Page 23 of Voices in the Stars
Focus.I slowed my steps, taking a deep breath. I was trained better than to lose myself in spiraling thoughts. I grew out of those after my mother died the same day as Nari. I was met with the fate of being the only one who could stop him. Nothing was going to stop me now. Certainly not a pretty face under a hood.
We walkedthrough the narrow cobblestone paths of the village. Well, I walked. Atlas was on a mission as he tore through the streets. His head turned to signs that hung above each building, quickly skimming each one before changing his direction. The majority of them had the same drawing of a random animal like the tavern. Others had symbols burned into the wood. None of them mattered to him enough to slow his pace.
I only kept part of my attention focused on watching where he turned next. Being able to take my time was nice. This was the first time I hadn’t been running for my life or fighting some man. It could’ve been peaceful with the tree branches twisting together above our heads, forming an archway above the stony pathways. Birds watched from the branches.
People wandered the streets near us as they entered and left the different buildings. Most ignored us. They stuck together in groups, clutching each other as their laughter rang through the cold morning air. A chill ran down my spine as they turned from each other to Atlas.
Everyone avoided Atlas like he was diseased. Fear twisted their faces as they scrambled away from him, eyes wide as they whispered to each other. Long fingers pointed at him. A couple of people saw him and turned back into the building. There was a loud click as someone locked a door he had walked close to. His flinch was quick as he moved past the building, not botheringwith that sign.
His threats didn’t seem like they would be enough to earn this reaction. Unless he was a murderer.
A chill passed through me with that thought. I pulled the sides of my cloak tighter against me as bumps broke out along my arms. Now I was the one being dramatic. He’d threatened me, but he’d had several chances to end it, and so far, I was still here.
The pathway wound around each of the buildings. As we walked further, the buildings changed. Sweet smelling smoke wafted from buildings. Bright fabrics hung in windows. Everyone was carrying wicker baskets filled with clothing and food.
I focused back on the horned man in front of me. It would be so easy. Just wait until the next group leaves a building, sneak into the middle of them, and follow one of the other paths that would hopefully lead as far from him as possible. I could be free.
My feet slowed until I was just standing there. People separated around Atlas, but joined back together when they reached me. It only took a few moments before I had lost him in the crowd. Was I really going to just follow a murderer?
No. I wasn’t. My heart pounded as I turned from Atlas. My hands trembled as I kept my pace even as I followed the crowd away from him.
This was stupid.I felt like an idiot running around this town. She wouldn’t last long without shoes, though. The fact that she hadn’t said anything was impressive. Not that I talking easy. I grimaced at my own thoughts. This wasn’t the way to get her on my side. As I spotted the building I had been searching for, I spoke up.
“After this, there’s a little café we can stop by. We have a long way to go, and towns like this are going to be hard to come by,” I offered her, still keeping my focus on the passing buildings.
Silence stretched between us. The only sound was the whispering from the others. I sighed, slowing down.
“Look, I know I haven’t been?—"
My words cut off as I turned around. She was gone.Fuck.My hands ran through my hair as my gaze darted around. There was no sign of her anywhere. This town was filled with hundreds that she could kill at any moment. I kept my breathing even as I walked back to where we had just come from.
I just needed to think. Fire couldn’t spread that quick. All I needed was to find her again, kill her if she tried anything. No, I needed to just kill her. Consequences be damned. If she wasn’t going to stay with me, I couldn’t change her mind. This was all going to be pointless, a waste of my breath trying to convince her, just for her to join him in the end.
There she was. A hooded figure was walking down the path in front of me. My breaths felt like they came easier now that I could see her again. There wasn’t much she could get away with. Ijust needed to wait. There were too many people here for what I needed to do next. There was no point in fueling the fear everyone else already felt toward me.
We walked past the inn we stayed at, down the path to where the road branched off into two directions. This was where she stopped. I paused further behind her, hiding most of my body against the side of a building.
Her head swung from side to side as she looked down each path. My brows furrowed as she did this multiple times. We just came this way yesterday. There was no way she had forgotten already. Unless she wasn’t trying to go back.
My thoughts were proven right when she started walking down the path we didn’t take last night. Her actions only fueled more questions. This way led to the ocean. After days of travel, all you would find was water. Maybe a few tiny towns if you lucked into them, but that was it. Did she have someone waiting for her there? That would’ve been easier than convincing Ezryn to derail his own mission to take us to Kilrest. Certainly would’ve saved me from being screamed at by him this morning.
Her steps were uncertain as I followed her deeper into the forest. Her head was on a swivel as she looked everywhere but behind her. Terrible survival instincts. No wonder the Kabora was able to attack her. I was sure she never saw them coming.
It didn’t take long until we were the only ones around. I pulled the dagger out of the sheath on my side. It was time. My steps quickened, still taking each one carefully to stay silent.
Her heart was pounding. For someone who didn’t know I was here, she was terrified. I took several deep breaths, trying to calm the part of me that wanted to sink my teeth into her neck. My fingers tightened around the dagger. Instincts I had fought back years ago were rearing up again.Would she taste as sweet as she smelled?
With a growl, I was on her. My hand wrapped around her mouth just in time to muffle her scream as I dragged her off the path. My hand moved down to her throat as I turned her to face me before shoving her against a tree.
“Do I look like a fucking joke to you?” Isnarled, using my other hand to press the knife against her cheek. My mouth watered as blood trickled down her face. “What have I said that led you to believe you could just fuck around like this?”
I loosened my grip, but all that came from her was a broken sob. Hot tears trickled down her face, turning pink as they mixed with the blood. The fear in her eyes pierced my chest. It left a taste of disgust in my mouth that I hated.
My hand tightened as I threw her down to the ground.
“One thing,” I snapped as she tried to crawl away from me. “I tell you to do one thing. Stay with me and don’t start shit. What do you do?”
“I’m sorry,” she finally choked out.
