Threads of Fate

Chapter 36 ~ Fragile New Reality

    Tissaia woke barely an hour before the rest of their companions joined them. When she'd blinked her eyes open to find sunlight streaming through the windows of the hut, the day already passing its midpoint, she had scrambled to her feet with a muttered curse, only to find her belongings already packed up and no sign of Azael anywhere.

    A quick glance outside revealed that his mount was gone, though her own had been left picketed to the ground the graze. The Prince's scent had still been relatively fresh though, so Tissaia guessed he'd either gone off to do more scouting, hunting, or perhaps to meet their companions. She had used the rest of her time to properly wake up and eat a scrap of a meal.

    She almost couldn't believe she'd slept so late. That was highly unlike her. Either she'd been more worn out than she thought or... A small smile graced her lips. Or perhaps, for once in her life, she had simply felt safe enough that she was able to fully relax and sleep.

    Her heart fluttered with a foreign emotion. Not the bitter tension that she had previously known every time she was around Azael, but something softer and lighter. Something so fragile that she didn't dare dwell on it for long, not wanting to rid herself of the feeling prematurely.

    She didn't have time to spare anyway. Hoofbeats sounded outside, announcing everyone else's arrival, and Tissaia hurried out to greet them. As she'd suspected, Azael was with the group and he dismounted while she joined her brother and Kaius.

    "You didn't find anything worth reporting, I take it?" Talarion asked when he swung down beside her.

    Tissaia shook her head. "A few signs of some refugees and travelers, but no warriors." Her brother breathed a sigh of relief, then glanced at Kaius. The male was gazing vacantly towards the mountains and didn't seem to have heard their brief conversation. "Is something wrong?" Tissaia asked when Talarion's eyes narrowed.

    "I'm not sure. He's been like that all morning, but every time I ask him if he's all right, he just brushes me off."

    "Want me to try to talk to him later?"

    "If he won't tell me, I doubt he'll tell you."

    "He might," Tissaia replied with a shrug. "Maybe he just doesn't want to worry you about something."

    "If you think you can get him to open up, I won't stop you," was all Talarion said in reply. His gaze turned back to her and swept over her critically. His nose wrinkled. "You smell overwhelmingly like Azael."

    "And you smell like you're in dire need of a bath," she retorted, not giving herself a chance to blush at her brother's insinuation. "He's the only person I've been around since yesterday. Of course his scent was going to stick to me."

    "Is he pestering you about that already?" Kaius chuckled, finally prying his gaze from the mountains to look down at them. He dismounted and his mouth twitched into a lopsided grin. "I told him not to mention it no matter what you smelled like."

    Tissaia gaped at him in indignation, then swatted his arm. "Pricks, the both of you! Not that you need to know, but absolutely nothing happened. Not everyone is as depraved as you two."

    "No," Kaius agreed, "but he had to have been pretty close to you for several hours at least for your hair to smell so strongly of him."

    "I hate you both," she grumbled with a disgusted huff, and flounced over to Kahari before they had a chance to say anything more. The female greeted her with a smile as she fitted her staff in a leather wrap nestled between her shoulder blades. "Did you accomplish everything you needed to?" Tissaia asked in greeting.