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“We’re not all that different from the Vaavi. We like to remain discreet,” Malina added.
“We?” Mavris gaped, glancing between Malina and Kya.
Nikan leaned forward with a smirk. “‘We’ indeed.”
Chapter Forty-One
Kya
Just after the sunset, Ryker and I walked hand in hand down to the city behind the rest of our group. I was thankful to have dressed in more casual clothing before we left. I wore a leather jacket over a tank and tight pants that tucked into my boots while Ryker had on a long sleeved button-up and trousers. Even though I was still exhausted from my exertion of training earlier, I wanted to come see the city.
Everything was bathed in light from the moons and the lanterns lining the busy streets filled with people and life and music. The scent of cooked food and ale came from the packed taverns, combined with roars of laughter. People greeted Ryker warmly, as if he were any other citizen on the streets. Malina grabbed Nikan by the wrist and dragged him into one of the taverns while Arra, Mavris, and Hakoa followed behind and disappeared among the crowd.
“Come on. I want to show you something.” Ryker wrapped his arm around my shoulder and kissed the top of my head.
I was glad that he was guiding me through the street because I wasn’t paying attention to where I was going—too absorbed in the flourishing city around me. I was amazed at how, eventhough so much of the Nation was impacted by the Glaev, everyone here was vibrant and lively.
Ryker stopped at a baker’s cart and asked for two sweet rolls. The baker insisted that Ryker not pay. When she turned around, he put the coins on her cart and quickly ushered me away.
“I saw that, you know,” I said to him as I unwrapped my treat.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” he said innocently.
“You paid that baker double the amount.”
He shrugged. “Floria’s mate died a while back. She struggled for a long time and only recently went back to baking, reopening her shop. I know she still has difficulties and I try to help.”
I pressed closer to him. Ryker and I hadn’t even sealed our mating yet, and I already didn’t want to be without him. I couldn’t imagine how devastating it would be to lose him after having been fully connected. He was gaining my trust and making me feel for him separate from the bond. And I didn’t want to be alone anymore, so long as I was with him.
I was brought out of my thoughts as I took my first bite of the sweet roll, a fluffy bread with powdered sugar sifted on top. Delectable flavors flooded my mouth as a sweet cream oozed from the center like honey. I moaned at the taste.
“I’ve heard of this!” I exclaimed with a mouthful, making a mess on my face as I devoured the treat.
“You have? Floria is the only one I know that makes it.”
“I know, I heard about her too. Not her name, but the baker in Voara and the sweet bread with the most delicious cream inside. One of the contestants told me about it during the Trial.” I licked away the sticky remnants in the corner of my mouth.
“Who was it?” He tilted his head at me as we neared the end of the street where the crowd was thinning.
My lips flattened. “His name was Njall. He was a blacksmith from Oryn, I don’t know where though. He… Well, he helped me. We helped each other solve the riddle and he evensaved me a couple of times.” I had been so preoccupied lately that I hadn’t thought of him in quite a while.
“Was?” Ryker threw away the wrappings and curled his arm around my waist. My eyebrows scrunched together at his question. “You said his namewasNjall,” he clarified.
“Yeah. Was.”
“How do you know he died?” He glanced down at me.
“That Sage, Vicria, told me he never came back when I asked about him,” I sneered as I thought of that wretched female.
He hummed in response and I was glad for it, not really wanting to dampen the mood thinking of Njall.
Ryker brought us to the northern outskirts of the city. The valley lay open in front of us, and I took in the peacefulness of the chilled night. He tucked me closer against him, extending the warmth of his fire abilities, and led me through the grass toward a patch of trees.
“Where are we going?” I asked.
“You’ll see.” He smirked.
We walked into the trees and after a couple of minutes I saw light emanating up ahead. I squinted to better focus my eyes on the origin of the light giving off a bluish hue through the trees. We walked closer and closer until we came upon a small clearing in the middle of the sparse forest. Right there in the opening, a single large tree sat.
