The Archer & the Flame (Whispers of the Night Ravens #1)

Chapter 5

The sea’s wrath knew no bounds, crashing into me with such force that it stole my breath, my lungs flooding with water that burned.

I desperately reached out, grasping for a hand that I realised wouldn’t be there. For it was too late, my soul shattered to the point of no return.

As the world became tinged with darkness, I closed my eyes and waited for the water to claim me.

Waking with the morning sun, I shivered beneath my blankets. My eyes were heavy with the fog of interrupted sleep, and it took a moment for my senses to return, reminding me where I was. The Yewdew Forest.

Safe.

I stretched, relieving the tightness in my shoulders from a night spent on the hard ground, my thin bedroll providing little in the way of support. My bunk back at the Old Keep with its lumpy straw mattress would’ve been an improvement.

The nightmare lingered at the edge of my consciousness, my heart pounding at its vividness. It didn’t do to dwell on dreams, particularly those with a stubborn hold on the mind.

Raglaw chirped noisily with the day’s start, but there was little point hunting more when I carried a healthy supply in my sack. Instead, I took the opportunity to forage some of the forest’s bounty of berries and mushrooms while I could. Plenty of scouts had been caught out by a lack of provisions. Not every danger to our life was obvious.

Taking a familiar route, I set off at a steady pace. The forest’s rich, earthy scent was like a balm for my nerves, my footsteps light as they crunched on dry leaves.

The sun shimmered through a canopy of trees, their branches shifting in the breeze, and there was a soft rustling in the undergrowth as small creatures scurried away from my approach. There was nowhere I’d rather be.

My thoughts strayed to what awaited me in Valtarra. It was unlike Reuben. His briefings were thorough, usually leaving no room for confusion or misinterpretation. Before I’d investigated the merchant in the Amber City we’d prepared for weeks, poring over old ledgers and records. It had taken me three attempts at proposing a plan before he’d approved. Yet this time, he hadn’t asked.

It could be a good sign, an indication he trusted me to work independently without his oversight. It could even be a test, another chance to prove myself.

I hoped so.

A strange shape ahead of me made me stop short.

Silas’ sleeping form blocked the trail, unmoving aside from the gentle rise and fall of his chest. He slept on his bare bedroll, the blanket still tightly rolled and tied to his pack as if he hadn’t tried to set up his bedding. His campfire, also in the middle of the path, had extinguished overnight, which was unsurprising considering how damp his firewood was. If it weren’t for his Blessing, I doubted it would have lit at all.

Most concerning of all, curled up against Silas’ body was a stormfang pup, breathing softly as it slumbered. It was covered in grey fur, fluffy with youth, its long ears extended as it listened for threats even in sleep.

I froze. It was the only beast that could make me tremble in fear.

A dark part of me considered stepping over him and continuing on my way. I was hesitant to trust him with his true motives still unclear, but that didn’t mean he deserved to die. It was reasonable to at least warn him of the danger he’d tangled himself up in.

I crept forward, balancing my weight to mask my approach. Nudging his shoulder with my boot as gently as I could, I hissed at him, “Silas, wake up.”

He groaned to himself, but didn’t stir.

I tried again. “Wake up, now. Your life depends on it.”

That got his attention. His eyes fluttered open, a slow, lazy smile spreading across his face as he recognised me. “Well, good morning. This is a pleasant surprise. Didn’t think I’d see you again.”

He had stripped down to his shirt and trousers and his hair was tousled from sleep. His relaxed appearance was a stark contrast to the impeccably dressed man I’d met the previous day, yet it strangely suited him.

I crouched beside him, speaking in a low voice. “Whatever you do, don’t move. There’s a stormfang next to you.”

His head turned towards the animal, and his brow furrowed. “The puppy?”

“The predator. Do you know how they hunt? They stun prey with their lightning before devouring them one bite at a time. I doubt there are many deaths more painful,” I said.

“I appreciate your concern, but he’s my friend, and he’s just a baby! The poor thing limped towards my campfire last night with a thorn lodged in his paw, so I patched him up. Didn’t realise he had stuck around afterwards.” He gestured to the uneven hem of his shirt. A patch of material was missing, matching the bloodstained rag wrapped around the pup’s leg. “See?”

“If the pup is here, its mother will be nearby. We need to leave, now.” I shut my eyes, focusing on the sounds of the forest, checking for any indication we’d been discovered.

“Why? Look at him, he’s harmless. And you’ve just rudely woken me. I require a moment.”

“Aren’t you listening? No one walks away from an encounter. If it sees us, we’re as good as dead. They never forget a face.”

“But I saved him,” Silas said mournfully.

A bloodcurdling howl sounded in the distance, causing the hairs on my arm to stand on edge. We had to flee before it was too late.

“You’re welcome to try to make a fully-grown stormfang see reason. I won’t stay to witness your demise or the aftermath.”

“You’re serious?” He was wide awake now, appearing rattled at my reaction. “Have you seen one before?”

“Only once, from afar. I was able to escape before it saw me. I’ll never forget it. That pup must be young because the adult was the size of a merchant’s cart.”

His eyes widened, darting to the stormfang. “What do we do?”

“First of all, stay calm.”

“That’s not helping!” He was breathing rapidly, the movement disturbing the animal.

“On the count of three, you’re going to shuffle towards me, then you’ll need to move as fast as you can. Grab your bedroll. I’ll handle the rest.”

“I could use my Blessing, face it head on.” He turned pale at the prospect.

“It’s too risky. We don’t know how the lightning would react to your fire. You could wipe us all out. It’s safer to run for it. Are you ready?”

He nodded, though it lacked conviction.

“On my count. Three, two, one.”

Silas moved, jostling the pup. It rolled over, exposing its belly with its legs in the air. Sparks discharged from it. We flinched, skin tingling at the contact, but were otherwise unharmed. I breathed a sigh of relief.

Pulling Silas to his feet, I grabbed his pack and doublet, swinging them onto my shoulder. “Let’s go, quickly.”

I sprinted through the forest, dragging him behind me, my head snapping back to check that the adult stormfang wasn’t following. I cursed my luck for needing to run again, though it had been much easier being the pursuer, not the prey.

Another howl sounded, this time from where we’d been moments before.

“Don’t stop,” I said. Silas' leg buckled, but he listened, pushing forward to close the gap between us.

I lost track of how much time passed. Only when the stormfang became little more than a muffled cry in the distance did we dare slow to a hurried walk.

I stopped suddenly, Silas crashing into the back of me. If it wasn’t for our joined hands, he would’ve knocked me over. Clearing my throat, I withdrew my arm and neatly stacked his belongings against a tree.

If he was bothered by the gesture, he didn’t comment. Instead, he sank to the ground, too winded to speak. I clutched my side, waiting for the sharp pain to subside where I’d pushed myself too hard.

His cheeks were red and sweat crowded his brow as he caught his breath. “Why did you help me?” he said, panting. “You couldn’t wait to get rid of me yesterday.”

I took a sip from my canteen, thankful for the immediate relief the water provided. His confusion was understandable, but I had no intention of explaining myself, especially since it could give him the wrong idea.

“Would you have preferred I’d left you to your grizzly fate?”

“Not at all. It’s just…” he paused, finding the right words, “puzzling. But I am grateful, all the same.”

“Don’t get used to it.”

“Wouldn’t dream of it. Not with you keeping me on my toes.” His jaw set in a hard line. “Do you demand anything in return?”

“Do I…” What?

“You saved my life. Where I’m from, that entitles you to ask something of me. Anything, with the exception of my life, of course.” Then, as if I’d imagined the slip, the tension lifted. He directed an infuriating smirk at me. “I’m game for anything, if you are?”

“I don’t need anything from you.” I looked at him, properly this time, taking in his dishevelled appearance, his dry lips, the glazed look behind his eyes. “What are you even doing here? The forest is dangerous. It’s no place for playing around.”

“Is that what I’m doing? There was me thinking I was on an adventure.” He stood, meeting me with a challenging stare.

“And you decided the Yewdew Forest would be a great location to visit?” My voice rose in disbelief. I thought we’d done enough to establish its reputation by now. I made a mental note to let Reuben know that more work was required.

“I never claimed to be good at it.”

I stifled a laugh. “That’s an understatement.”

“Ouch, don’t soften your words on my account.” He obstructed the trail, sidestepping to prevent me from ducking around him. “Why? What makes you say that?”

“I don’t know where to begin. You were literally sleeping on the path with inadequate shelter and no wards placed. You let a dangerous animal into your camp without hesitation, and you built your campfire with damp firewood. Did you not consider using your Blessing to dry it?” I looked pointedly at his lips. “When was the last time you had any water?”

He had the good sense to look sheepish. “With you, yesterday?”

I tossed my canteen to him. “Drink up, otherwise the creatures in this forest will be the least of your concerns.”

His throat bobbed as he drank desperately, finishing every drop. I’d need to deviate from the trail to refill it from a stream before I left. One was nearby, thankfully, our run not steering me too far off course.

He returned my canteen. “Thank you. I had a stinking headache.”

I turned to face him with a solemn expression. “Do you know what the most common cause of death is in the forest?”

“Stormfangs? Wait, no, I see where you’re going with this. Is it dehydration?”

“Ignorance,” I answered. This wasn’t an easy way of life, especially for those who didn’t know what they were doing. “Go home, Silas, before it’s too late.”

His smile faltered. I felt no guilt for the words. They could save him from a cruel fate if he was wise enough to heed them. He was evidently out of his depth on his so-called adventure.

I left him where he stood, meandering through the trees too quickly for him to follow. By the time I had reached the stream and returned to the path, he was gone.

He’s not your problem , I muttered to myself, hoping he’d learned his lesson.