Of Caverns and Casters ✓ [TLRQ #1]

Chapter 5 - Leavi

With my back turned to the fire, the dark maw of the tunnel is the only sight to greet me. I still prefer it to Sean's prying eyes. This is our third night trekking through the tunnels, and he has yet to say anything beyond the minimum. For days, the only noises have been shuffling feet, breathy exhales, and crackling flames. Even when I dropped the mushrooms into his lap, he didn't thank me. Then again, I shouldn't expect him to. Sean Rahkifellar is not a thank-you kind of man. He is clipped words, to-the-point sentences, and functionality over feeling. So that's what he'll get in return.

I wonder if he's still staring at me as I lie here. While we ate, I watched the fluid patterns the fire painted on the wall, and he watched me. It's a habit he had in the lab as well, like he was trying to peel back my skin and read the meaning hidden in the tension of my muscles. To him, I am but a specimen on a dissection tray.

I never let him know it bothers me, though. Instead, I always just slide my eyes to meet his, and he flicks his gaze away, knowing he's been caught.

Pulling my blanket tighter, my cold fingers trail up to my necklace. The metal provides no warmth, but as I pull it out, a wavering smile tugs at my lips.

The charm dangles from a tarnished silver chain. The pendant itself, though, shines as if new, glittering with a sheen like clear oil on glass. It's sculpted to mimic an old-timey shield, the kind depicted in children's fairy tales where brave warriors march into battle. Embossed in the center, a sparrow flies against the moon.

It'll protect you, my dad said when he drew the necklace out of its dusty, padded case. And as long as you're away from home, it'll remind you where you come from.

Knowing I was only going to be studying topside for a few months, I joked it off, but I was touched, and I ached to put the heirloom on. Its obvious age somehow enhanced its beauty and air of mystery.

But that was back when my only goals were earning my masterate in vitaliti, the study of living things, and getting an official, paying research job in Erreliah. The only step that still stood between me and that was a stint of field work above ground and a dissertation. At least, that's what I thought.

I slip the necklace back underneath my shirt, looking forward to sleep. Somehow, dreaming feels louder than the restrained hush does.

In the morning, the silent dance between me and Sean continues. We prepare for the day's hike, moving around each other without intersecting, observing without being observed, the empty communication between us almost more tangible than real conversation.

Sean's collapsible lantern is the only light source as we shuffle onward. Somehow, in my whirlwind of preparations, I forgot to bring light. Perhaps it's because for my entire life, it's been provided for me. In Erreliah, light twinkles from a thousand windows and lamps shine on every street, making it feel like the glow emanates straight from the city's core. Most people have something that glows on their person—a timepiece backed with moss, a miniature lantern on a necklace, transparent shoes whose gears churn and spark as they walk. At the very least, I could always rely on the moss planted liberally throughout the city and its well-traveled tunnels. The small plant may not provide much light, but it's better than the endless layers of midnight curtains hovering in this small, low-traffic path.