Elvirund | ✔️

Chapter Forty Five

Late morning sun streamed in gently through the windows as I pushed open the wall panel and rubbed the sleep out of my eyes. Charmeine was staring into the fire along the left wall, and Sibriel was sprawled on the chair in the other corner. A yawn nearly tore my jaw in two and I sighed heavily.

"Sleep well?"

"Not really," I mumbled.

"Caphriel left something for you, though I didn't see her."

"What is it?"

"Knowing her, it's a concession. She wants you to forgive her."

Uneasiness stirred in my stomach as I contemplated what he had said. Forgive her? I suspected she was still upset, but so was I. I wanted to run out and find her, yet something held me back. Even now, I had no intention of joining the search party if it ever happened, and if she came back on her own then that would be all the more relieving.

"The gift is sitting on the table."

It wasn't very large, and by appearance alone it looked to be an animal skin of sorts. There wasn't much at first glance and I picked it up, unsure of what to make of it. But as it unfolded, I realized with a sense of apprehension that Caphriel had made a bear fur cloak for me. Not many could hunt Elvirian forest bear alone, and few could have salvaged that much of the fur.

"Is that bear?"

"I'm inclined to believe so." Sibriel raised an eyebrow.

"This could easily be a very good replacement for the cloak I have now. That one has at least three large tears in it."

"That's more than impressive."

"That's Caphriel." Charmeine chuckled.

And, when I slipped the emerald brooch through the loop of sinew, the weight of the cloak felt right. The emerald was small, a common enough find, and the skin under the fur was soft against my arms. The pointed hood peaked right between my eyes, casting shadow over most of my face.

"Magnificent," Sibriel breathed.

This was no common gift, and I knew it more than anyone in the room.

"I don't know if I trust her to keep her nerves under control but it looks like she's managed to calm the erratic energy from yesterday."

I stood in stunned silence, running the edge of the cloak between my fingers. Trust? Trust was the wrong word. I trusted her, there was no doubt about that, but I was wary.

"If she comes back, I don't want to be there." My voice was barely audible.

"Are you sure?"

I nodded, spinning on one heel and disappearing back into the basement.

Charmeine watched the panel slide closed and rested her chin in her hands. It was a tortured soul that kept Alethia suffering, wasn't it?

"I sometimes wonder how she's survived so much."

"I'll say."

Her stomach growled and she sighed.

"I guess some things haven't changed. I'm still always hungry, as usual."

Pahaliah laughed and handed her a skewer.

"Deer?"

"Wild rabbit."

"Beautiful." Charmeine grinned.