Hearts Ablaze

Chapter 5: Through the Veil of Secrecy

Kaden and Emlyn set out north, then northwest, navigating through the dense forests and treacherous swamps. They had chosen this long, circuitous route to avoid detection, knowing full well that their enemies' eyes and ears were everywhere. A week had passed since they left Eldric's hut, their progress slow but deliberate.

On the seventh day, they camped near a crystal-clear spring in the heart of the forest. The afternoon sun filtered through the canopy, casting golden beams on the water's surface. They had fallen into a routine by now—one would bathe while the other stood guard, eyes scanning the woods for any signs of danger.

Emlyn finished her dip first, her hair still damp and clinging to her skin as she stood on watch. Kaden emerged from the spring next, dripping and calm, his muscles relaxed after the cool water's embrace. The forest felt alive around them—the chirping of insects, the rustling of leaves, the gurgling of the spring—but they were alone, safe for the moment.

After dinner, they sat in companionable silence, the crackling fire between them. The stars had started to peek through the night sky, and the scent of pine and earth filled the air. Kaden finally broke the silence, his voice quiet but curious. "That pistol of yours. What's the story behind it?"

Emlyn looked down at the weapon holstered at her side, her expression unreadable for a moment. She ran her fingers over the polished surface of the handle before speaking. "It belonged to my father. Well, my adoptive father," she said, her voice soft yet steady. "He found me during one of his hunts. There was a monster terrorizing villages near where I grew up. He tracked it for days, and when he finally killed it, he found me among the remains... bodies everywhere. They must have been my family. I don't remember."

Kaden remained silent, listening intently as she continued.

"Next to me was this sword." She gestured toward the weapon strapped to her back. "He said it was lying beside me. Someone must have wielded it to defend me and lost their life in the attempt. He took me in, raised me as his own, taught me everything he knew about hunting... and slaying. I got good—good enough that he let me take on solo hunts." Her voice wavered slightly, but she kept her gaze on the fire. "One day, I came back home, and he was gone. I waited two days, but he never returned. So, I went after the last creature he was tracking. I killed it... but I never found his body. Just a pile of bones—so chewed and cleaned that I couldn't even tell if there were human remains mixed in. This pistol, though, it was there. The only thing left of him that I recognized."

She took a deep breath, the firelight flickering in her eyes. "The bullets are special, made by an old friend of his back at the Slayer Outpost. I tried learning how to make them myself, but... I guess I don't have the patience. Or the skill."

Kaden nodded, understanding the weight behind her words. They sat in silence for a few moments, the crackle of the fire the only sound between them.

Then Emlyn looked at him, her gaze curious. "Is it true? The rumors about the Sentinels... that you were all grown in a lab? Or maybe you're just AI in human bodies?"

Kaden burst into laughter, breaking the tension. He shook his head and, in one swift motion, pulled up his shirt to reveal his toned abs and a very human navel. "Do AIs have belly buttons?" he teased.

Emlyn's cheeks flushed, and she quickly looked away, remembering the afternoon when she had caught a glimpse of Kaden's sculpted physique, the chiseled contours of his abs captivating her attention. A hint of dark hair trailed downwards, teasing her thoughts. She scolded herself inwardly, but the faint smile tugging at her lips betrayed her.

Kaden let his shirt drop back down and leaned back, his expression softening. "No, we're not grown in labs. I had parents, like all of us in the Sentinel Corps. I don't remember them, though. They gave me up to the Corps when I was young—when I started showing signs of my powers. Probably didn't know what to do with a kid who could teleport across rooms in the blink of an eye."