Eternal Darkness (The Cimmerian Cycle #1)

Chapter 4

Chapter 4

She walked in feeling rather apprehensive but was happily surprised to find a bed of animal skins, a small shelf and a few hooks. She hung her bag on a hook and settled herself down for sleep on the furs which were as comfortable as they looked. She was asleep within minutes.

While she was asleep, Kiayani dreamed. Her first dream was about her ridding on the back of a horse which was flying. Except the horse saw a snake and she was flung from its back. She awoke with a start and saw Koran leaning over her, gently shaking her shoulders.

“Kiayani!” he said.

She groaned and looked up at him, “How long was I asleep?”

“About half an hour, are you hungry? Everyone is waiting for you. I suggest you come if you want something to eat,” Koran said very fast.

“I’m coming,” she pushed herself up onto her feet and stretched her arms.

“I’ll go let them know to save you some,” Koran said, walking to the door.

Before it could shut behind him Kiayani called out, “What happened to Mik? I thought he said he would come.”

“He’s cooking,” he turned away and left.

Kiayani wasn’t sure why she had called out like that. She wasn’t even sure why she asked about Mik. It was not like she needed him or wanted his company. Making sure she looked somewhat presentable she straightened the fur pile and left her little hut. She could see the fire sitting in some sort of metal contraption so that the wooden platform would not catch alight. The boys sat around it, absorbing its warmth as best they could and talking while eating. It was a very pleasant and friendly scene to her eyes. She saw Mik standing the closet to the flames poking at a large piece of meat he seemed to sense her gaze and he looked up at her and smiled. Kiayani noted how young he looked when he smiled and it made her smile back too.

“Hey Ki-aya-ni! Come on over!” Leo shouted sounding out the syllables in her name.

Kiayani smiled, happy that they wanted her over there with them. Very slowly she made her way across the rope bridge and Koran seeing her unease helped her get off at the other end. For some reason his touch seemed to make the blood rise into her cheeks and she was very glad that he would not be able to see her face by the light of the fire. She wasn’t sure where these feelings were coming from but they did disturb her slightly.

She only had to move within a few metres of the fire to feel its blazing heat, which warmed her to her bones. She hadn’t realised that she had been so cold or so wet. Mik signalled to her to sit down beside him and she did so awkwardly. The others seemed very keen to talk to her but she had a few questions to ask them first.

Mik handed her a plate with some steaming slices of meat and Kiayani placed it on the ground before her to let it cool down first.

“So, how did you boys end up in this forest, I mean it’s not normal for people to live in the forest ... especially with all of the demons and things...” She finished rather lamely.

She directed the question mainly at Koran who sat on her other side.

It was Mik who answered however, “It was a few years ago when we first found these platforms in the tree tops, we didn’t build them, only the huts that sit on top. We believed that they were left from when the sun used to shine on Dayrius and we got very excited. All of us were much younger then of course. We were stupid though, very stupid. Our village was desperate for food; monsters had been attacking the supply wagons. So we came out into this forest ready to hunt whatever came across our path and then take it back so that we could feed our people.”