The Way To You - ENGLOT

Chapter 8: A truck fits two - not really

"Thank you, Eris," Carys whispered, her voice thick with emotion. "I needed that."

Eris smiled, a genuine warmth reaching her eyes. "Anytime, princess. Now, how about we get some sleep? We have a long road ahead, and we both need to be ready for whatever comes our way."

"Yeah, I think I'm ready to hit the hay," Carys yawned, a smile playing on her lips. "Thanks again for the song, Eris. It really helped."

Eris returned the smile, a genuine warmth radiating from her eyes. "Anytime, princess. Now get some rest, you deserve it."

Carys crawled into the makeshift bed in the truck, the air around her surprisingly warm thanks to the fairy lights and a bunch of blankets Eris had unearthed. Exhaustion, both physical and emotional, tugged at her eyelids, urging her to surrender to sleep.

"Just need to secure a few things." Eris's voice came from outside, a hint of rustling fabric.

"Sure." Carys replied sleepily.

Eris chuckled, her gaze flickering towards the back of the truck, momentarily veiled by the dim glow of the interior light. "Go ahead and get cozy, I'll be in shortly." she assured, her voice taking on a slightly different tone, one Carys couldn't quite place.

Before Carys could question further, Eris closed the truck door, her movements swift and purposeful. Carys watched her go, a vague sense of unease prickling at her skin. The way Eris's posture shifted, the almost secretive glint in her eyes – it was subtle, but something felt off.

Minutes ticked by, the silence broken only by the distant hum of the engine and the chirping of crickets. Sleep nibbled at the edges of her consciousness, tempting her to drift off.

Suddenly, a low murmur, distinctly male and unfamiliar, sliced through the quiet. It came from outside the truck, close to where Eris went. Carys tensed, her drowsiness instantly dispelled. The murmur continued, punctuated by hushed replies from Eris, too low for Carys to decipher.

Curiosity battled with a prickling unease. What was Eris talking about with someone in the middle of the night? Why hadn't she mentioned another person being there?

Cautiously, Carys peeked out from under the blanket. The truck bed was positioned so she could see only the back of the cab, where Eris stood with her back to Carys, her silhouette framed by the faint moonlight filtering through the trees. The murmuring continued, a tense undercurrent beneath their hushed tones.

Unable to bear the uncertainty any longer, Carys called out, her voice shaky but firm. "Eris? Who are you talking to?"

The murmuring stopped abruptly. Eris whirled around, her face hidden in the shadows. A beat of tense silence stretched between them.

Then, Eris stepped forward, moonlight illuminating her features. A forced smile played on her lips, but her eyes held a flicker of something akin to fear.

"Just... checking on something, Carys," she said, her voice strained. "Don't worry, everything's fine. You go ahead and get some sleep."

Carys wasn't convinced. The forced smile, the evasiveness, it all rang false. But what could she do? Trapped in the back of the truck, isolated and vulnerable, she had no choice but to trust Eris, for now.

"Alright," she said, her voice barely above a whisper. "But be careful, please."

Eris nodded curtly, her smile fading. With a muttered excuse about double-checking the locks, she disappeared around the side of the truck, plunging back into the shadows.

The urge to investigate gnawed at Carys, but the exhaustion in her limbs ultimately won. Besides, Eris had assured her it was just "something." With a sigh, Carys snuggled deeper into the blankets, willing herself to relax.