ya's

carriage. There, I found an old scroll and a quill, along with a small jar of black ink. I began

act itself was enough. Something about the quiet scratch of

ning, we ca

nything, go ahead before dinner's rea

nto the nearby woods, not too far, but just enough to breathe. I settled beneath an old

sting meat hung thick in the air, Xareth's men were gathered around the fire.

y before gently pushing him back and closing the door. Even after years of sol

the camp. When the last voices faded into the night, I slipped out

ven after the connecting chain was removed, not even the boldest am

his presence marked by the familiar chain I had grown to

e again," he whispered as I r

around us like a blanket. Then I pulled ou

" Zevarion said, though he

ied, my voice a

nt of this meat, there'll be

you've eaten," I said, brus

at. None of them spoke to me or spared me a glance. To them, I was still the cursed girl, the shadow

ewing slowly, his eyes flicking toward the shadows where the others sat in silence. I c

Part of me thought it served them right. Zevarion ate, not for himself

us, someone had heard the soft sounds of chewing. A thin man crawle

g. Others behind him turned to look. Wh

a piece and offered it. The man stared at

ch," he sneered, "I'd

onto the dirt like it was poison

r from this 'evil woman'" I jabbed my thumb toward my chest "or that man over there.

urged with rage, but before I could say more, Zevarion ge

k. "I understand your anger, truly. But if we want to survive this,

tossed it toward a small figure behind him. A young woman. His

ion turned to me, his voi

rything that's happened to them... it's natural. They don't see you the way I do.

ike a warm cloak, and yet... I felt

ong after, the same girl appeared beside the man who burned their homes and took them priso

t understand what I was going through. And tr

it in silence this time. Slowly, he crawled back toward his

evarion asked, his voice quiet but

My heart skipped a beat, and for a

I replied, my voice b

I didn't fully understand myself? How could I put into words the way

ace for a moment long

"if you don't want him close

g to mask the flicker of fe

asked, teasing to lighte

he said witho

aped me. "You know he

ng as though death meant nothing if it c

poetry in his voice, no dramati

d something inside me clenched. I wasn't sure what I had

rise from his seat and glance around th

ithdrawing from Zevarion's wa

le tinged with sad

ike a shadow, circling back u

sked, stepping out fr

tively going to his blade, until he

had taken you awa

at if they did?" I raised an eyebro

ded into som

in this forest," he said flatl

ot because they were cruel, but because

is gaze that wasn't just about power or possession, it was someth

thoughts began to spiral, t

would d

ould kil

hand, and the other who offered violence in the name of devotion. It was like stand