29 Chapter 29: One Way or Another (2/2)
”Yup.”
”What happens to the father?”
”He tends to die. One way or another.”
”Oh.” Then I asked, ”Where is your mother?”
Silence.
There was some shifting and rustling behind me. I looked back and saw that Elina was sitting. I couldn't quite discern what emotion she wore on her face. Her unnerving silver eyes carried no emotion, and yet in their endless depths I saw something. Magic, wisdom, a whirlwind.
She said, ”I don't have a mother.”
”What do you mean?”
She didn't answer. Instead she got up and sat down beside me. She nudged me with her elbow. I helped her wrap her cape around her and then pulled the hood over her head.
She said, ”Someone is coming.”
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ELINA: What a shameful display. To think Salem saw through me. Managed to guess my thoughts. My feelings. Even for just a moment. Even if it was by accident.
Shameful.
Although I couldn't help it.
The rhythm of the cart, the smell of the rain, the splashing of mud. The last time I traveled like this was with my father. How nostalgic.
Traveling with Salem has its own advantages. Like with the person we met moments later.
A horse drawn cart was faster than walking. We caught up to a girl traveling on foot.
I glanced at Salem. This was going to be fun. Because something in his eyes changed when he saw her.
The girl's eyes were sky blue and her hair was long and blonde. Her smile as sweet as honey and her words like a timid song. She was the type of girl Salem liked. Because she's the type of girl all men liked.
Salem wasn't wise enough to be suspicious. And his usual instincts were overruled by an even more primitive instinct.
Heh-heh~
At first she looked normal to me. Perfect even. The way she tucked her hair behind her ears, the shy look in her eyes, the rhythm of her words, the lips that begged to be kissed. She was less of a person and more of a fantasy. Which was suspicious.
But my eyes couldn't see anything wrong about her. So I focused a little magic to my nose.
Hmmm…
Should I warn Salem? About the danger. But where would the fun in that be?