Above is how I imagine Aisling. I don't own it lol
Aisling POV
Aisling saw the goon hurl a dagger toward the boy, and quickly stepped in front of him, hoping she could solidify herself enough to catch it.
Luckily, her practice had paid off, and the dagger caught in her chest, knocking the wind out of her lungs.
It was only a scratch on her real body, though.
As soon as the men left, Aisling saw the boy give a relieved sigh.
She knew she would face questions, so she pulled her soul back into her body without hesitation.
Her vision went from a blur of two different worlds to the tiny attic room in the spirit catcher's manor.
Khaleesi was the oldest spirit-wanderer in Armiad, making her the automatic 'catcher', or discipliner, of the spirit-wanderers.
She was okay, only punishing those who caused trouble with their spirits.
It was her second-in-command, Crius, that Aisling didn't like.
He was rude and arrogant, making it against the rules for anyone to spirit-lead without his permission, though it was against the rules to not spirit-lead once you found someone.
The only reason Aisling could find for this was that Crius didn't want the girls he liked to find another man through spirit-leading.
What a selfish man.
_______________________________________
"Duck!"
Too late.
The arrow whizzed through the air, heading straight for the boy from yesterday.
Aisling closed her eyes and imagined herself reforming to push him out of the way.
Her eyes popped open and he stumbled to the ground beside her seconds before the arrow struck Aisling and lodged in her shoulder.
She pulled it out like before, squinting in the dark.
"Are you okay?" A concerned voice mirrored Aisling's worries.
A woman hurried over with a young boy carrying a bow.
Aisling let herself fade from sight, watching.
"Yeah, I'm fine. I tripped at just the right moment, I guess." The boy glanced around, obviously trying to find Aisling.
The woman let out a relieved breath. "I told you to be more careful." She scolded the boy as they headed back inside their home.
"Where did you go?" The boy mumbled almost incoherently, tearing a hand through his messy honey blond hair.
Aisling slowly reformed, as she didn't want to startle him.
He sighed. "You keep coming and going."
Aisling looked down. "Sorry. It's hard to stay away for lengths of time."
"What do you mean?"
"When I appear like this, my spirit is separate from my body. I can't stay that way for too long or I become a ghost permanently." Aisling explained.
The boy nodded.
After a moment, he looked up and met Aisling's eyes.
"I never got your name."
"Aisling."
He smiled. "That's pretty."
"Thanks." She felt her cheeks warm. "What about you?"
He looked to the side, staring across the street to the canal leading to the ocean. "I'm Valen."
Aisling smiled.
"I need to go now. I'll find you tomorrow?" Her words came out as more of a question than she intended.
Valen nodded, his eyes never leaving hers as she faded back into her body.
