Chapter 145 - Shardeigh

On horseback, they travelled through the forest until the evening. Evanna and Ronan were relieved to have no difficulties on the way and even found a few corpses of the faceless creatures along the way. Evanna presumed they were left behind by Killian; their bodies still appeared to be relatively fresh. She doubted they were killed by the Flori because they would have ambushed them by now.

Evanna and Ronan now sat fireside, their weapons by their sides, eating some bread Ronan managed to steal at the camp. Side by side, they sat in comfortable silence, though there were many questions on their minds. "Are Ger and Axel safe?" Evanna asked after finishing the last of her bread.

"The last I saw of them was in Kuramji. They were unharmed at the Snake Pitt Inn," Ronan replied while using a stick to move some of the wood in the fire. Evanna nodded her head in response, once again worrying about her friends. She was so glad to see Ronan was faring well, even if he was at the mercy of the royal guard and Conrad and his men. 

"And Cilv.." She mumbled unintentionally aloud. 

"She.. was always going to be a liability. We knew that.." Ronan replied quietly, trying to tread carefully with the subject as he stared into the flickering orange flames. 

"We needed her, you know that. Otherwise, I would have never hired her," She replied, then scoffed at herself.

Ronan twisted in his seat then grabbed Evanna's gloved hand into his own. She looked at her hand in his and followed his arm to his face, where he watched her. "Evanna.." He squeezed her hand gently, "We really didn't need her. You were, no are so skilful. You just needed to believe in yourself more. Look at how far you've come by yourself. Ger, Axel and I.. we are only your guards and, if need be, will help in your decisions, but Cilv.. what did she truly do for you?"

"She taught me how to kill," Evanna replied bluntly, pulling her hand back from his. "But.." She looked off towards the trees, pulling her legs towards herself and hugged them. "I know this sounds stupid and pathetic, but.. I started to see her as an older sister.. one I've never had. She was the one to harshly tell me how naïve I was and how I needed to guard myself more."

"You already have a sister-"

Evanna laughed, cutting off the rest of what Ronan was to say. "Please, Isabel does not count as my sister. I'm quite certain either she or her mother have tried assassinating me at least three times," She sighed, "And now the person who I used to get such information from and help with my plans is now to be imprisoned." 

But that was not even the worst part of this. Cilv's betrayal could quite possibly cost her mother's life. "I am truly sorry-" 

"*Stop* This is not your fault." Evanna held her hand up, halting Ronan's apology. "We can only move forwards now. I cannot waste any more time. We will travel to Lyvaria unless Killian manages to cure my mother."

Ronan frowned at her response. "Killian.. he was the man you were with.. Who.. was he? I had an awful feeling meeting him. Yet you have sent him off with the task of curing your mother? Do you really trust a man I presume you have not known long?"

Evanna smiled gently at Ronan's doubtful and protective tone. "Killian is indebted to me, and he has the power to save her. I hope.. I have only seen him heal my injury."

"Indebted or not, you do not know this man well.."

"I did not know you well, Ronan. But I put my faith in you-"

"No, you put your faith in Ger. Axel and I are his friends." Ronan held a finger up and looked at her sternly. "How is Killian any better than the physicians who have already seen your mother? This Killian fellow.." He trailed off after reading her determined and stubborn expression and sighed. "Well, I do hope he lives up to your expectations. So.. the plan is to go to Lyvaria.."

Evanna could see how anxious Ronan was about Killian; it was best not to tell him Killian was a vampire. "Yes, if you are still willing to follow me.." She smiled gently after reading Ronan's expression, which said she was stupid for thinking otherwise. "Well.. We will head towards Lyvaria until I hear news from Killian. If he is unsuccessful, then at least we have not wasted any time." 

Evanna stared back into the fire, clutching her arms tighter as worry began to fill her tense body. All of this was because of Cilv.. No.. It was her mistake to give even an ounce of trust to that shapeshifter. She momentarily closed her eyes, releasing a tired sigh; there was no point dwelling over it now. What was done is done, and all she can do is move forwards. But she couldn't sit there like everything was okay because the Lyvarians had the gemstone.

That shapeshifter did not consider the implications this could cause between the kingdoms. Cilv probably saw the gold and ran. "What are you thinking, Evanna?" Ronan whispered. She glanced to her side and almost jumped back from how close he was. She must have been so absorbed in her thoughts not to notice such a thing. 

However, she did not move. Ronan was not in her personal space like how Arawn would get. He was just simply sitting closer to her.

"The gemstone is important to the Flori. This is not just about a human stealing from them and hurting their reputation. But I am also not familiar with the politics between the Flori and Lyvarians. My teacher in Dunhurst did not exactly explain much about the elven lands. Even when I frequented the library at King Thalinal's palace, I was reading about the Flori, not Lyvarians," She sighed once more and started to tap her finger on her arm in thought. 

"Do the Lyvarians know what the gemstone is.. and would they use this to their advantage?" Evanna continued with her countless thoughts aloud, "But unless they know how to activate it.. Then I am the only person who knows how to use it."

Ronan frowned, then flopped onto his back, lying down by her side, turning to his side and resting his head in his hand, balancing his elbow on the ground. "Cilv took the instructions and the stone.." He began; his voice was low, almost cautious as he watched her warily.

Evanna lay down and mirrored his positioning, a smirk tugging on her lips. "I still have the instructions…" She rolled onto her back after seeing the surprise on his face. Staring at the sky, she continued, "I never trusted her completely, and neither of you speaks, reads or writes in Muranthian. I wrote a note in its stead. So, whoever was to receive the stone would know who exactly Cilv stole from."

"You really are brilliant," Ronan murmured, making Evanna grin.

"More cautious than brilliant, though not cautious enough," She muttered, "Anyway, we have a long journey ahead of us. We should try and meet with Ger and Axel. Maybe by then, I will hear from Killian. For now, we should rest and set off at first light."

Ronan nodded, and Evanna closed her eyes. With Ronan by her side, she felt comforted in his presence; even if sleeping by his side was frowned upon, she was not exactly the same princess who left her father's palace. That didn't mean she would allow men into her room, but this was the road, and she trusted Ronan. 

"Ronan.." She whispered gently, and after a few seconds, he grunted something incoherent in response. "I'm glad you and the others are fine." 

The following morning Evanna woke to a shadow passing over her features, blocking out the slight warmth of the sun. She squinted and blinked profusely after registering Shardeigh was standing by her head; he snorted and whinnied. What was wrong with him? And why was he looking prettier than usual? Those golden eyes really were quite something on a black horse. So ethereal.. 

It was then she realised her hand was holding Ronan's outstretched forearm. She pulled back in horror and jumped up. Clearing her throat, she looked back at the horse and tilted her head to the side. "Were you protecting me?" She teased and giggled when the horse turned away and stomped its hooves in annoyance. Evanna watched as Shardeigh's eyes faded back from golden to pure black once more. 

The princess was not surprised by this, it was Conrad's horse for a reason, and she knew it was similar to her horse with high intelligence. But she couldn't remember its breed or what the significance of its eye colour meant. But that was the least of her concerns right now; when they escape Direwood forest, she would need to find a different saddle for Shardeigh, the one he had was far too conspicuous. 

Before that, they needed to escape the forest and away from people trying to catch her. "Ronan, get up. We need to go," She kicked his side lightly and started to put her swords on her back, not looking at the man she so boldly held onto overnight. At least she didn't roll into his arms; that would have been embarrassing. 

After packing up their meagre belongings, the pair set off again. But Evanna did not anticipate Shardeigh would stop following her commands. They were simple commands of changing direction or picking up speed, but he merely trotted then slowed down to a walk. Evanna gritted her teeth and pulled on the reins to stop, but again the horse disobeyed her and continued. The princess tilted her body to the side to look at the horse's face; its eyes were glowing like radiant honey. 

"Is something the matter?" Ronan asked from behind her. As soon as he spoke, Shardeigh's eyes returned to normal, and it was then as a whistle sounded in the woods and the horse picked up its speed that Evanna remembered why she stopped stealing Conrad's horse when they were younger. 

Curse this Demon Prince and his magic! The golden eyes were him spying on her! She didn't know how much of their conversations he listened to, but Conrad most likely travelled during the night when they rested to find their location. 

A whistle sounded again to the right side of their path, and Shardeigh set off at a gallop, Evanna clutched onto the reins, and Ronan clung onto her from the horse's crazy speed. "We need to get off!" She shouted, but even as she said so, her stomach dropped, already knowing they could not escape the inevitable. 

Shardeigh started to slow down, and before them was Prince Conrad, smirking at the princess with his golden honey-like eyes. As the horse stopped, his men surrounded them, pointing their swords at her and Ronan. 

"*It has been a while, Evanna.*"