Descent - Mattheo Riddle

Chapter twenty-four

My eyes widened in surprise. Had he really just said that? Shortly afterwards, he shifted again, then slowly stood up. I heard his footsteps move away from the bed, followed by the familiar sounds of him boiling water in the small kitchen nook of the hut. I slowly turned towards him, watching as he prepared coffee. The silence stretched between us until Mattheo finally broke it.

"I'm sorry if I've offended you in any way," he said suddenly, his voice carrying a hint of genuine apology.

His words surprised me. It was still new to me that the selfish, cold Mattheo was capable of tenderness or apology. But I had to admit, he had changed a lot since we escaped.

"It's okay," I replied, indicating that I wasn't upset.

As the aroma of freshly brewed coffee filled the hut, I found myself reflecting on the shift in our relationship. The man who had once been my tormentor was now someone I could joke with, someone who seemed to care about my feelings. It was a strange, unexpected evolution, but one I was beginning to accept. At least partly, for now.

We shared a quiet breakfast, the simplicity of bread and coffee grounding us in the present moment. The awkwardness of our earlier intimacy faded, replaced by a sense of camaraderie that felt both fragile and resilient. As we planned our day, I couldn't help but wonder what other surprises Mattheo had in store.

Our journey was far from over, and the challenges ahead would undoubtedly test the tenuous bond we were building. But for now, in this quiet morning light, I allowed myself to hope that maybe, just maybe, we could find a way to move forward together.

***

May 31st, 8:00 a.m., Forrests of the scottish highlands

The two days we spent in the hut passed in a blur of stolen moments of normalcy. We had scoured the nearby forest for supplies, trained together, and honed our skills. It was a brief respite from the chaos, but we both knew we couldn't stay hidden forever. The well-concealed hut had offered us shelter, but it was only a matter of time before we would be discovered.

Early in the morning, as the first light of dawn began to filter through the canopy of trees, we packed our things and prepared to leave. Mattheo and I moved with a silent efficiency born of necessity. Our bags were thanks to the enchantment light, but contained everything we needed for the next leg of our journey.

We started down a gentle hill, the forest around us bathed in the soft glow of the morning sun. The trees stood tall and ancient, their leaves rustling softly in the breeze. Sunlight filtered through the treetops, casting dappled shadows on the forest floor. It was almost peaceful, a stark contrast to the turmoil that had defined our lives for so long already.

"This forest reminds me of the stories my father used to tell," I said, breaking the silence. "He loved to weave tales of ancient magic hidden in places like this."

Mattheo glanced at me, his expression thoughtful. "What kind of stories?"

"Legends of enchanted creatures, hidden realms, and powerful artifacts," I replied, smiling at the memories. "He believed that every forest had its own secrets, waiting to be discovered."

He nodded, a hint of a smile playing on his lips. "My... 'mother'... used to tell me 'stories' too, though they were more about the dark history of our family and the power we were destined to wield."

We walked in silence for a while, the conversation lingering between us like a shared secret. The forest seemed to embrace us, its tranquility a stark contrast to the dangers we knew. Birds chirped overhead, their songs a reminder of the life that continued despite the darkness that had enveloped our world and continued to spread.