Shadow's Advent

Chapter Two

"Volunteering?" asked Cipher. 

The shadow Atherien glaced at her sideways and sighed. "Fine, but you're next." 

"Sounds fine to me." 

The group prepared for bed. Caraka sat close to the fire as the others pulled out blankets and wrapped them around themselves, finally lying down to sleep. 

"'Night everyone," Cipher yawned. 

"Hope you all have pleasant dreams," Caraka muttered. She pulled up her knees and rested her chin on them. 

Kytheran shot her a dark look. "I'll stay up too." 

Cipher looked at him. "Oh. Are you sure? Caraka is perfectly adept at watching us." 

"That's not what I'm concerned about." He glared at the shadow Atherien. "Just want to be extra sure nothing happens." 

Cipher and Aaralynn looked at each other and shrugged. "Fine by us." 

The two girls laid down, pulling their blankets tightly around themselves and quickly fell asleep. 

Caraka and Kytheran sat staring at the fire for a while. Neither of them looked at each other and the air was tense between them. They both knew his reaction was odd, regardless of it being a possessed blade or not, but her stiff silence told him she must know something. 

"Caraka?" 

"Hmm?" She looked up. 

Kytheran shifted uncomfortably. He paused for a moment, considering his words. "Are you sure your swords are not Sorceress' Blades?" 

She twisted her finger in her cheek. "I'm fairly sure." She placed her finger on her lips and looked up. "Hmm, don't think anyone switched them in the night." She glared darkly at him 

"You don't have to be such a wench about it." 

She tilted her head, snorting. "Well, you don't see me questioning your weapon, do you?" 

"I'm not stopping you." He raised his eyebrows. 

She leaned slightly, examining the bow on his back. She held her chin, then waved him off. "It's too shiny." 

Kytheran stared at her, flabbergasted. "Honestly, that was the best you could come up with?" 

Caraka examined her clawed fingers. "Archery was never my thing." 

He glared at her. "This was in my mother's family for generations. It's the only memento I have of her." 

Caraka's stiffened, eyes widening. "Oh...I'm sorry." 

Kytheran shrugged. He tapped his thigh for a moment. He raised a brow. "What about those? I know those can't be your run-of-the-mill swords." 

"How can you be so sure?" she asked. 

"Because, when I touched the black sword, something grabbed me." 

She blinked and quickly looked away. "Is that it?" 

"Oh, come on. Has that never happened before?"  

She brushed away some leaves that covered the ground. "Honestly, no one really has asked to have a look at them. So, I never knew something like that would happen." 

Kytheran scratched the scruff on his cheek. "Well, I didn't exactly see what grabbed me. I only felt something grab my wrist and when I tried to pull away, it wouldn't let me. Why?" 

She flicked some dust off her shoulder. "I said I don't know." 

He scowled. "Fine. What did you say the name was?"