Blood & Shadows

Two

Now I find myself painfully aware of my three companions, and I don't want to think of why that might be as I clutch the book to my chest. In silence we walk as the sun sets and rises again, we make our way through the cacophonous forest of thick fir trees.

All four of us stop in our tracks at the same time. The paladin grunts as the priestess lets out a soft pleasing mewling moan of pain and me and the noble hiss through our teeth.

My heart pounds and I freeze from that sensation of the spell twisting tighter as something rips a memory from my mind. A male elf with long fiery red hair grinning over me as I'm pinned to cold stone trapped like a butterfly by magic and his body.

It's him.

I force myself to slowly open my eyes as my heart pounds and metallic fear sits at the back of my tongue. Fear and resignation. For whatever reason I find I'm disgusted by the thought of it. Something's still searching for us, and that was a yank on our leashes to pull us back. Each step I take is a new agony but I hold my head high and walk on. It takes a moment but with whimpers and grunts the others follow.

Even if I have to endure a thousand agonies. He will die by my hand. I repeat it over and over in my mind as I force myself on. We walk through that sensation as the sun sets.

It's then in the dark that they make a fire and without consulting me I'm given second watch with the noble.

When I wake it's dark, so much so that everything which seemed so very mundane when I shut my eyes before suddenly seems so very alien and terrifying. Just beyond the halo of the fire there is nothingness. That void sets my whole body on edge with painful heart gripping familiarity.

Oh I know there are trees and certainly animals but I can't see anything. The moonlight does little to illuminate the dark leaving my heart pounding on my ribs as I sit by the crackling fire.

Second watch should have been a joke but after a few hours of sleep I don't feel like I can trust myself in the dark. Making matters worse is the silence between me and the noble that prickles the back of my neck.

Looking at him is like staring into the sun. He has it easier of course, he's full elf. Elves don't sleep like the rest of us do. Even I need to sleep but he simply needs to shut his eyes to rest them and take calming breaths. Elves are used as scouts for that very reason—though how I know this I don't know.

The pretty elf before me is no scout. Those large pale hands look soft to the touch. I bet they feel like silk slipping along bare skin. I can almost feel it, his finger tips grazing along my calf to my thigh as he raises my skirt and—

"Do you need something?" Ennui drips from every word and my cheeks ache from blushing so hard and my stomach twists with embarrassment. I swallow my mouth incredibly dry and my heart pounds more from the fear of the beautiful man before me than the unknown of the forest. At least I'm no longer thinking about Him.

My lips part to say something but I can't find my voice. I clear my throat and shake my head as I try to piece together something to say. Some excuse that will make me seem less awkward, no matter how true that is.

"I...I was a million miles away." I try to shrug it off but the way those ruby orbs of his bore into my soul from under those thick wreaths of dark lashes tells it all. He knows I was staring. How could he not? No one that beautiful is unaware. The fire pops, drawing my attention.

"Mm, If you say so." Again, so very dismissive as he turns his attention to those flames. I want to say something to draw him in, to voice my attraction but I don't know how. I don't even know if I should given the circumstances. The thought makes me sigh and fuss with the cuffs of my kirtle.