Her Darkling

Chapter 4.

I slipped in through the door, surprised that the house was dimly lit with candles. The smell of meat cooking wafted into my nose and I knew Naoma had returned.

Dropping my satchel on the table close to the door, I slid my boots off and unwrapped my already torn shawl from around my neck, making a mental note to patch it up when I was less busy.

I stalked in the kitchen and there she was, cutting up potatoes and carrots. I smiled and walked over to her. "Neoma, you returned quite early."

She turned to me and raised her strawberry-blonde brows. "Early?"

"Yes. I thought you were returning tomorrow. Remember you said you were going to have a long market day today which wouldn't have you returning so late at night due to the risks of wild animals?"

"I can take on animals alone, Nariel," She smiled and brushed a wisp of my hair that had fallen over my face behind my ear. "I heard there was an attack just as I wrapped up sales. I couldn't remain there while two of my kids dallied with danger."

Many times, I forgot that this woman standing before me wasn't my mother. Never for once had she treated me differently from Eldrion. "Dallied with danger?"

She scoffed and picked up the knife and she continued to dice the carrots. "I know you both. You might have decided to stay back and let the attack go on but Eldrion? Not on his life. And where Eldrion goes, so do you."

She was right. I picked up a second knife and focused on the cucumbers. I couldn't just leave Eldrion to fight a demon alone. Hell, we went everywhere together.

"When I returned and didn't see you both," She continued as she limped over to the other side of the kitchen, opening the pot to check the soup boiling on the cooker. "I panicked. I knew for sure that you both were over there, fighting but I couldn't leave the cottage."

Her eyes darted to her left leg and she sighed. She was starting to bother again, starting to get drawn into the pool of self-pity, where she reminded herself she was handicapped and unable to fight like she used to in the past. I hated to see her sad over the fact that they weren't functional like they used to be when she was a ranger—a hunter of night creatures.

She could walk with it but fighting was not an option for her as she had torn her ligament. I walked over to her and took her hand.

"Neoma, I don't think you should feel guilty for not being able to help. We were fine on our own. Eldrion is outside and though he sustained an injury, we both know he's going to heal. As for me, I am fine." I brushed her hair behind her ear and kissed the top of her forehead before pulling her into a hug.

She chuckled. "Sometimes, I wonder what I did to deserve you."

"You were the only one who took me in, Naoma. You taught me to fight. Everything I know is because of you."

She looked up at me, her eyes brimming with tears. Wiping it off, she pulled away and blinked several times. This was the first time I'd seen her show any form of emotion since I could remember. Perhaps she had likely been really worried about our safety.

"Tell me what happened." She said as she took out plates from the rack. She went for smaller bowls for soup and a bigger one for meat.

"We were returning from the town square when we heard the commotion. We thought it was the usual raiding attack which the army could take care of but it turned out to be demons, three, and different."

Silence prevailed for a long time and I began to recollect the memories from hours ago, and somehow, it warped into the old ones and once again, I could see blood everywhere. I saw her body, lying lifeless as the last drop of her blood trickled to the ground. I heard his voice, deep and menacing as he hovered toward me—

I snapped out of my reverie when she placed a hand on mine. "You don't have to talk about it if you don't want to, Nariel."

"I want to talk about it," I laughed softly. "I just zoned out for a minute."

"That's your body wanting to forget what happened in the past. Today's event only triggers it. You don't have to say anything. I can talk to Eldrion instead."

I nodded and smiled. "Thank you, Naoma."

She patted my cheek softly. "I just don't want you both diving right into it. It's dangerous. You both would have lost your lives in the process and I tell you this so you can relay it to Eldrion. He's stubborn when it comes to Twinecrest business."

"I'll talk to him."

She sighed. "I really love that you both are out there and protecting people but these are demons and you must learn how to fight them. I hope they never return."

"I hope so, too," I replied but my voice was filled with so much uncertainty.

✪✪✪

Minutes later, we were done setting the dinner table. Eldrion was yet to come in. We both settled into our respective chairs around the dining table and Neoma picked up a flat dish.

"Where is Eldrion and why haven't I seen him?"

"He's probably outside," I replied and pushed my seat back. "I'll take his food out to him."

"That would be okay," Neoma smiled and dished out his meal on a ceramic plate with intricate patterns warping around their surfaces. This was Eldrion's favorite.

I grabbed a tray and gently placed his food into it before I added mine. I looked up to see her staring at me, her moss-green orbs filled with curiosity. "Do you mind if I join him outside?"

"Of course not. I don't mind. I guess I'd just eat alone."

I made a beeline for the small room adjoining the dining room, crossing the corridor and I made my way to the door with the tray in my hands. Using my feet, I pulled the door open and wedged it with my arms before slipping out.

I found him behind the house, shirtless and seated on the haystack. He was stargazing with so much interest and I stood there, watching him. He had gotten broader over the months. I could tell from the width of his back and the narrowness of his waist. I have always found him appealing. Oddly appealing.

My eyes moved from his mop of red hair that he had let loose. They moved with the wind, brushing his nape. And so my gaze traveled down his back and I took in the contours of his body, one that was forged out from years of training and all I wanted to do was feel the skin of his back, run my hand down his muscular arms, down every crevice, every muscle and patch of skin.

I snapped out of my daze, berating myself for looking at Eldrion that way. I walked over to the haystack, reminding myself that he was my brother. Brother. We didn't have to be related by blood. We had grown up as siblings and that was what we were ever going to be. Perhaps.

"Hey," I said as I took a seat right beside him, turning my face away when his delicate masculine scent wafted into my nose. I didn't want anything to give me any more ideas than I had already warped up.

Eldrion turned to look at me, a slight crease on his handsome face. His green eyes narrowed and widened when I placed the tray beside me. "I was going to have dinner later, Nariel. You shouldn't have bothered."

"Well, Neoma wanted me to," I shrugged and began to demarcate our plates. "And you stayed out for too long."

"Mother is back?" He shot a brow up.

"Didn't you sense her, wolf?" I teased.

He pinched my arm and I yelped. "You know I am not fully in my element."

"Yes, I do." My eyes wandered to his chest and caught the wound on the side of his belly. He had taken off the shawl around it. Before I could make up a coherent thought, I reached out and touched him there. He flinched and his face contorted in pain. "I'm sorry!"

He chuckled. "It's fine."

"Does it still hurt?"

"As hell," He replied softly. "But it's healing slowly. I just had to sit here to heal faster."

I picked up his plate of soup and dropped a few chunks of meat into it before pushing it into his chest. "Here, have it. You need to eat too. It'll help you heal faster."

"You believe that?" He asked with an amused look as he scooped a spoon into his mouth. He chewed slowly for a moment before closing his eyes and moaning in delight. "You definitely didn't make this. You've never made something this good."

I smacked him on the arm, causing him to tip over and his plate of soup to slosh to the side. "Nariel! You're going to make me spill this."

"Maybe don't mock my cooking skills or I'd be forced to tip it over your head next time." I retorted. "I make top-notch meals."

He nodded, his voice dripping with sarcasm. "Yes, you do make top-notch meals. Meals fit for a king."

I caught him by the nape of his neck, grabbing him real hard and making him nearly puke out his meal. "Don't make fun of me, get that?"

He nodded frantically, coughing profusely as he tried to move out of my hold. I released him and handed him a mug. "Here. Drink up."

He gulped down its content and hit his chest before glaring at me. "When are you going to stop bullying me?"

"When you learn to show some respect."

"Now, she demands for what she can not reciprocate."

I glared at him before grabbing my plate and diving into my food. We ate in silence, occasionally pointing at the stars and constellations. We even tried detecting animals by their nocturnal sounds and once we were done eating, I packed up our plates and placed the tray beside me.

"How's she doing?" Eldrion asked.

"Well," I replied and looked at him. He usually worried a lot about Neoma and didn't let her do a lot of things. That was why cooking had been assigned to me. But after one day of being so unproductive, Neoma stood her ground and decided that trading in the next town wasn't a bad idea. It had caused problems between them both but with time, Eldrion was made to understand that she couldn't keep wallowing in self-pity because she had lost her sense of smooth movement in her left leg. She had to live regardless of the odds against her. "She was worried though. She returned home and I'm sure she must have panicked but she said she's proud of us."

Eldrion smiled. "I wasn't expecting her to say otherwise."

I knew where he was driving. "Not now, Eldrion. Let's not talk about this?"

"We're going to talk about it anyway," He shrugged. "I just need you to hear me out. I don't want to get into an argument with you over this. I totally understand the dislike you have for them. How we have been treated over the years but people change, you know?"

"They still haven't changed, Eldrion," I replied. "You know that? You know how they spat at us today before the attack, right? Those are the people you defend?"

"I am not in any way defending them, Nariel. I just want you to see the reasons. The General coming to us is progress. It is an olive branch they are stretching out to us and if we can prove ourselves to them, maybe they will accept us."

Maybe.

I stood to my feet and grabbed the tray before looking at him. "Look at you, trying to prove yourself to people who don't give a f**k about you! You can join the army if you want. I don't give a f**k about it either. I won't walk into a camp of people who only want to exploit my skills. And trust me, Eldrion, no good would come out of it. You're going to regret it!"

"Don't you think you're overanalyzing this, Nariel?!" Eldrion cried and stood to his feet. He towered above me but I wasn't going to cower.

"No! I am not! We are outcasts and that is all we'll ever be!" I stomped my foot into the stony ground, angry that Eldrion was vehemently refusing to see my point. "Have you forgotten how we were treated when we arrived here first? How we were humiliated? How we had to stand in the midst of them, Neoma holding onto us as she pleaded to be accepted by the townsfolk of Twinecrest? Do you remember how they called us cursed people and labeled us a bad omen? Oh, yes, their chief took mercy upon us and sent us to the hill but he didn't do that because he wanted to! He did that because he wanted to keep his name respectable! Or have you forgotten how cheap we sell our gems? Jade? Onyx? You know how long it takes for us to break through layers of rocks, sometimes, getting injured in the process to bring out precious stones and gems? The process of purifying and carving? Only for it to be sold cheaper than a f*****g piece of fake gold! Only to get the price of a granite!"

I was breathing heavily now, my insides brewing as anger coursed through my veins. My hate for these people had renewed and I wished we hadn't saved them. I wished we had let the demons destroy them because hell, they deserved it and more!

Eldrion was quiet. He was staring at me and I couldn't tell what he was feeling from his expression. He was good at concealing his expression. Leaves rustled in the wind and a crow cried from afar.

"You're the most stubborn woman I've ever met, Nariel."

"Well, I am the only one you've ever met."

"What drives you to be this stubborn? You always have something to counterattack with."

"Try to be less of a pushover and you'll become a hateful person like me. Get rid of your idealism and get acquainted with the harshness of reality."

"I'd rather live in the delusion of the dark-haired beauty finding me appealing," I gave him an incredulous look and he shrugged. "She probably has a crush on me but is too shy to actually speak out, you know?"

"Come off it!" I laughed.

"Or come off the fact that you find General Eamon appealing but chose to pretend by being rude to him to hide your emotions?"

I gently placed the tray on the haystack and turned to face him. "What did you just say?"

"You like the General. I see why. He's utterly good-looking and fierce. You only fall in love with dangerous men."

"I have never been in love, you scumbag."

"Tell me," He said as he walked over to me. "You wanted him to look at you, right? You wanted his eyes running down your body and sending sparks flying over your head, right?"

Planting my left foot on the ground, I made to kick him but he moved out of the way. I tipped over, nearly falling on my back but he was quick to catch me, his arms wrapping around my waist.

Our eyes locked. His blue-green eyes darkened and for once, I believed he shared the same attraction I had for him.

Our breath mingled and he angled his face towards me, staring into my eyes. It had to be some sort of delusion. I was probably in Eldrion's mind right now, thinking this moment was happening. But his breath fanned my nose and I felt the closeness of his lush lips against mine.

The moment ended as soon as it began with Eldrion pulling away and clearing his throat.

We avoided each other's eyes as we tried to cut the tension that suddenly filled the air.

Suddenly, Eldrion's ears perked up and he c****d his head to the side, frowning. "I hear sounds coming from the other side of the cliff."

Before I could reply, he walked over to the edge of the cliff, looked over before turning back to look at me.

"What are they doing here?" I asked, gently returning the tray to its position as a sense of awareness filled my body. If they were here, then it meant something was wrong. Very wrong.

I still had two knives hidden close to my ribs. I walked over to see the men down below.

"Over here!" One of them called when they caught sight of us. "We need to talk to you both!"

"Are you with your weapon, Eldrion?" I asked as we both made our way down the cliff.

"I don't think it's anything to worry about," Eldrion said with an eager smile. I scoffed. Did he think they were here to apologize for treating us like outcasts?

Over ten men were gathered at the foot of the hill. Three men held fire torches and a guard was amongst them.

I held Eldrion from speaking and stood before them instead. "To what do we owe this unpleasant visit?"

"We will not speak to a woman." A man, probably in his late sixties spoke, his voice filled with disdain and the urge to give him a deep gash overcame me.

"If you will not speak, then I suggest that you all turn and make your way back to your Town. You really need a good night's rest after today's commotion."

"I'll speak to them." Eldrion stepped forward. I glared at him before stepping to the side. Eldrion turned to the men and smiled. "To what do we owe this visit?"

My eyes rolled to the back and I might have needed to smack him upside down his head but all my seething was directed at the misogynistic men standing before me.

"We come here directly from the chief," The first man spoke. "After what happened today, we are starting to suspect that you had a thing or two to do with the attack. Therefore, you both will be subjected to a test to prove that you are not one of those demons at the perimeter tomorrow morning, alongside your mother.”