't this sound... wishful?" she asked, looking at me.
"Yeah, but it's our best shot." With a deep breath I swung my head to the trees, "We should get going then."
I stared off into the dark, shadow infested forest. Could I even last three days out here? What if they found me beforehand? I tried to push these thoughts away. They were holding me back.
"Oh, one last thin'," Dolion interjected, then coughed, "Thing." He corrected himself. "We'll be cutting through a town, Auriver I believe. By now, he'll have your faces plastered on the walls of that place, but there's a friend of mine we need to meet."
"We could meet up with you on the other side," I suggested cautiously.
"No, no, no. You need to be there too, my dear," Dolion insisted. "Lay low, cover your faces, and you'll be fine. If someone... unimportant... recognizes you, they won't bother to do anything."
"Auriver's a fishing village, no?" I asked, tilting my head. "Aldric... uh..." I glanced at Odessa, "Odessa's father spent a lot of time there when Orerha threatened the ocean borders."
"Used to be," Dolion replied, running his hands through his hair before tying it back with a small strand of rope. "Nowadays it's used as a navy town. Auriver's a nightfall from here." He looked up at the moonlit sky, then at me, pausing for a few seconds. "Ah... yes, that's right." The old man finally said, pulling a crumpled piece of paper from his pocket and tossing it to me. "A map. You two start ahead. I'll catch up in a minute."
"In a minute?" I repeated, tilting my head in confusion.
"Yes, yes, my dear," he replied, bringing a finger to his mouth and sliding his teeth against it, drawing blood. Presumably to cast another spell. "To make sure Ikevine watches over Dunstan."
With a quick nod and no response from Odessa, he stopped as I replied. "Thanks, Dolion."
Without turning his head back to us, the old man simply nodded, "Hurry on." Then continued forward. I swallowed hard, before the two of us made our way into the forest.
29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmWojXuMT5w
