Born of Flames

Chapter 26 ~ The Truth of an Almost Kiss

    Morana worked as quickly and carefully as possible, healing every inch of Arlon's frozen and burnt skin. To his credit, the male kept his composure. Only an occasional flinch or sharp breath revealed the pain he felt.

    Morana pretended not to notice he and Neeri's clasped hands, or the abnormal shine in her friend's eyes as she watched him. At last, Morana pulled her hands away and Arlon managed to blink his eyes open. It took a moment before he grew focused and appeared to see them.

    His gaze sought Neeri's then, but it was to Morana that he spoke. "We need to follow this path. They were taking me to Astaroth."

    "You need to rest," Neeri protested. "After what you've just been through..."

    "It doesn't matter." Arlon met Morana's gaze. "They targeted us, but me specifically. That mask was...it was designed for me. And one of the corpses called me something. Deimen. I don't know what that means, but... Astaroth had a purpose in retrieving me. We need to find out what it is."

    "You're sure this tunnel will take us to wherever he's going to be?" Morana asked.

    Arlon nodded. "I think the corpse thought I couldn't hear him when he spoke, but he said we were half a day away from where we'd meet."

    Morana rubbed her jaw thoughtfully, then nodded. "We'll keep going then, but not just yet. You both need to rest a few hours. Neeri hasn't slept since arriving in Ophir and I can't imagine you've rested much either."

    "Will we go back for Tarion and Gaelen?" Neeri asked.

    Morana thought again and shook her head. "They have their task and we have ours. We won't engage Astaroth. We just need to find out where he is and what he's planning. If we're spotted, I'll use Noxbane to bring us back to the temple. I just wish we had an idea of where we are."

    "We've been traveling uphill," Arlon replied. "Without my sight, I was able to feel every shift in terrain. Honestly, it almost made me sick."

    "If we're going uphill and they took you from the foothills, we must be moving into the Mountains of Donoa," Morana guessed. "And if that's the case, I bet I can find an underground stream nearby."

    She sparked a ball of fire above her palm, then let it slip to the ground. "This will stay lit as long as I'm within range. If it goes out, shout for me. I don't want to go too far."

    Neeri nodded and grabbed the chains Arlon had been bound with. "Here. This might come in handy."

    Morana wrapped the chains into a tight coil and hooked them on her belt. She offered Neeri a reassuring smile and gave Arlon a curt nod. Both of them watched her with obvious unease as she set off down the tunnel and into the closest bend.

    When she was away from the glow of the fire she'd left behind, she lit a new ball for herself. Morana swallowed, her mouth running dry, but headed deeper into the darkness.

•༻☽☾༺•

    Arlon pulled himself closer to Morana's fire, relishing the warmth and brightness of it while he leaned back against the wall. Neeri's shining gaze lingered on him, but she hadn't spoken in the minutes since Morana left.

    Neither had he, mostly because his throat felt incredibly raw and dry, and the few words he'd already voiced had left it aching even more. Exhaustion pricked at his eyes but he didn't dare close them, not wanting to trap himself in darkness again. He'd only just been freed from it.

    Arlon drew a deep, steadying breath. He'd kept himself under control so far. He wouldn't lose that control now. He perked up as Neeri inched closer to him and drew her knees up to her chest.