From what Levi had seen and heard in Ash’s shop, that was an understatement.
“His early ones probably weren’t any good, but that wasn’t the point. You could hunt with traps, and slow people down. He didn’t think he could defend himself, but all I could think of was a day a month before, when two bandits had chased me across half of Vaska. I’d have given a leg to have one of his traps then.”
Levi imitated Naavah Ora and raised an eyebrow. “Why did they chase you?”
“I put herbs to make them sleep into their wine and stole their money. The herbs didn’t work.”
Levi laughed. He couldn’t remember the last time he’d laughed out loud, but it felt good.
Doran smiled. “We left two days later, once I had got my strength back and we bought some supplies. His dad wasn’t too happy about it, but I don’t think Ash cared. When we got to Vaska, he wanted to go to Kuuldam, and I wanted to stay in Alt Võina for a while, so we split.” Doran paused for a moment before a wide grin spread on his lips. “How come you’re so interested in my love life with Ash? Are you jealous?”
Levi blushed, and fell back. He wasn’t jealous. He had no reason to be. So why were his cheeks burning?
He wasn't always violent. Please believe this. He didn't do what he did because he hated his people, just like I didn't do what I did because I hated mine. In a way, we both acted out of love. But human minds are so biased, and so dark, that I don't expect you’ll see the truth. You only see the tyrant he became. Perhaps that's what you see in both of us. I know what the clan leaders say about me, and it saddens me that they’ll never know the truth.
Chapter 37
Naavah Ora
Setting up camp had been easy when it was just the three of them, but fitting four people around one small fire wasn’t as simple. Naavah Ora chose a spot closer to the fire and farther away from Ash. She’d have been happy to continue walking, but Doran insisted. It had got dark outside, and she was tired.
“One of us should stand watch at all times,” she said. “We can swap after a few hours.”
“I’ll go first,” Doran said. “The rest of you get some sleep.”
No one protested.
“Wake me when you want to sleep,” Ash said. Levi watched him, and to Naavah Ora’s surprise he even glared a little. Hadn’t Levi been curious about him a few hours ago? What had changed? It’d be nice if she wasn’t the only one who found Ash irritating.
“I’ll take second watch,” Levi said. Ash waved him off, stoking the flames between them. She’d never met anyone this oblivious to the mood around him.
“It’s fine,” Ash said. “You need the sleep more. I don’t—”
“I’ll take second watch after Doran,” Levi said again, and Ash took the hint.
“Suit yourself. I’ll be right here, warm and comfy by the fire.”
Naavah Ora got up. It had been a while since she’d tried to open the gateway to Dunhă. She didn’t want to waste more time; she needed to practise now more than ever.
“Where are you going?” Doran asked. “I’ll try not to jump you when you come back. I might mistake the rustling branches for bandits if I don’t know where you’ll come from.”
“I’m not going that far. I’ll just be over there, not ten minutes from here.” After a brief pause she decided to be honest. He had earned that much, and he wouldn’t be able to help her if she kept secrets from him. “If anything goes wrong you’ll hear it.”
In the warm light of their fire, Doran paled. Naavah Ora didn’t think he was scared of much, but spirits and the dead—or anything related to magic—terrified him. She imagined Ceallach’s reputation had done that to many Cediriee. All the more reason to be grateful for Doran’s help and repay him with honesty.
“You’re going to try opening that portal thing again?”
“It’s been too long since I last tried it.” When she returned to her clan, she wanted to tell her grandmother that she’d mastered it by herself. She didn’t want to be her grandmother’s successor because they were related by blood, but because she’d earned it. And if her nightmares came true and the Dread King was raising an army of dead, she needed to be ready.
Ash laughed. “Wake me if an army of angry spirits invades our camp, will you?”
She glared over the fire. “If that happens, you’ll wake up to a knife pressed against your throat.”
“The angry spirit army takes prisoners?”
“No.” She left it at that. Better to let him wonder for a while. “I won’t be gone for long, an hour at most.”
As much as she’d wanted to keep walking and reach Z’rasie sooner rather than later, she was tired. People made mistakes when they weren’t rested, and it wouldn’t be long before her mind couldn’t focus on her task. An hour was ambitious and too short, but it was better than nothing.
She stepped through the thick bushes and looked up as she walked. The clear night sky was beautiful and provided her with all the light she needed. She stopped when she reached a small clearing. It didn’t give her much space and was a little farther away from their camp than she’d meant to go, but she couldn’t be choosy.
Naavah Ora took off her shoes and sighed when the grass closed around her toes and caressed her feet. The cobblestone road was too rough for her to walk barefoot, but tonight at least, her shoes would stay off.
She threw them away from her and sat. Her hands felt the warm ground beneath her, her lungs took in the fresh air, and her senses reached out to her surroundings. Too much time had passed since she’d connected with the forest. Her grandmother had told her stories of their old kingdom and the rituals the elves had taken part in then. Everyone had been connected to nature; feeling out to it as she was doing now had been part of their daily routine.
Of course, her grandmother had only heard this in stories herself. For all Naavah Ora knew it wasn’t true, but there was a feeling she had deep within herself when she connected to the forest like this that made her think it was true. It felt right. It made her feel alive and at home, even all the way out here. No matter how far away she travelled, she would always be connected to her family. The forest was her home. She felt just as welcome here as she’d felt in her village.
She reached a little deeper and searched for the connection between this world and the spirit realm.
Ithrean guide me.
It was faint, but she sensed it. It was an afterthought, too flimsy to be caught entirely, but she focused on it and pulled it toward her. Now she just needed to strengthen it.
Ithrean guide me. Ithrean protect me.
The connection came easier this time. She smiled. The barest touch of mist curled up around her ankles and around her thigh, her knee, her waist.
Naavah Ora opened her eyes. The familiar mists filled her small clearing, and she had called them by herself. She took one step forward and willed the portal to open. The mists deepened, thickened, and behind them she sensed the comforting otherness of Ithrean’s realm.
The gateway wasn’t stable by any means, but it only needed to be stable enough to walk through. Just for one minute. Just this once. She had spent so much time in Dunhă that it felt like a second home to her. Suf’afir were expected to observe the spirits once a week at least, but her grandmother had made her practise twice, sometimes three times a week. The red grass and pale-violet sky were as familiar to her as anything so foreign could be.