Threads of Fate

Chapter 15 ~ Brothers in Flight

    By their third day in the village, Azael was beginning to feel restless and bored. He'd been keeping his distance from Tissaia again, though if the female noticed it, she hadn't said anything, and that was probably for the best.

    Part of his restlessness came from trying to keep his emotions in check whenever he saw her and Kaius interacting. He hadn't witnessed anything between them since that first night, but he was still bracing himself for the possibility of it.

    If they kissed in front of him, he didn't want to risk losing his temper again and doing something he'd regret. They didn't deserve that. But being so constantly on edge left the house feeling increasingly small, and the village had grown suffocating as the days passed.

    Azael was seated on a long bench in the kitchen, working on sharpening Raxys and the dagger Kaius had given him when Talarion entered the room. He glanced up as the male paused in front of him. His long hair had been tied into a ponytail today, as opposed to its usual braid, but he was dressed in the leather suit that Azael hadn't seen on him since they arrived in the village.

    "I want to scout beyond the village and see if it's safe for us to leave tomorrow," Talarion said.

    Azael recognized the hint and stood, sheathing his blades. "Lead the way."

    He followed the male out of the house and ignored the twanging of bow strings from the other side of it. Tissaia had found another bow at the smith's forge and given it to Kaius rather than swapping it out with her own. The pair had been practicing their shots all day. Given that Talarion wasn't heading towards the sound, Azael guessed he'd already told them his plans.

    He gritted his teeth against the thought of them being left here by themselves. Together. Azael forced his mouth to relax a moment later. What use was there in letting himself be bothered by the fact? He couldn't prevent anything from happening, and even if he could, it wouldn't matter. Something had already happened.

    He followed Talarion a short distance from the house before the male nodded to him, then vanished from sight. Azael couldn't help but shudder. Kaius had explained to all of them how they could leave the hidden village and re-enter when they needed to, but it struck him as unnatural. He hadn't attempted it yet as a result.

    But he wasn't going to give Talarion an opportunity to ridicule him, so he closed his eyes and murmured under his breath, "Drenusha bids the forest to return me." Wind brushed past his ears like the sound of a breath being drawn, then he was surrounded by the familiar sounds of the forest.

    He opened his eyes and found Talarion watching him with a smirk. "You look unsettled."

    "The entry and exit processes of these villages are unsettling," Azael retorted, rolling his eyes. "How far do you want to scout?"

    "Until the riverbank is in sight." Talarion turned to the east and waved a hand. Azael trailed after him, keeping one hand on the hilt of his sword. His companion tracked the movement. "You didn't bring Orilight."

    "It's safe in the village."

    "I'm curious why you brought it if you don't intend to use it."

    Azael's mouth curled to the side. Talarion didn't push him to answer. He just drew one of his curved daggers from its sheath and reversed the blade in his grasp. His dark eyes darted across their surroundings, sharp and calculating.

    Azael found himself thinking he wouldn't want to be on the receiving end of that gaze. He had heard the rumors after all. Many people claimed that Lord Roshan used his son as his personal assassin. Whether or not it was true, Azael couldn't say, but Talarion's skills had to have some purpose.