A Clove of Fates

13. A Distraction

We emerged from underneath the castle just as the day was beginning to break. How long had it been, I wondered, since I'd stepped foot in this city? And now, it was already a memory.

I took in my new surroundings, feeling the tension in my shoulders release a bit as I did so. We stood at the edge of a forest, dark but inviting. I relished the stinging sensation that the sharp forest scent brought to my nose.

Our first concrete plan of action was to put as much distance between us and Musteri as possible. Osvik led the way with Fraed at his side, and Ifera walked between the two and myself. We plunged into the wood.

She wasn't scared, I don't think. That made me nervous. Did she have something planned? Know something that I didn't? And what on Heimurinn is that humming noise, and how could I make it stop?

"Your tether." Fraed told me when I asked him. "The magical connection between you and Ifera. I have the same thing with Osvik. You stop noticing it after a couple of days."

Which was how long it would take us to reach Sjarvad, the coastal city that we were headed for, on foot. I couldn't imagine it. I would go crazy before then.

"It won't be as loud if you don't look at her, though." He added.

"I've noticed." I grumbled.

However, not looking at Ifera was a task that was easier said than done.

Postitinally, it was difficult as she was walking in front of me. 

Situationally, it was irresponsible because I was kidnapping her. 

Ironically, I noticed symmetries to her that I probably shouldn't have been noticing. I wasn't not quite sure why it was ironic for me to be attracted to her, but I felt deeply that it was so. (I could hear Elke's teasing voice in my ear as I fixated too much on the pleasing shade of her white blond hair. "Ooh. Looks like someone has a crush." I wanted to push her, tell her she's wrong, to shut up, even though the Elke that's poking fun of me is entirely my imagination. I imagined doing all three all the same.)

But then there was a deeper reason that I couldn't quite get a good look at. I wasn't sure I even wanted to, if I were to be completely honest. It was a distraction. She was a distraction.

This noise was a distraction.

Elke was the only thing that mattered.

"A hum? I don't hear a hum." Ifera said.

"Of course you don't." I grumbled again. The noise was putting me in a grumbling mood. To be fair, it didn't take much to do so.

"Strange. Maybe because you're an enchantress? Magic doesn't interact with you the same way." Fraed replied. "Don't quote me on that, though. Demicreature magic wasn't something that I studied very closely at the Conservatory."