Dark Faïz (Book 2) [Completed]

Chapters 5-2

"I'm tired!" I exclaimed as I sat on one of the big rocks that ran along the river.

Faïz, in front of me, didn't bother to raise his head from his notebook. With a sigh, I turned my gaze to Zerkô, located a little further on. He had rolled up his pants to his knees and was trying to clumsily fish for lunch with his large hands. Although the water only reached his calf, the current was no less calm. He won't succeed! I confided to myself. The clumsiness shown by this brave man gave him an almost fragile side under his imposing stature. Turning again to Faïz, I saw an insolent sneer at the corner of his lips, as if he were openly mocking my thoughts.

"Our guide is sorely lacking training."

"Why do you hate him? You haven't even bothered to try to chat with him since we were introduced to him."

"William chose this guy well!" declared Faïz, his voice filled with reproaches. "Even a one-legged man would do better than him. I could almost believe William chose him on purpose."

"It's true that with Hanoura, you had no trouble socializing. You must certainly be disappointed that our former companion dropped us like that! You seemed to get along so well."

My words, tinged with a touch of jealousy, immediately made Faïz's smile disappear. We thus challenged each other for a few moments.

"Zoe," he said calmly, "you would feel sorry for this dear Hannibal Lecter if I asked him to stop his cannibalism bullshit."

"No!" I replied, trying to be offended.

Faïz tilted his head slightly to the side while giving me a dazzling smile, which immediately made me lose my cool. This moment of tenderness between us didn't last long, because a moment later he again had a serious look. Suddenly, he bent down to retrieve a stick that was drifting on the stream.

"To tell you the truth, I don't trust him."

"Why?"

"Just look at him!"

"Yes, he's a little soft, I admit, but we have met people who are much more harmful than this man. Either way, you don't trust anything or anyone."

Faïz, concentrating, clenched his jaw and looked away. Then he got up unexpectedly and threw the stick forcefully. Like an arrow, it pierced the body of a long and large fish located several meters from us. A red streak colored the crystal-clear waters.

"Okay, it's time for lunch!" exclaimed Faïz dryly.

In the distance, Zerkô, visibly in shock, congratulated him, both thumbs up for this great catch.

I stopped dead, as we had been walking for more than two hours in this fascinating forest. Crossing someone on these paths was rare. Indeed, the Kobolds rarely ventured this far. Before me, a spectacle of trees of different shapes and unique hues rose in a flowery meadow. A hundred people were gathered in this oasis of calm and greenery. They carried large baskets filled with a multitude of leaves that had just been harvested. At that moment, I looked up above me, attracted by the song of the birds, which waved their wings with the thousand and one colors. Then I advanced at the same time as Faïz to the middle of this haven of peace. Zerkô, at the head, slowed down, then turned to us.

"Citizens must participate in the picking of pineapple leaves on the island. We have set up a performance system so that everyone participates in this task at least once or twice a year."

"Does the collection aim to feed the population?" I asked, intrigued.

"No, the fibers are extracted from the leaves, which will then be transformed into textiles to make our clothes. It's an ancestral process, like strips of dried seaweed that we use to make vegan leather."

"These processes are real innovations, when you know how the treatment of leather is one of the most polluting sources in the world," declared Faïz, visibly very attentive to the explanations of our guide.

He put a hand to his chin, looking around him, then asked Zerkô,

"Can we talk to a few people here? The subject is very interesting and deserves to be explored."

Zerkô seemed to hesitate a few seconds before finally giving in.

"Only if you don't disturb the work of the harvest. Night will fall soon, we should hurry."

Our guide turned and walked away without adding anything more. I rolled my eyes again. The thick fog prevented the sun's rays from penetrating this heavy layer. Hell, how does he have any idea of what time it can be? With this fog, I lost all my bearings over time.

"Zoe?" murmured Faïz next to me. "Try to interview a few Kobolds. There is bound to be one that will end up putting us in the ruby's direction."

I nodded, but without much conviction. The people of Eros liked to talk about everything except the mysteries of their island. As soon as we got closer to the subject of the Kushisake stone, the faces closed suddenly, and no more sound came out of their mouths. This legend was taboo, and we were made to understand it.