Tɪɢʜᴛᴇɴɪɴɢ Bᴏɴᴅs || Tʜᴇ Cʜᴏsᴇɴ Eɪɢʜᴛ Bᴏᴏᴋ Tʜʀᴇᴇ

ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀ ᴇʟᴇᴠᴇɴ || ᴄᴜʀɪɴɢ ᴛʜᴇ ғᴀʟʟᴇɴ ᴀɴᴅ ʜᴇʟᴘɪɴɢ ᴛʜᴇ ʙʀᴏᴋᴇɴ

Tazi

"She's cured!" Lizzie's voice startled me awake, then I felt her hand on my shoulder, shaking me.

"Tellun, I'm up." I grumbled, squinting.

Lucia didn't seem to notice. Her eyes bright with excitement. "Zay's cured!"

"Really?" I mumbled, rubbing my eyes in an attempt to fully wake up. My brain was still fuzzy.

"Come see!" Lizzie grabbed my arm and hauled me to my feet. "She's good as new!"

"Huh..." I nodded, covering my huge yawn with a hand. I'd barely closed my mouth before it fell open again. "Zay?!"

The girl in question turned and smirked. "Yes, Tazi?"

"They... you... I don't... cured?" I babbled.

"Yep." Zay rolled her eyes. "It's too early for his brain to start working, Lizzie. Let him get back to bed."

Lizzie frowned. "It's noon."

"What?!" My faze darted to the sky, where the sun was, indeed, at its mid-day peak.

"Exactly." Zay cackled and moved away toward Sasha.

"Why didn't you wake me earlier?" I asked reproachfully.

Lizzie shrugged. "I only got up a little while ago myself. I'm also lazy."

I glared at her and sulkily went to eat breakfast– or lunch, I guess. I'd barely managed to scoff down a bite when Tyler called us to the middle of the clearing.

"Okay, team!" Tyler clapped his hands.

I fell in beside Sabien as we gathered around him, swallowing my lunch. The chameleon summoner shot me an amused look.

"We'll be heading back to the shop shortly, where I'm expecting a message from Olvan. However, neither Sheyu nor Flynn will be joining us. Both have decided to stay here, to keep an eye on the Conqueror situation in Zhong. We wish them the best of luck, now go pack your bags." Tyler concluded.

I hurried back to my spot. I re-rolled my bedroll and stuffed it in my rucksack. "Ugh more walking." I groaned. "Why can't we go swimming for once?"

Lucia, who was kneeling beside me, chuckled lightly. "Probably because you're the only one who likes swimming, silly."

I grinned. "Right. Forgot about that."

"I wouldn't mind a nice cool swim right about now." Lizzie piped up, "it's so hot in the sun."

"I have to agree with you on that one," Lucia agreed with a sigh as she straightened and sling her pack onto one shoulder. I did the same, then reached over and pulled Lizzie to her feet.

"Come on, slow pokes!" Sasha was beckoning from the edge of the clearing, where everyone else was already gathered. We jogged over.

"Alright, the return trip should take much less time," Tyler was saying, "but even so, we're not going to waste any precious time. We'll be travelling all day today, as well as tonight and maybe tomorrow. Let's go!" He led the way out of the clearing, Niko by his side.

We fell quickly into our usual rhythm, the sound of our footsteps echoing like a steady drumbeat. I scanned the group, taking note of who was walking with who. Tyler and Niko in the lead, with Zay and Sasha close at their heels. The two were so close that they were almost touching, Zay's head coming up to around Sasha's shoulder.

Just behind them walked Sabien and Navia, close as usual. After those two came Lucia and Ryan, deep in conversation. Then, last but most certainly not least, was Lizzie and I.