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

Chapter 20

Silas never returned.

Part of me had known when he’d asked for space that it was a flimsy excuse, but it did nothing to ease the impact of losing him.

The sun had risen, a pink light cresting over the horizon. It illuminated the wisps of smoke that danced in the sky, making it feel like a spark of magic remained in Threstia. The agony of Silas' absence faded to a dull ache that I would never be free of.

The retreating darkness was the only sign time had passed. Aside from patching up my injured shoulder to the best of my ability, I hadn’t moved for a whole day, keeping my gaze fixed on the spot where I’d watched Silas leave, like at any moment he would materialise through the smoke and scoop me into his arms, his reassuring warmth enveloping me as he kissed away my remaining doubts.

But he was gone.

The world felt too quiet without him by my side. I was left alone with my spiralling thoughts, and that was a harsh place without Silas’ sunshine to brighten my spirit.

He hadn’t said goodbye in his desperation to leave.

I’d known this would happen, eventually. Known that when he’d understood who I truly was, it would push him away. It had all been a foolish hope, a longshot at best. And now I’d woken from the dream. He’d deserted me and I was by myself again.

Why did it feel so much worse this time?

My body protested when I finally moved, propping myself against the boulder for support. I packed up my limited supplies as quickly as I could, mourning the loss of Silas during our morning routine. The ghost of his presence haunted me, lingering just out of reach.

Seeing no point in hanging around, I walked back to the Threstian Gap. Waiting wouldn’t bring him back to me, and with the lava rapidly cooling, the guards could be right on my tail. Staying put left me vulnerable, an easy target, and I was already fragile enough.

Besides, the Night Ravens needed to know what had happened in Threstia. It was my duty to give Reuben the parchment I’d stolen from the camp, relying on his wisdom for dealing with what I’d unearthed. I’d wasted enough time on sentimental matters.

Every step echoed through my bones, but I kept up the ruthless pace, ignoring the sweat crowding my brow. My breaths became strained, and my calves burned, but I marched on.

The heat of the midday sun bore down on me, sapping my strength until I couldn’t avoid stopping for a rest. I blinked. With my aggressive speed, I was able to reach the outskirts of the Threstian Gap in half the time it had taken me with Silas. I had no recollection of the journey, not with the monotony of the unremarkable scenery, everything blending together in a confusing blur. Only my turbulent thoughts had left their mark on my mind.

Water trickled down my parched throat, and I mopped the sweat from my brow with my ash-covered sleeve. Pushing through the brutal heat was an option, but it wasn’t worth suffering from sunstroke and slowing my journey by days.

The only shade came from a nearby crop of rocks, the shadow it cast almost too small to shield me. I pressed myself against the largest boulder, grateful for the cool relief it provided from the afternoon sun.

At some point, I dozed off. Without the adrenaline coursing through my veins, there was nothing to stop the events of Threstia from catching up with me, my body unable to fight the resulting fatigue. Fortunately, no one discovered me, but I reprimanded myself for the rookie error.

Silas wasn’t there to watch my back and cover my slip ups anymore. I had to be perfect.

The air was much cooler after waking, making it possible to continue. Soon, the chasm loomed before me, as daunting as it had been the first time. A shiver slithered down my spine at the memory of crossing with Silas, how close we’d come to plummeting into the darkness.

Bidding farewell to half of Threstia felt like closing the chapter on my mission, leaving behind everything that had transpired. Instead, my focus shifted to returning as swiftly as possible with the information I carefully guarded, no more distractions.

I should’ve known it wouldn’t be so simple.

The first sign something was wrong was the absence of the bridge we’d used to cross. It had been fragile even then, but my brow furrowed as I examined what was left on the cliff side. The only remnants of its existence were the rusted metal posts that had once anchored it to the ground. The rope, the wooden planks, everything had gone. This was no accident, a case of the frayed rope finally giving out.

Someone had tampered with it.

An unsettling feeling gripped my stomach. Had the guards cut off the escape route? They would’ve had to cross the lava and overtake me while I’d slept; not impossible, but highly unlikely. Had Silas crossed before it was destroyed? I grimaced. There would be another bridge, a failsafe, but I’d have to find it myself, delaying my journey further.

I picked up a rock and flung it as hard as I could into the chasm, my scream echoing through the valley. One thing. Why couldn’t one thing go my way?

Whoever had sabotaged it couldn’t have gone far. They could be waiting in the shadows for me to fall into their trap. I had to be prepared for that possibility. I drew my bow, holding it ready in my hand.

Keeping the Threstian Gap to one side, I surveyed every inch of my surroundings while I searched for another bridge. My background had shocked Silas. Could he have been the one to destroy it, knowing it would slow me down until he escaped?

My heart ached at the thought. Who could blame him? I was a complicated mess, and it was dangerous to be involved with me. He would’ve had to forsake everything he knew.

I wasn’t worth that.

A noise behind me had me aiming my bow at the intruder.

A head of silky black hair strolled towards me; the experienced scout’s arms outstretched in greeting. He was the last fae I’d expected to see.

I lowered my bow. “Norwyn? I thought you were missing. You didn’t return from your mission.”

“There were…complications, something you appear to be familiar with.” He gestured to the smoking volcano, visible in the distance, his brown eyes crinkling in amusement behind his round spectacles.

“What are you doing here?” My mind couldn’t reconcile the image of him standing next to me, Norwyn acting as if we’d casually crossed paths in the Old Keep, with the depressing scenery of Threstia. He wore identical clothing to me, a plain shirt and brown trousers, but where on me it was awkward and ill-fitting, he made it seem respectable.

“Reuben sent me. He got your note and wanted you to have backup if things got ugly. Turns out he had no reason to worry. Nice work.”

I’d forgotten all about the note I’d asked Cassandra to send for me, back when I’d first decided to stray from my orders. It was a relief it had reached Reuben, but sending Norwyn all the way out here, when his expertise was highly sought after? It was strange, even for him.

“Sit down. I can tell you’re exhausted. When was the last time you ate anything?” He rifled through his pack as I perched on one of the many stones that peppered the ground, handing me a canteen of fresh water and a cloth stuffed with something. I unwrapped it, finding hard cheese and dried strips of meat inside.

“Eat. You’ll need your strength for the journey back,” he said in a way that left no room for debate.

“Is he angry?” I asked, guzzling down the liquid, letting it soothe my dry throat.

“Why would he be angry? You’ve shown initiative. I wish more of the scouts would. Everyone’s too afraid to step out of line. But when Reuben realised where you were going, he freaked out. The day I returned to the Old Keep, he sent me straight after you. I hitched a ride on the High Road and followed your tracks from there.”

“I thought I hid those.”

He smirked. “Not well enough for me.”

“Wait, did you say the High Road? Did you happen to see any nobles along the way?” I asked.

“No. Why do you ask?”

“No reason.” I kept my mouth shut, not wanting to share that particular story with him yet.

Norwyn didn’t notice my awkwardness, unwrapping his own parcel of food. “I remember the first time I took a step up. I was terrified. Kept thinking about all the ways I could mess up. Thought maybe Reuben had misplaced his trust in me.”

“What happened?” I asked. Norwyn and Calliste had always seemed infallible. I couldn’t imagine him plagued by the same uncertainty as I was.

“I aced it. Just like you have, by the sounds of it.”

“I had a lot of help along the way,” I said. It wasn’t my victory alone. It had been Silas’ too, wherever he was. My hand clenched into a fist.

“A true scout uses all the resources at their disposal,” Norwyn said, mimicking Reuben's deep voice. He cocked his head at me. “Why are you trying to deflect the praise? I don’t give it out freely, you know.”

“In that case, I appreciate the recognition.” I devoured the food he’d given me, feeling the lingering grip of hunger when I’d finished. Still, it was better than the dull pain in my stomach I’d become used to.

“I must say, I didn’t expect this of you. I’d heard that you were stubborn, wilful, and unbearably hostile. I thought it would be years before you were ready for more responsibility. What changed?”

“I met someone. They helped me see things differently, or at least they did while it lasted.” I buried my feelings deep down before they could threaten to destroy me.

“It’s the way of the scout. This lifestyle isn’t well-suited for anything long-term,” Norwyn said.

His confirmation settled in my chest. It was as I’d always known. I folded the cloth into a neat square before handing it back to him.

“Why were you back so late, anyway?” I said.

He chuckled. “I got caught sneaking into the caves of Drei. The Chief wouldn’t release me until I’d bested her strongest fighters in the pits. And then I proved my worth to her in other ways. I think she secretly likes me.”

“You’re not supposed to share the details of your missions with me. It’s forbidden.” Every scout knew that. It was drilled into us from the moment we started our training.

“Who said anything about a mission? When you’ve been doing this as long as I have, you figure out how to have fun too.”

“But the Night Ravens...”

“Are my priority, as they will always be. Don’t question my loyalty. I complete my missions to the highest standard, but what’s the point in a better world if we neglect ourselves to achieve it?”

I frowned. “But that’s always been the way.”

“That’s Reuben’s way. I’ve known him a long time, and he’s always used work to distract himself. You don’t have to follow his example.”

“What are you suggesting?” I climbed to my feet, finding myself restless at the implications of his words.

Norwyn stood beside me. “Nothing. You know your own mind. But you’re young and there’s a whole world out there. Don’t lose your chance to explore it just to please a bitter man who cuddles his scrolls for company. Serve the Night Ravens well, but make it serve you too.”

I didn’t know what to say to that.

Norwyn took my silence as a sign our rest was over. “We should cross the chasm while we still have light. The Old Keep is a fair distance away.”

“You’re coming with me?” Surely, he had better things to do with his time?

His eyebrows rose. “Why? You don’t want an escort?”

“It’s nothing like that. It’s just…” I hesitated, stumbling over my words. “For decades, I’ve heard tales of your heroics. Working together is an honour, and I haven’t wrapped my head around it just yet.”

He chuckled, the sound echoing around us. “The shine will wear off soon, I assure you. I snore, I complain when my legs get tired, and I can’t start a campfire to save my life.”

“Ah,” I said. “About that…”

Darkness had started to fall once we’d found a second bridge. This one looked more secure, more of its wood remaining intact and the rope reassuringly thick where it was fastened to the posts. Norwyn didn’t give me a chance to think about it, striding across so quickly I nearly missed it. I hurried after him, ignoring the swaying sensation beneath my feet and jumping over the planks two at a time, desperate to not appear cowardly in front of him.

I stopped dead on the other side, panic rising within me.

Scorch marks marred the earth in every direction, like an inferno had blazed through Threstia, leaving nothing but destruction behind. The rock was blackened with soot, staining my skin as I ran my hands along it, rubbing the residue between my fingertips. It was cold to the touch, the fire long burned out.

Only one fae had the power needed for something like that. Silas.

There had been a struggle. The signs of it were obvious with every glimpse of the charred ground, the burn marks scattered and interrupted. He’d thrown the last morsel of magic he had remaining at his attackers, but based on the way the streaks trailed away from the bridge, he hadn’t been successful.

He hadn’t left me.

The realisation thrummed through me, waking me from a deep slumber. I felt alive, revived, colour returning to the world. He’d spoken truly, going for a walk to clear his head when he’d been ambushed.

My relief was short-lived as fear took hold. Who had taken him?

Silas was in trouble, and only I could save him.

“I can’t go with you,” I said to Norwyn. “There’s something I need to do first.”

His features darkened, all traces of amusement vanishing. “I wasn’t aware that I’d given you a choice.”