Chapter 281 - The Eve of Egress (1/2)

*Eldovian Era 1714, 15th day of the 1st month*

Devina was standing on the uppermost deck, admiring the view of the sunset over the ocean's horizon line when she saw it. There, in the distance, a shape that was not so flat as the rest of the horizon. Two months on a ship, the last six weeks of which were spent at sea, and finally she could see land once more.

It wasn't long before others started to call out around her, having spotted it as well. As the sun dipped below the horizon, they gradually lost sight of it, but knowing it was there lifted the spirits of everyone on board. Especially after the terrible storm they'd passed through the week before. A total of six dead. The three that Aegin had found, and another three that were missing and assumed to have been fallen overboard. It had made the atmosphere on the ship quite dreary.

”So, I hear that we spotted land,” Aegin stated as he came to stand next to Devina. She had not even heard him approach. Though this time, unlike the others, she did not flinch.

”We did,” Devina confirmed, ”Though we didn't see much, the crew confirmed that we would reach Rene on the morning tide”.

”Rene,” said Aegin, ”It's one of the Triad Cities, is it not?”

Devina nodded, ”It is. Considering the Western Continent is largely a desert and has sparse natural resources apart from abundant jewels, they trade for most of their materials and technologies. In addition, they are far more spread out. There are only three major cities on the Continent, known as the Triad. Two along it's Eastern Coastline designed specifically for Trade with Eldovia and the Southern Continent, and one further in land between the two that sits among a cl.u.s.ter of large jewel mines”.

”So Rene is the southern-most city?” asked Aegin.

Devina nodded, ”According to what I've studied, yes”.

The two lapsed into an awkward silence before Devina spoke again, ”So...where will you go from there?”

Aegin gave a small smirk, ”Even if I knew, I would not tell you”.

Devina frowned, ”And here I was thinking we were becoming amicable”.

Aegin chuckled, ”You will return to the Order at your earliest opportunity, yes?”

Devina nodded. Of course she would. It was her home and her duty.

”And when you return and tell them that you spent two months bound to the very creature you were sent to hunt and developed an amicable relationship with it, do you think they will follow your lead?” asked Aegin.

Devina opened her mouth to respond, then closed it again.

”I thought not,” Aegin finished.

Devina did not speak for a long moment, conflicted as she thought about what he'd said, ”You knew I was sent to kill you?”

”After you saw what I could do I doubted you would make the decision to capture me alive,” Aegin replied, ”I pose too much of a threat”.

”Our magic subdues you well enough,” Devina replied.

Aegin frowned for a moment before his eyebrows relaxed in realisation, ”Your light is annoying, but it cannot subdue me indefinitely”.

Devina sighed in response, ”So you will not tell me where you are going because I am not a liability?”

Aegin shrugged, ”I can't think of a stupider move than telling your enemy where you're going to set up camp”.