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“In the village I’m from, the more complex the braid, the more beautiful you are,” she explains. She grabs the dresses from the chair and starts presenting them to me. “Master Kazrith was going to sell these in his shop, but then he decided to gift them all to you.”
Despite everything, he chose me over his business. Me over his money.
And yet, this is all going to end soon. Why did my life start improving so much ever since I met Kazrith? Why am I the happiest I’ve ever been since I’ve been at the demon’s side?
“Would you like to choose one?” Hilka asks. “Personally, I think the green one goes well with your skin tone. And it matches your eyes. Ah, humans are such fascinating creatures! I’ve never known anyone else with such green eyes before.”
Hilka spends the rest of her time with me, helping me choose a dress and sliding it onto my body. When we finish, she hurries me along to meet with Kazrith in the dining room, where a grand breakfast awaits.
I appreciate her and her honesty about Kazrith, but at the same time, it’s complicated my emotions over him even more. Because she just confirmed to me that he’s being genuine. He has changed his ways for me, albeit slightly. And he’s willing to put aside his business if it means making me happy.
How am I supposed to walk away from him, knowing all of this? How am I supposed to go on with my life without him when I’d rather be by his side for the rest of my days?
Our revenge plan should be at the forefront of my priorities, but the more time I spend with Kazrith, all of that falls away. He’s become too important to me, and I don’t know if I’m ready to give him up when everything is said and done.
22
KAZRITH
Ipack only the bare essentials for the trip ahead to New Solas. Hanna appears in the doorway to my bedroom, leaning against its frame as she smiles.
“Not bringing much with you?” she asks.
“No,” I respond. “The lighter the load, the quicker we can move around. Besides, we… I mean… I don’t plan on staying in the xaphan capital very long.”
An awkward silence ensues as she nods and peers to the ground, perhaps realizing she won’t be returning here with me.
“Are you ready to go?”
She looks back up at me with melancholic eyes, the glimmer of happiness in them seemingly overshadowed by our pending end.
I close the doors as Hanna walks out. She looks around in confusion.
“No carriage?” she asks.
“I thought we could walk to the docks. It’s not too far from here, and some fresh air would do us good.”
She smiles and offers her hand for me to hold.
“That’s a good idea. I don’t want to get there too quickly, anyway.”
We walk at an ambling pace, laughing and chatting. I point out sights to her that she hasn’t yet seen in her stay here.
Every so often, I remember this isn’t a real relationship, that our union was for the sake of a cover for her living here.
It only adds weight to the pit in my stomach, because this feels too damn real to me.
I yell at carriages that ride too close to us and hold her hand extra tight when we traverse uneven ground. Actions that a protector like me would happily do for Hanna for the rest of my life.
If only we had that life to spend together. In another world, we may have gotten to be together in the end, but this is Aerasak. Fortune isn’t a common part of everyone’s lives.
And even with all of my luxuries and material goods, there’s no treasure I’ve had quite like Hanna.
I’d give it all away if it meant a lifetime with you.
The sight of the docks coming into view is a stark reminder of our mission, a renewed focus taking its place in my mind of what lies ahead of us.
My head becomes a battleground of three thoughts – reuniting Hanna with her father, taking down Zathex, and losing the love of my life forever.
