Denial of the Whisper

Chapter Forty-Nine.

Chapter Forty-Nine.

I dared to look at the soldier again, but just in that moment, he sprang out of the bush, and before I had a chance to turn around, I already heard the noise of iron clashing against iron.

Looking frantically around, I immediately searched for the horse where I knew my knives were strapped to. I didn't want them because Nyshard had given me them, no, I wanted them because without a weapon I was as good as dead.

I heard men shout and I ducked behind a tree to avoid being seen by the three men which I suspected to be Circle members, and with rushed steps, I reached the horses. Just as I was about to open the knot of the leathery band around the sheaths, someone stepped towards me and cut through the band with the tip of his sword.

With quick hands, ignoring the pain from my infected burn wound, I unsheathed a knife, quickly turned around and held it towards the man I now faced.

He was tall, had golden blonde hair and a masculine face with grey eyes and was grinning at me.

Just as I was about to tell him to stay away from me, he swirled around and blocked Sial, who was attacking him with his sword that glowed in his Fleyr powers.
"Stay behind.", the stranger advised me and fought against Sial with a grace I had never seen anyone fighting with. Well, not that I had ever seen a Fleyr fighting a Fleyr before. But he swirled around so gracefully, that for a moment, I was watching, amazed, but then, I finally moved. I turned around and ran as fast as I was able to in the direction of where I thought my hut would be.
Home.

My... other home.

And while running, or rather stumbling through the woods, ignoring my aching lungs, I tried to ignore the voice that insisted, that Ilyria was my home.

'My heart stays in Ilyria, because that is where I found friendship and people that care about me'

No... not, they didn't care.

No.

I heard someone shouting, then, I heard steps, but not behind, no, in front of me.

The man that I had earlier seen sitting in the bushes, stepped forward from behind a tree, and I almost tripped as I looked to the side to see if I could run another way. But there was none, the tall bushes too thick to run through without the risk of falling, so I stopped and readied my knives to fight against the man, if need be.

But a moment later, there were more of them. More soldiers. And the man with the golden blonde hair and the grey eyes suddenly stepped in front of me.

I made a step back, but he had already put his sword away, and held up his bare hands. "You don't have to be afraid of us. The men that had captured you are dead."

I took a deep breath, trying to keep the knives in my hands steady. It wasn't much of a protection, and I was alone against – I quickly counted – six men in total.

"Please put your knives down."

"Why should I?"
"Because we mean you no harm. I promise you."

"Why should I trust the words of a stranger?"

"I am Phylon Lando, son of the Lord of Assdirn Flenn. I told you my name, so I am not a complete stranger anymore.", he smiled warmly. "And who am I speaking to?"

I stared at him for a moment, at the man Dylana had told me that had wanted to marry her. And from how she had sounded as she had spoken about him... I hadn't him expected to seem so... nice?

"Mellai.", I then answered, the only name that came in to my mind. My middle name.

He nodded with a small frown. "Mellai. Nice to meet you. I am sorry but I have to insist that you travel with us. You have my word, that we will ensure your safety, and also make sure, that as soon as we reach the City of Mrind, that we will get a healer to tend to your injury.", his eyes fell onto my wrist, that I had subconsciously tried to hide.