The Blood Rite

Chapter 4

Aster stayed deathly silent as she followed Silas's tracks, her Uncle Az had trained her enough that she knew how to be stealthy. His tracks kept going deeper and deeper into the woods, causing Aster to grow more and more concerned. Maybe she was being foolish, she hardly knew the guy, he very well could be a murderer. Nevertheless, she hoped her gut instinct was right and she kept walking.

It was unfortunate that she had hurt her leg, it meant she couldn't be as quiet as she hoped. The only thing that could give her away was the crunching of snow under her boots, and to hear that you'd have to be listening very closely.

Soon, Aster came to a small clearing where she spotted Silas, huddled by a fire. Quickly ducking behind a tree, Aster kept an eye on him. It was like he had set up camp, beside the campfire was a small mat and painfully thin blanket. Silas was huddled close to the fire, his wings cocooning him for extra warmth.

Aster frowned, surely he had not been living out here all this time. It was the middle of winter, sometimes Aster would shiver at night and she was in a warm bed. She no longer cared if he would be upset that she followed him, Aster stepped out of her hiding spot.

"Silas?" She asked, as if she couldn't believe it yet.

He looked up, his nose pink from the cold, "Asteria what the fuck are you doing here?!"

He stood up as if to hide his campsite entirely.

"Are you living here?" Aster asked softly as she approached him.

Silas looked back at his camp, almost looking...embarrassed. Aster shook her head at the thought, this huge Illyrian warrior had surely never experienced an ounce of embarrassment before.

"I was exiled here", he stated plainly, "I cannot afford the luxury of a tent".

Aster looked over his shoulder at the thin blanket.

"You will die in this cold", she stated matter-of-factly.

He seemed to remember himself and said, "you shouldn't be here, it's dangerous".

Aster raised a brow, "dangerous? I did almost beat you in the ring today, I think I'll be fine".

Ignoring his protests, Aster walked around him and surveyed his little camp. She supposed the surrounding forest would offer some shelter, but he was mostly stuck straight out in the elements.

"You're limping. Did I do that?"

Aster thought she imagined the concern in his voice.

"I'm fine", she said confidently, "it was a fair fight, I just pulled a muscle".

He frowned, "I'm sorry, I-"

"-you have nothing to apologise for. Come on, put your fire out and grab your stuff", she said reaching down to pick up her thin blanket and mattress.

"Excuse me?"

"You're coming to stay with me. You'd honestly think I'd see this and let you stay out here?" She questioned.

He shook his head, "I can't accept".

"That's too bad, I'm not giving you an option", she replied, reaching down and grabbing more of his stuff.

Silas grabbed her wrist, pausing her movements, "I am not going to be your charity case".

Aster snatched her hand back, "you aren't. How are we meant to have a re-match if your dead?"

Silas sighed in frustration, his hand running through his hair.

"You will not relent will you?" He said more to himself but Aster answered anyway.

"Nope. Now come on, I'm not carrying all this stuff by myself".

Silas huffed as he kicked snow over his fire, forcing it to sizzle out with a hiss. He then trudged over and grabbed an arm full of his stuff.

"I will only stay with you for the winter", he said sternly, "I won't allow you to burden yourself for longer than that".

Aster didn't think his presence was a burden, but she didn't say that out loud as she managed to balance most of his stuff.

"Follow me, grumpy pants", she said leading the way back through the forest.

Silas ignored the nickname and asked, "will your brother mind? I know he doesn't like me very much".

Aster shrugged, "he will be fine. He's just overprotective that's all".

Silas followed behind her, keeping pace, "what about your parents? The High Lord and Lady of - you know on second thought this is a terrible idea".

Aster laughed, "my parents would be more upset if I left you in the cold, besides they won't be coming to Windhaven anytime soon".

Silas grumbled something that Aster couldn't make out while they kept walking through the forest and back to her hut.

After a long walk of Aster stumbling and Silas trying to convince her to leave him to live outside, the house was finally in sight.

"There is a spare room you can have that Jasper usually crashes in, but I'll kick him out, he has his own house anyway", Aster said as she kicked open her door with her foot.

Silas followed behind her, politely taking his shoes off at the door. Aster wandered through the house and straight to the room Silas would be staying in. She gently placed all of his stuff on the bed and waited for him to catch up.

"You can sleep in here. The bathroom is just across the hall and my room is right beside yours if you need anything. Help yourself to whatever is in the kitchen", she said smiling kindly.

Silas frowned, "are you sure you don't want me to just take the couch?"

Aster waved a dismissive hand, "absolutely not, not when we have a perfectly good bed for you".

"Okay", Silas said awkwardly shuffling on his feet, "thank you for this, I will make sure I repay you somehow".

Aster patted him on the shoulder as she left to go to her own room, no longer feeling like going to the Tavern.

"I'm sure I'll find a way", she teased as she disappeared out the door.