Hunter's Bond, page 24
Mira’s fingers laced more tightly with his and she squeezed his hand. “No. It’s not dumb at all. That’s exactly what I feel.”
She was quiet for a moment. Long enough for Arheis to realize how warm her hand was, and how perfectly her fingers seemed to link with his.
Not something you need to be thinking about right now, dude. She just told you about losing somebody she loved.
He pushed those thoughts—and the little flutter in his stomach—aside and just tried to focus on being a good friend.
“Would you… go with me?” She met his gaze, then looked away in a hurry, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. “I don’t know if I can do it alone. Which is my problem, not yours. I don’t know why—”
“Of course I’ll go,” Arheis heard himself say before he’d even thought it through.
But what was there to think through? She needed support. Even if he didn’t owe her for saving his ass on several occasions, he was beginning to consider Mira and Zindar his friends. And that was what a normal, decent person did. They helped their friends.
She looked back at him, her dark blue eyes wide with surprise. Her lips were softly parted as if she intended to say something, but hadn’t quite figured out what. For a long time she just looked at him, and Arheis resisted the self-conscious urge to look away. Even if it wasn’t romantic in nature, attention from pretty women wasn’t something he was used to in the slightest.
“I misjudged you, Arheis,” she finally said. “Badly. You’re nothing like Brahdek.”
The words were nice to hear, and he felt a soft smile curve his lips. He also felt Mira’s thigh against his, something he couldn’t remember from before. Had she moved closer to him, or had he moved closer to her? Should he move away? It probably wasn’t right to feel that tingle of electricity that shot through his body like a current.
When he glanced at Mira, her own gaze was on his mouth. His heart pounded in his chest, so fast and so strong he was positive she could hear it. He found himself leaning forward. Not meaning to, but doing it anyway. Some rational part of his mind told him that if he acted on his impulse right now, it could have disastrous consequences.
But he really, really wanted to…
“There you are!”
He jumped backward when he heard Zindar’s voice, his heart hammering even faster than it had just moments before. Mira had done the same, he realized, because there was a large space between them that hadn’t been there before. And she was blushing, which made him blush in turn.
“I’ve been looking all over for you two,” the Pruvari said, wasting no time getting up on the roof. Without the aid of the crates, of course. “I finally found information that will help us. There are images of my ancestors driving whole hordes of Nepondus back with torches.”
“They’re afraid of fire?” Mira asked after clearing her throat and very much not looking at Arheis.
“It would make sense. They must burn easily,” he said.
“We should go to the smith and see what materials Brahm needs to add fire to our weapons.” Zindar was practically bouncing up and town, his tail swishing erratically. “You’re not doing anything, right? We can go now.”
Arheis and Mira exchanged a look. He swallowed, giving her a chance to answer. “Zindar.” The name was spoken with patient affection. “It’s not even dawn yet. The smith is closed.”
“Oh,” the Pruvari said, his ears drooping. “We’ll go when he’s open, then.”
Another look passed between them, and Zindar seemed to notice. That or his Fulcorn spirit picked up on it and said something to him, because for a brief moment he had that strange, zoned-out look about him. Arheis thought the Pruvari might say something, but he just grinned to himself, showing his small fangs.
“We should probably try and get some sleep before then,” Mira put in, pushing herself to her feet.
He knew it was a good idea. Especially if they were going to be traipsing off after fire beasts come morning. But Arheis also knew that if he laid down and tried to sleep, all he was going to do was think about this moment and what it meant.
Either way, it was going to be a long night.
Chapter 21
Later in the morning, once dawn broke and everyone was able to get a little sleep, the three of them headed over to the smithy. Unlike earlier, the streets were crowded with villagers going about their morning routines, and Arheis could hear the tink tink tink of metal being hammered against an anvil. Smoke billowed up from the forge, and the closer they got, the more he could feel the heat of it wafting outward from the small shop.
As they headed inside with Arheis leading the way, Siv was tooling some leather armor while Brahm worked on a massive hammer.
“Morning,” Siv greeted, looking up from his work. “I hope that armor’s treating you well.”
“So far, so good,” Arheis said, rapping his knuckles over the hardened leather chestplate. “I think I might have the materials for something more, but we need to check in with your father first.”
Siv looked out toward where the older smith was working. He had a scowl on his face and was hammering in steady bursts, turning the weapon as he went.
“Lucky you. He’s in a good mood this morning.”
“As if you could tell,” he heard Mira say under her breath.
Arheis stifled his laugh and thanked Siv before approaching the smith who’d taken such offense at his questions that first day. He didn’t look any happier, but maybe that scowl was just a part of him. Arheis decided to press his luck, raising his voice to be heard over the smith’s work.
“We’re looking for a way to augment our weapons with fire,” he explained. “I was hoping you’d be able to help.”
Brahm ignored him for several moments, during which Arheis exchanged glances with his companions. Finally, though, he put his hammer down, wiped the sweat from his brow, and actually seemed to acknowledge their presence.
“That doesn’t tell me a damn thing,” he said, just as surly as ever. “You want the weapons to spit fire? To burn like a brand? To explode on contact?”
“Uh… yes?” Arheis responded.
Honestly all of those sounded like they’d be useful against the Queen.
Zindar saw fit to clarify, though. “I think what we need is an augmentation that works like a firestarter. Strike it against something and it ignites. Is that something you can do?”
“With the right materials,” he said in his gruff voice. “Rip it out of an Ignicris and I’ll have what I need. One for each weapon.”
Ignicris. Arheis searched his memory and came up with the image of a dopey, mostly flightless bird-raptor creature that made an obnoxious clicking sound right before flames erupted from its stupid mouth. He couldn’t count the number of times he’d been run over by the thing, only to be immediately roasted when he tried to get up. Killing a few now would be sweet revenge.
“We should be able to do that between the three of us,” he said tentatively, looking at his companions. “Or… four of us, I guess. Has anyone seen Galen?”
“He was walking around with that crystal last night and talking to himself,” Zindar said, “but I haven’t seen him since then.”
“It’s unlikely Galen will need a weapon, considering his powers,” Mira put in.
Good point. Who needed a staff or something when you could control the very earth around you?
“Three firestarters, then,” Zindar confirmed with Brahm. “Anything else?”
“Enough credits to make it worth my while.”
From inside the smith, Arheis heard Siv call, “Stop trying to gouge them, old man.”
Brahm just scoffed, hefting the large hammer like it weighed nothing at all and bringing it back over the fire until the metal was screaming hot and malleable. “Fifteen-hundred. Each.”
That was going to put yet another dent in his meager supply of credits, but what else could he do? It wasn’t like Lacerda was bursting with options when it came to augmenting. The three of them just had to suck it up and agree to the price, which was exactly what they did.
When they stepped outside, Zindar was the first to speak. “We should check in with the Guild. They might have an assignment to take out a few Ignicris, and the credits will help fund the augments.”
Arheis’ gaze fell to Mira, who he noticed immediately shying away. “I’ll be happy to help you with the hunt, but I’m not interested in working with the Guild.” She jerked her chin toward the encampment. “Come find me when you’re done.”
Zindar’s ears drooped a little, but he nodded. Torn between two friends, Arheis caught up to Zindar as he headed to the Guild hall, stopping him with a hand on his shoulder.
“Do you mind going on ahead and getting things set up? There’s something I want to do first.”
“Sure,” Zindar said, looking in the direction Mira had gone. “Will you tell her I’m sorry? I know she hates the Guild, but we could use the money.”
“I think she already knows,” he said softly, giving the Pruvari’s shoulder a squeeze, “but I’ll tell her.”
Leaving Zindar to attend to the Guild, Arheis headed toward the encampment. He wasn’t far behind Mira, but he still walked at a leisurely pace. The idea that had suddenly surfaced in his mind wasn’t one he was completely sure she’d be receptive to, so he felt caution was necessary. It was a personal matter, and while she’d included him in it, there were some things that might be better kept between those involved.
Still, he knew his heart was in the right place, and he reminded himself of that as he approached.
“Zindar didn’t send you after me, did he?” Mira asked with a frown as she remade the empty cots.
“No, though he did want you to know he’s sorry.”
She gave a light shrug. “The Guild is a necessary part of the hunting process. It would be foolish to turn down their credits.”
“Maybe,” was all Arheis said as he took a seat on one of the cots.
He honestly wasn’t sure where he stood when it came to the Guild. Some of his interactions with Higrem in particular were… less than stellar, and he admittedly hadn’t paid enough attention in previous games to know what he was getting into. For all he knew, the Guild was involved in some weird black market nonsense.
But his opinions on the Guild weren’t relevant to this conversation. The only thing that mattered right now was what she’d told him last night.
“So I’ve been thinking about the talk we had,” he began, his hand going to the back of his neck. It was a nervous tick he’d never grown out of—even in a game world, it seemed.
Mira turned to look at him, a sigh escaping her. She looked as if she wanted to say something, but Arheis was only met by an uncomfortable silence he had to fill.
“How would you feel about visiting the site of Eva’s death today?” he finally asked, forcing the words out in a hurry.
She stared at him, just blinking before she gave voice to her confusion. “I’m… what?”
“There’s never going to be a moment where you feel like it’s the right time, Amira. Trust me, I know,” he said, his voice and expression softening. How many years had he wasted before even visiting his mother’s grave? “But if we go now, we can meet Zindar in the afternoon for the hunt.”
Mira looked overwhelmed, one hand going to her forehead as she glanced around. A few of the cots were filled, but the people in them seemed to be resting peacefully. “I can’t. I’m needed here.”
“Isn’t there anyone else who can look after these people while you’re gone?” Arheis asked, pushing himself up from the uncomfortable cot.
She let out a long sigh, her shoulders falling a bit. “I suppose there is. The daughter of the innkeeper at the Hackleback is an Herbalist in training, and the men here now only need occasional monitoring.”
He heard what she wasn’t saying. He’d felt it himself, and could still feel it as raw and real as if it happened only yesterday. “I know you’re afraid,” he said, moving closer to her, “but you deserve this closure. And so does she.”
Mira closed her eyes and blew out a breath. When she looked at him again, her emotions were clear to see. Her dark blue eyes shimmered with unshed tears, and her lips were somewhat pinched as though she was trying very hard not to cry. “You’re right,” she finally admitted, her voice barely above a whisper. “Today is as good as any.”
They stayed in Lacerda just long enough to get provisions. A precaution, Mira said, though one Arheis hoped wouldn’t be necessary. Obviously there was a chance they could be jumped by any number of beasts, but for Mira’s sake he hoped the jungle would give them some much-needed peace.
She led the way, taking the most direct path to the beach and skirting the coast north from there in effort to avoid the denser parts of the jungle. They weren’t bothered, save for a few seagulls plodding along after them, waiting to see if they dropped any food. There was barely any conversation, but the silence felt like a comfortable one. And as introverted as Arheis was, he certainly had no problem just enjoying the scenery as they walked.
Eventually they neared a marked path that led up to the cliffs, and Mira gestured toward it. “It’s not far from here, though the climb isn’t the easiest.”
He looked up, almost surprised by the fact that a large wall of rock was towering above them. The shoreline had mostly consisted of smaller cliffs and rock formations densely packed with tropical trees. The ascent this time was practically sheer, and the path marked by a few painted sticks looked more appropriate for goats to climb than humans.
“That looks like an understatement,” he said, idly wondering just how much Endurance would be required to make it up without collapsing in a useless heap.
“Now you’re really going to disappoint Zindar. How are you supposed to be the savior of Lacerda if you can’t climb a measly cliff?”
Arheis had begun to recognize the teasing lilt to her words, and he smirked in response. “Race you up there.”
Her brow rose, her lips curving into the same expression he now wore. “If you like losing, by all means.”
Walking over to the bottom of the path, Arheis counted down from three. As soon as “one” left his mouth, Mira was already off and sprinting.
“Hey!” he called after her uselessly. She just laughed, creating more distance between them with every passing second.
So Arheis did the foolish thing and tried to put on enough speed to catch up to her. Considering he was working with a seventy-degree incline—at least—that didn’t last long. The muscles in his legs burned, his lungs felt like they were on fire, and his attempt to propel himself forward by swinging his arms wasn’t getting him much of anywhere.
He wasn’t the only one struggling, though. Mira slowed a third of the way up, giving him almost enough time to catch her. He pushed himself then, not paying mind to how low his stamina was already. But with less than a quarter of the way to go, he very nearly collapsed. The message that his stamina had reached 0 played through his consciousness, but he was too busy trying not to puke to look at it. He doubled over, hands on his knees, and panted like he—as Simon—had just tried to run a marathon without training.
Mira pulled up beside him moments later, her hand resting on his back, just below his shoulders. “Deep breaths. Keep your head down and try not to open your eyes.”
She was panting, too, but she wasn’t nearly as bad off as he was. He didn’t think he could say one word right now, let alone a coherent sentence.
Gradually his stamina returned, and with it came the strength to stand and breathe normally. He was almost afraid to look at his companion, but he sent her a sheepish glance eventually. “I guess you win by default.”
“I would’ve won anyway,” she told him with a wink, patting him on the back before she continued up the steep path.
When he felt like he could walk again, Arheis followed her. She kept looking over her shoulder, waiting to make sure he hadn’t collapsed, but he thankfully made it to the top without incident. He was about to make another light-hearted jab when he noticed Mira’s mood had turned incredibly somber.
“This is where we first saw the Culasta,” she said, looking out over the rocks. “It came up from the ocean and brought one hell of a storm with it.”
It wasn’t hard for him to imagine. The Culasta had been widely hailed as the Stormbringer in earlier Apex games. Half dragon, half bird, it brought the fury of the winds and rain wherever it went. Fighting a creature of such renown was difficult enough. Fighting it amidst a deadly storm was nearly impossible. Either the Predator Class hunter who’d accompanied her party hadn’t known the danger, or he didn’t care.
“The Ranger that came with us got its attention and brought it further inland, so it wouldn’t have open access to the sea.” She was lost in her memories, Arheis realized, physically tracing the steps from the edge of the cliffs to the jungle proper. All he could do was follow. “It came through here and bent back the trees when it did.”
They were still bent back. The one Amira touched her hand to, especially. It was dead everywhere but at the very bottom and looked like it could have been knocked over by a stiff breeze. Even the strongest trees around it were permanently damaged, as though they’d been subjected to a category 5 hurricane. He supposed in a way they had.
“Eva was here,” she recalled, moving to stand at the far end of a clearing. “We grounded it. Fired harpoons and anchored it to the ground. Then she went in. She was… so fast. So talented. I could barely keep track of her. I just saw scales and plumage coming off left and right.”
Mira walked, still alone with her memories. She ran her hand over open air, but Arheis imagined it was the Culasta’s side she traced, just as Eva had done with her daggers.
“Brahdek was supposed to keep the Culasta’s attention, but he was completely focused on the tail. The Guild would have paid him handsomely for it, I’m sure.” Bitterness edged into her voice, and for a moment she seemed to come back to the present before continuing. “Eva struck a vital point, and everything… everything just fell apart from there.”
