The Bearer of the amulet

Chapter 10 : The Son of Harmony

"You really shouldn't have come. Richard will accuse me of leading you back here. He won't miss an opportunity to harass me with father-ship bullshit talk". I said, as I scratched my hair.

We were in motion back to the camp. 

Wanda raised an eyebrow. "You really should stop thinking like that, besides. He won't notice if we came back early enough before the group wake up"

"Richard? oh, please. He is a bloody hound inside, believe me! I grantee you that he sleeps with one eye open"

She chuckled playfully. "Maybe, it is just a way to cope with the danger everywhere around him. And to be honest, I envy you for having him". That line came with a bitter taste in her mouth. Maybe she is the lone daughter to her family? I thought.

"Don't you have any sisters? I mean back at your home". I asked

"No, just one step brother"

"Older?". I asked more.

"By 10 years"

"Well then, not blood bond sibling but it still counts, so why the...uh". I looked to my side and she was gone. When I looked back I saw her staring at the ground, as if her body lingered there without her soul.

I approached her, and it didn't take long to catch her blurry eyes that were soaked full. All it would take was a good squeezing blink and a waterfall would descend from her shaking eyes. "I hit a nerve, did I?". I tried to be sincere as much as possible. Whatever the subject linked to her stepbrother, it is better not to intrude further in"

"I...". She swallowed. "Can we change subject?". Her broken voice screamed suspicious vibe but who am I to judge her?

"Of course". I tied to comfort her with one of my smile, only to give her the most corny one. Luckily, her exchanged humble smile told me she didn't notice mine

"Do you want to ...I don't know...rest for a while?"

"That would be much appreciated". Her voice was overwhelmed by sadness. No doubt the subject of her family summoned something ugly from her past. I assume an apology should be in place.

She picked up a nice spot where we could rest our legs for a while. But most of all, a place where she can chill down.

"You ok? You are not the same dashing woman that made a pack of wolves run with their tail between their paws earlier, no?"

"No". Her eye descended with a disappointment. "Death was just playing"

"Man, this demon is crazy. Did someone tell him that before?". I joked. But her face didn't receive any smile. 

"You are still sad, aren't you?". I studied her figure, and she was like a statue. Her petrified body beside me and her fleeting thoughts somewhere else. Her hands were holding that amulet still within the grasp of her fingers

After some moments of silence, She shook her head, shaking herself off the daydreaming she was having as she finally faced me. "Sorry, what were you saying?". She mumbled.

I blinked, I had to find other strong subject that can pull her mind from the mud of the past. And that's when an idea came to me.

"I said, What does that demon want with me?"

"Oh, right!". A zealous energy suddenly engulfed her as she hopped with excitement. I didn't know what the hell is wrong with this woman. One moment she is grieving with the memories and in another , she is the happiest lady in the country just because I brought up a different subject. She really is a moody type.

"Tell me. No, describe to me that lady you have been seeing in your dreams!". She was really on edge to get an answer.

"Oh not this again!". I covered my face with right hand, trying to prevent her from seeing my cheeks that burned with embarrassment and regret.