Just Close Enough

As the wild cats attacked, Voah did her best to watch Hunter’s back while he did his thing. She was grateful to have a loyal and capable protector while they were still in the wilds.

After they calmed the horses, Voah laid down to rest. She needed it but her brain wasn’t ready to give up yet as the vision she had been given weighed heavily upon her. So she lay there awake, staring at the flames, allowing herself to rely on Hunter to take care of the aftermath of the Lugars until finally her heavy lids gave out and she fell into sleep.

A couple hours later, her eyes flashed open as she flinched awake to the sound of Hunter’s knife scraping skins. Her breathing was heavy as her dreams had translated the sound to a priest flaying a human child. The campfire to which she had fallen asleep had now dwindled to embers.

“Hunter…”

He stopped his business to pay attention to her as she spoke.

“Thank you.” she said softly.

Hunter nodded, going back to his work. Voah wondered if he would wake her in a few hours for her shift as alternating was their arrangement. She didn’t bother asking and just let herself drift back to sleep.

———

The Holy Sword lay behind her, cast aside, the abhorrent thing. Just close enough to grab in an emergency. It was the weapon she always depended on for duty, for safety, it was the weapon she earned through years of training, investigating, and slaying Evanora Frost. Now she wanted to destroy it, but she knew she would need it, though she dare not look at it. Not now. Not yet.

It was a powerful antemagik relic. Even Omen sensed it’s negating nature. Tonight the Arbiter’s silent Gods HAD spoken... In their subtle way. Her ability to heal… to maintain her beauty… was not magik, as she feared it might be… else the sword would not allow the healing… instead, it was a gift. A reassuring message. She was on the right path.

———

It turned out that Hunter allowed her to sleep later than usual and when she finally awoke, it was already morning. The sun was breaking on the mountain peaks, casting rays across the valley. Hunter sat alone, looking out across the fields. She could see his eyes, struggling to stay open, so she quietly sat down next to him and put her head on his shoulder. He was softly snoring in minutes.

She would let him rest and later they would have to drive the horses hard to make up for lost time.