Naeva-To Fight a Monster

Chapter 7

Naeva sat at her fire in the outskirts of Jotaris, chewing on meat she'd harvested from a Cerberus. She'd given up on finding a job, so monster meat would have to do. How long had it been since she'd eaten from a Cerberus leg? It should have tasted terrible, but there was something nostalgic about it that raised the taste's appeal.

Not that this will make me any stronger, Naeva reminded herself, using her teeth to tear another piece from the bone. These mutts don't have any powers I can harvest. That'd be concerning if I wanted to fight for a living.

After the next bite, Naeva lowered the leg, staring at the fire. She couldn't help but remember Master Zero and Vernal when she camped like this. All those nights sparring with Zero near the fire, dodging his strikes...

His phoenixite staff, which he'd given her the day he left...

She would've been dead without Master Zero. That was why she'd taken up his surname. If he was really as gone as he said he would be, then she was to be his legacy. His student, wielding his staff. And she was doing exactly the same thing she'd been doing on the run.

The fire went out, but the embers were still hot. Naeva basked in the remaining warmth, watching the stars above while listening to the distant cries of various monsters. None of them were close, so this was a rare moment of peace—

"Oh... Hello."

Naeva was up with her staff in an instant. A tall stranger stood in front of her, barely illuminated by the embers. Fortunately, the griffin eye Naeva had absorbed allowed her a full view of him. He had pale skin and dark hair, and the cloak he wore was thick and black. He didn't appear armed, but Naeva didn't lower her staff.

"Back off," she warned. "Tell me who you are in one sentence or I'll start fighting."

He moved as if to step forward, but then thought better of it. "I am Valerian Beck of Lowly Champion, and I seem to have made a mistake with my experiment."

"What experiment would that be?" Naeva asked. Where had he come from?

"I combined two powers to allow for farther travel," he explained. "I recalled what Polina had said about you, accidentally commanding my passage to release me near you."

Naeva backed up and lowered her staff, but she didn't return it to her sling. "An accident."

"Yes."

"Can you get back the same way?"

He shook his head. "It is possible, but I am exhausted and unpracticed with this new combination. I may have to walk back to Nettin."

"Without your power?" Naeva asked skeptically.

"Yes," he said simply, "though I could use a bodyguard. Are you up for it?"

Naeva sighed. "I already told you, I'm not—"

Valerian held up a hand. "Just for the day's walk. I do not ask you to stop your nomadic lifestyle, only that you ensure I arrive home safely. I will give you a full job's pay upon arrival, which should keep you from starving."

He's dangerously businesslike, but I appreciate that he's not pretending to like me like Polina does, Naeva thought, lowering her staff further. He is simply using a tool, like any smart person would. This one could be worth investigating.

"Fine," Naeva said, putting her staff in its sling. "If that pay is legitimate, I could escort you."

Valerian started walking east without a word, so Naeva ran for a moment to catch up.

She quickly realized that Valerian was not typically as talkative as he'd been at the start. He'd conversed with her when she'd forced him, but he didn't seem to like the human voice. He stayed on alert and saw each monster almost as quickly as Naeva, but other than his quiet warnings, he simply walked and fought in silence.

He could easily be the most or least dangerous member of their order, Naeva realized well after midnight.

The hours wore on. Naeva really wanted to sleep, but she was well-fed and ready to move anyway; she'd gone without sleep for days on end back when Vernal had been chasing her.

"There's Nettin," Valerian noted. "I will not force you, but you may sleep in our order home if you so desire."

Naeva looked at him suspiciously, but there was no sign of deceit in his dark eyes. "Fine. Just for today, though."

"Of course."

Everyone else was still asleep when they arrived in the order home, so Naeva simply picked a couch and went to sleep.