8. Verena

CHAPTER 8

VERENA

L oose rocks slipped under my feet as we moved down the incline. I glanced over at Eiran, who was leading the way with ease, his agile movements a sharp contrast to my clumsy ones.

He seemed at home, navigating seamlessly through the terrain with sure-footed grace.

I, on the other hand, stumbled and tripped more times than I could count, and was grateful for Eiran's steadying hand when I nearly fell.

We continued in silence for what felt like hours until finally reaching the bottom of the hill. The muscles in my thighs were screaming at me to stop, but I didn't dare mention the thought to Eiran.

We needed to get as far south as quickly as possible, and that was what we were doing. I could rest as soon as I boarded a ship out of this kingdom.

Eiran stopped abruptly, the crunch of leaves and twigs under his feet coming to a sudden halt. His eyes locked onto mine, his dark brows furrowing. "We need food."

"Okay." I nodded, feeling a familiar ache in the pit of my stomach at his words.

He looked away from me, his gaze lingering on the bow and single arrow that were securely strapped to my back.

"I haven't been able to get anything." Feeling a little foolish that I carried a weapon with me that I hardly knew how to use, I shrugged in defeat.

"May I?" He nodded to the bow. The logical answer was yes, but there was a spike of fear shot through me at the thought of handing over one of my only means of protection.

With hesitant fingers, I unstrapped the bow from my back and passed it to him. He accepted it with a gracious nod, his hand caressing the smooth wood and taut string with a practiced touch.

But as he examined my weapon, all I could think about was the small but deadly dagger tucked into my boot.

My heart raced as I watched Eiran's fingers trace the intricate curves and notches of the bow, his touch reverent and familiar. I couldn't help but feel a sense of unease as I watched him notch the arrow with ease.

His form was flawless as he drew back the string, muscles taut and focused. With a deliberate release, the arrow flew through the air in a graceful arc before piercing into a nearby tree with a satisfying thud.

"That will do." With a swift motion, he moved forward and plucked the arrow from the tree, his muscles rippling under the strain. He turned back to me, and I felt his eyes on me, heavy and intense, causing me to swallow hard as I met his gaze.

"The creek runs just a few feet east." He pointed with the tip of the arrow. "Can you start a small fire while I hunt?"

"Of course," I replied with a nod.

"Keep it small," he cautioned. "We don't want the smoke to draw anyone to us."

Eiran slipped effortlessly into the shadows of the forest, his movements purposeful as he blended with the surroundings. I watched him until he disappeared from view.

He held not only my trust but also my fate in a delicate balance. I prayed that he wasn't careless with either.

I busied myself gathering twigs and leaves. The brittle branches snapped under my fingers as I methodically placed them together, creating a small pile of kindling.

As the flames licked hungrily at their prey, casting a warm glow around me, I couldn't help but feel grateful toward Eiran while simultaneously fighting the urge to run.

I knew that my survival heavily depended on him for the moment, but trust was a luxury that I couldn't afford. Betrayal lurked around every corner, coiled like a venomous snake, waiting for the perfect opportunity to strike. I could feel its presence like a heavy weight on my shoulders, an ever-present reminder of the dangers that surrounded me. Every shadow seemed to hold a secret; every whisper sounded like a warning.

The crackling of the fire soothed my nerves slightly, the warmth a comforting contrast to the fear gnawing at my gut. I couldn't afford to let my guard down.Too much was at stake.

As time dragged on, the forest grew eerily quiet around me, broken only by the occasional rustle of leaves or distant call of a bird. Eiran had yet to return from his hunt, and each passing moment felt heavier than the last.

An unsettling feeling crept over me as I peered into the trees beyond the reach of the fire's light. Shadows seemed to twist and contort, playing tricks on my eyes and imagination. Every rustle of leaves or snap of twigs sent my heart pounding in my chest, my senses on high alert for any potential danger lurking in the shadows.

I tried to focus on tending to the small fire, adding more twigs and dry leaves to keep it burning steadily, but my mind kept drifting back to Eiran and his prolonged absence. Where was he?

Doubt and fear gnawed at me, threatening to unravel the thin threads of hope that had been keeping me afloat.

Just as I was about to give in to the panic threatening to consume me, a rustling in the underbrush caught my attention. I tensed, readying myself for whatever—whoever—emerged from the shadows. My hand instinctively went to the hilt of my dagger, my heart hammering in my chest as I braced for the worst.

I was just about to stand when I heard the telltale sound of an arrow releasing from a bow, and swallowed down the scream as a rabbit jumped from beneath the bushes and an arrow met it in midair.

Eiran emerged from the cover of trees, his movements fluid and sure as he retrieved the rabbit from where it had fallen. He approached the firelight with a small smile, the glow dancing in his eyes as he held up his prize for me to see.

"Dinner," he announced simply, his expression unreadable.

Relief flooded through me at the sight of him unharmed, mingled with a sense of gratitude for his successful hunt. I watched as he expertly cleaned and prepared the rabbit, his hands moving with practiced efficiency while I remained by the fire, readying makeshift skewers for cooking.

His hands were covered in blood, and my stomach lurched at the sight. But my hunger didn't care.

He stood, scrubbing his hands off in the creek, before splashing water on his face.

I skewered the rabbit meat as quickly as I could and almost burned my fingers placing it over the fire.

The scent of roasting rabbit quickly filled the air, mixing with the crackling of the fire as the meat slowly cooked over the flames.

Eiran returned to my side and worked in silence, his focus unwavering as he tended to the meal that would sustain us through the night and probably a few more days to come.

I watched him, the flickering light casting shadows across his face, accentuating the hard lines and angles of his features. There was a ruggedness to him that I found both intimidating and oddly captivating, a duality that kept me questioning who he really was.

He was so different than Dacre. Softness where Dacre had been unyielding. Kind when Dacre had been cruel.

As the rabbit cooked, Eiran glanced over at me and gestured toward a nearby log. "Sit," he said gruffly, his voice soft yet commanding. I obeyed wordlessly, perching myself on the wood as I watched him finish preparing our meal.

He handed me a skewer of cooked rabbit, the scent of the meat making my mouth water. I took it gratefully, trying to ignore the way my gut twisted in hunger.

Eiran settled himself on a log beside me, his gaze distant as he stared into the flickering flames. The crackling of the fire seemed to fill the silence between us as the sun fell lower in the sky.

I tore into the rabbit with my hands and groaned when the warm, savory flavor hit my tongue. The rabbit was small, and there wasn't much meat to share, but it felt like a feast.

We ate in silence, the warmth of the flames chased away the growing chill in the air.

As we finished eating, Eiran wiped his mouth with the back of his hand, his gaze fixed on the dwindling fire. I could see the weariness etched into his features, the weight of our journey pressing down on him like a heavy burden.

"Should you turn back?" I gestured toward the direction we had come from.

"What?" Eiran's gaze flicked over to me, his eyes narrowing slightly as he considered my question.

"Turn back." I fidgeted with my hands, trying to steady them as I spoke. "You've brought me far enough that I can make it on my own."

When he spoke again, his voice was low and measured. "Turning back is not an option. We must press forward until we get you safely away from this place."

I nodded, though uncertainty gnawed at me. "And what of your safety?"

"What of it?" Eiran's response was curt, as he stared into the dying embers of the fire.

"Do you really think you'll be safe when they find out that you helped me? Do you really think you can keep it from them?"

Eiran's shoulders tensed at my words, a flicker of emotion crossing his face before he schooled his features. He met my gaze, his eyes comforting in the dim light of the dying fire.

"They won't find out," he said, his voice tight with resolve. "They have no reason to think that I'd help you."

Because why would he? Why would Eiran want to help me?

"But what if they do find out?" I pressed, unable to shake off the doubt that clawed at my insides. "What then?"

Eiran's jaw tensed as he considered my question, his silence stretching between us like a taut thread on the verge of snapping. Finally, he spoke, his voice low and tinged with a hint of resignation. "If they find out, then I will deal with the consequences. But until that time comes, we must focus on getting you to safety."

I nodded, but there was still something gnawing at my gut.

"How did you get out without them knowing? Where do they think you are?"

"The entire rebellion is looking for you, Verena. They assume that I am simply doing the same."

His words hung in the air between us, heavy with unspoken truths and uncertainties that lingered beneath the surface. He was putting himself at risk to help me, and I couldn't understand why.

"Tell me something about you."

"What?" His gaze flicked from my eyes to my lips before reaching my eyes again.

"I feel like I barely know anything about you," I answered honestly. "Tell me something. Anything."

A moment of silence stretched between us before he finally broke it with a voice that was surprisingly gentle. "There isn't much to tell," he began, his gaze darting away briefly before returning to me. "The rebellion is all I've ever known. I grew up in the hidden city. It's my home."

"And your mother?" I asked a question I probably shouldn't have, but I had never heard him speak of her before.

Eiran's expression darkened at the mention of his mother, a shadow passing over his features before he composed himself. "She died when I was young."

His voice quivered with a hidden agony, a rawness that spoke of old wounds left unattended. I could feel the pain seeping through his words, a deep hurt that had never fully healed. My heart ached for him, and I longed to offer some form of comfort, but I knew all too well the intensity of that wound.

No matter how hard I tried to move on, the wound in my heart refused to heal. It would scab over, an impenetrable barrier at first glance, but with every small movement, it would crack and break apart. Just when I thought it was finally starting to mend, something would come along and rip it wide open again.

"I'm sorry," I murmured softly because there was nothing else that I could say.

Eiran's eyes narrowed slightly, and his lips formed a tight line. He shook his head slowly, the muscles in his jaw flexing. "It was a long time ago. I barely even knew her."

"That doesn't make it any easier."

Eiran fell silent at my words, his gaze distant as he stared out into the distance.

"Do you look like her?"

A small smile formed on his lips and his eyes finally met mine. "I do." He ran his fingers through his hair. "It's where I get my hair and eyes."

The corners of my mouth lifted as I looked at him. "I bet she was beautiful."

He chuckled, his eyes glinting mischievously. "Does that mean you think I'm beautiful?"

A warm rush of color flooded my cheeks at his playful teasing, but I was determined to hide the effect his words had on me. "I never said that," I countered with a casual tone.

Eiran was beautiful. He wasn't Dacre; he didn't affect me the way Dacre did, but he was still beautiful.

Eiran chuckled again, a low rumble that seemed to chase away the heaviness that had settled between us. "But you were certainly thinking it," he teased, the corners of his mouth turned up in a grin.

I rolled my eyes, unable to suppress a smile at his playful demeanor. "You did feed me, so I couldn't be blamed if I was delusional in my thinking right now," I admitted, feeling a warmth blooming in my chest at the easy banter between us.

"Ouch." He pressed his hand against his chest and pretended to be wounded by my words. "And here I was thinking that you were starting to like me."

"I've always liked you, Eiran." My laughter died off into a soft smile.

"But?"

"There is no but." I straightened, and I wished the conversation would have ended there.

"I would have never treated you the way he did." Eiran's smile faded as he mentioned Dacre, his playful demeanor replaced by a solemn expression. He reached out a hand, his fingers brushing against mine in a gentle gesture that sent a shiver down my spine.

I pulled away without thinking.

"You don't know how he treated me." I wiped my hands along my pants. "I'm here because of my own actions."

Why was I defending him?

"Everyone saw the way he was treating you. It was all anyone could talk about after you ran." His jaw ticked, and he looked away from me. "I would have never hurt you the way he did."

I was paralyzed by the feeling of suffocation, as if someone were slowly tightening their grip around my neck. Did he know? Did Dacre tell them what he had done?

"What?" I barely breathed out the question.

"Dacre's father told him who you really were, and what did he do?" Eiran clenched his jaw so tightly that I could see the muscles in his jaw twitching. "He threw you out of the hidden city as if you meant nothing. The entire rebellion knows that he let you go."

He had done far worse than that. He had used me then sent me on the run as if I could survive the hunt.

But he hadn't taken me to his father.

"I'm tired." I stood quickly and brushed the dirt from my clothing. "We need to keep moving before I lose all my energy."

"Of course." Eiran stood before stomping out the last burning embers of the fire.