(Book 5) Hayden Mackay and The Pride of Haima-Endira

23.1 Grounded in reality

"Did you get it?"

"Yes!" I muttered, through my gritted teeth and showed him the Handle. "Where the hell have you been?"

The wait was for two hours but seemed like an eternity to spend all the time alone, with Ashwant nowhere to be found and making attempts to avoid unnecessary exposure. I was mad, and that was an understatement. I'd run away from Matsyasvi only with anticipation to leave this place as soon as possible. But disappointment got the best of me realizing that Ashwant had suddenly gone missing, and had taken both of our bags and the basket with him. Cold. Hungry. Thirsty. Bored. Annoying mermaids ready to throw themselves at me. It was the most torturous two hours one would ever go through.

"Great," he said rubbing his hands and having a soft expression on his face, "I have got another good news."

"Unless you're blessed and got pregnant I don't want to know!" I snapped and snatched the basket from him. My tolerance for hunger was currently at the minimum. I didn't know what came out of the basket, but I just ate it.

"Will you listen to me?" he exclaimed, crouching beside me as I sat back on the rock and started eating, "Hayden, I think you were right. Lady Matsyasvi did give away a tip to my father."

I stared at him wondering. Didn't utter a word but noticed that he was drenched and heavy droplets were splattering down his temples and neck.

"I went around and gathered information," he said, answering my dubiousness. "Nobody told me in exact words-what, why and how, but with everything I've come to know, it did seem so."

"What is it?"

"Citrus. They are simply miraculous. The smell does scare the beasts away to some extent, but smell amalgamated with five kinetic powers will create a seal and that will definitely keep them out of the way."

I felt oddly refreshed. "Are you serious?"

"Yes!" he said excitedly, "Combined Formation. Isn't that what Celina used to call? I can't believe it can be used this way. The entire territory right now is protected with that seal."

I turned towards him with mild agitation. "But, I don't understand. I mean...how did Lady Matsyasvi creating combined Formation?"

"Maybe she is using natural kinetic powers."

"But..."

"How she is doing it, doesn't matter. What matters is that the trick is definitely working seeing how my clan's living a secured life here. Plus, we don't have time to dwell on the presumptions, do we?"

"Fine," I said, "But for future reference, when we enter Almourah's territory..."

"Even before we enter, I'll have to practice how to form all the five kinetic powers at the same time. And we need resources that can enhance citrus flavor. Let's gather a few of them on our way out?"

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Six days and five nights, that was how long it took to reach Pizaca's territory.

The journey on foot, despite being too strenuous, was quite an experience. To keep our mind off the discomforts of the godforsaken weather Ashwant and I conversed lengthy over the matters that rose our spirits to keep going. His newfound interest to reunite his broken up clan and to officially gain human rights kept my focus to be single-minded in the pursuit of my goals. Besides that, with my hands lit round the clock, I took the pleasure of having her in my mind as a company.

I missed my friends, and I had been missing her more, especially after the talk we had right before I stared for this job. Her voice in my mind, the same as it has been in recent times- commanding and authoritative. Sometimes she'd only stare, rarely smile and would say a few brief statements that even today were out of my scope of understanding.