Silence found its way into the air, weighing heavily on our shoulders once more.
“I think sending a small team to scout is a good idea, not to use them instead of us though,” Lionel said carefully. “But it would give Ethalyn more time to heal before heading out.”
“I don’t need—” I hissed.
“One more night, that’s all,” Lionel said, his eyespiercing into mine.
“I can head out with the scouts, if that makes you feel better,” Eve suggested. “It wouldn’t sit right with me to send others in our stead.”
“Yeah, I’ll join,” Lionel added. “I’ll get restless otherwise.”
“Me too,” Jaden nodded.
“What? I don’t want to miss out on action,” Ashley fumed and Eve scoffed.
“Well, if all of you are going anyway, there’s no use in me staying, is there?” Nate shrugged.
Wait, so I was the only one staying behind? As if I had said the words out loud, I felt him shifting his weight to one leg, closing the distance between us slightly and I glanced up and met with Malakai’s eyes.
Shit.
I pouted as the others left camp, a slight fear lingering; what if they never came back again? What if I stood here, sending them into their deaths?
I shivered, turned on my heel and walked away.
The soldiers in the camp had already installed plenty of tents for everyone to sleep in, supply tents, campfires, and even a tent for washing off the stench living as a soldier brought. Thankfully, they had placed it a bit outside the camp, to secure some privacy, and I figured I needed it, if only to clean my wound. Some water mages had arrived with the reinforcements, so in other words, I didn’t hold back and filled the simple wooden bathtub so that it was all the way to the edge when I slid into it.
The water wasn’t even close to the same warmth I had in Runora, but that was also a luxury inn in comparison… At least it wasn’t freezing cold. Maybe if I tried producing fire underneath the surface? Would that even work?
I looked down at my hands, focusing, and a few bubbles began rising, along with a slow wave of warmth.
“Need some help?”
The voice made me jolt, and my head turned fast as I saw Malakai standing a few feet away from the tub. When our eyes met, a knowing smirk spread on his lips as he began rolling up his sleeves.
“What—” I stammered.
“Relax, sweetie,” he chuckled low.
Quickly I crossed my arms over my chest, glaring at him as my cheeks burned. He pulled up a stool placing it behind me. My heart was already slamming against my ribs.
“What are you doing?” I said, voice more collected this time.
“Helping you wash,” he answered easily as if it was the most natural thing in the world.
His hands scooped up my hair, and with careful and gentle motions, using his fingers to comb through it.
“How’s the wound?” he asked, voice lowered.
Was he still feeling guilty about it?
“A bit uncomfortable when I stretch,” I admitted.
He huffed, I could almost hear the smile in it. “Strange, you tend to say, ‘I’m fine’.”
I bit my lower lip. “No point in lying, you see through it anyways.”
His hands stilled for a brief moment, before he began massaging my scalp.
