Page 60 of A Whisper of Cinders

I have no appetite in the slightest, but since I nearly passed out not that long ago, eating something isn’t the baddest idea. “How did you find me? You didn’t know where I was or that I was going to the greenhouse. I was completely off the path and you couldn’t have possibly seen me through the trees. So, how did you find me?”

Aramis pulls a chair back and gestures for me to sit on it. “I’ll be right back.”

He orders all sorts of pastries and a cup of hot chocolate and places it in front of me. For a moment, I think he’ll ignore my question and I’m about to drop it, when he starts speaking.

“It’s true, I didn’t know you were going to be there, but we did know Arlo was in the woods, gathering herbs and plants that only grow in the wild. They only grow in certain places, but Arlo’s used to look for them, so it never takes that long for him to return.” He sighs, taking a sip from the sweet drink in front of him. “When he didn’t return after an hour, we grew worried. It’s not like him to wander around, especially not if it’s something we urgently need. That’s when I went out and started searching. Finding you…well, that was an unexpected lucky coincidence.”

His words make sense, yet something inside me tells me there is something he is hiding from me. Blaming it on my paranoia, I resist the urge to ask more, I’m too tired either way. I pull the pastry to me and take a small bite, tasting cinnamon and sugar on my tongue.

“Why were you alone in the woods?”

I halt mid bite, his words sound tense, angry even. The expression that goes with it, the worry I see in his eyes, is…unexpected. “I told you, I was on my way to the greenhouse and heard a bellow of pain. What was I supposed to do? Ignore someone obviously in pain? Let him die?” I place a hand on my chest. “Hate to break it to you, Aramis, but that’s not who I am. I will always help someone in need. Always.”

His frown softens, the tension in his shoulders easing. “I know, I’m sorry. I’m just relieved you’re okay.”

I close my eyes, massaging my right temple to ease the throbbing pain that is building there. A sharp clink of glass on wood makes me crack an eye open.

“This should help with the pain,” Siri says before she sits down next to me. I didn’t even hear her nearing us. There is a small vial standing in front of me. “You look awful.”

“Thank you, and what pain?” I ask warily.

“The one that is cracking your head open. Drink up, I heard you had quite the eventful morning. Are you alright?”

I don’t bother asking how she knows any of that. Maybe Aramis briefed her earlier.

“I think so.” I mutter, reaching for the vial.

“Do you want to talk about it?”

And to my biggest surprise, I do.

Aramis grabs another mug for Siri and I start talking.

CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE

They won’t let me see him. Arlo. Not even a week after the incident. I ask Aramis about it, but he tells me his current state is critical, no visits allowed. But he’s stable, so I hold on to that.

I spent most of my early mornings training with Conláed, although I haven’t thrown any punches or learned how to actually defend myself. We keep running and breathing, running and breathing. He tried to let me run outside once, said the cold air might do wonders for my laboured breathing. I nearly fell after two whole minutes, unable to see the hidden branches covered by snow.

But I am improving, even if the progress is slow. My pace doesn’t slow down until ten minutes in and I don’t feel like coughing up a lung anymore. He also added some core exercises, saying I definitely need those too. Nothing too labouring, but it does make my muscles ache.

He is still a smug, hot bastard. And I can’t count how many times I’ve wanted to throw something at his face. Hard. His arrogant confidence makes my blood boil. But oh, when his eyes connect with mine. I can’t breathe. And it’s not because of my terrible physical condition.

I’m headed over there now. He expects me at six o’clock sharp every day. One day, I was five minutes late, and he made sure I knew it too. It was the second time I was late and he didn’t go easy on me. He said if I can stay in bed five minutes longer, I can work harder in the dojo as well.

The training ends at nine, which my aching muscles are grateful for. It makes me appreciate the shower afterwards even more. My delightful shower session is followed by breakfast number two or maybe I should call it brunch. Because yes, three hours of training does make me hungry again.

I get one hour of Apothecary training by Mrs Bloomhart, who I sometimes catch staring at me in wonder. I learn how you make a balm and a herbal syrup. It sounds easy, but you can’t rush the process and after one week, I haven’t successfully created…anything.

I spent my afternoons with Aramis or Siri, equally as joyous and relaxing, especially in comparison to the mornings I used to have at Anima.

Siri teaches me all there is to learn about the greenlife. I marvel at all the knowledge she already has. Sometimes we eat in the greenhouse when we’re too caught up in our tasks at hand. I don’t know how I survived this long without digging my hands in the dirt or watering plants, it is very therapeutic.

And when I’m with Aramis, everything feels so easy. We sometimes help with the meal packages, or we go for a walk around the domain. Somehow, he always knows exactly what to say, how to make me laugh. The real laugh, one that I haven’t heard in a long while.

Whenever our skin meets, totally by accident, a tingling sensation travels up my arm. But it happens with Siri as well. It’s not that it is unpleasant, but I never had this at Anima before. Maybe it’s something in the air here?

Aramis fills the gap Ami left, they both do actually. And although it still pains my heart to know she isn’t around anymore and I end up crying myself to sleep nearly every night, they both are a balm that soothes the pain.