Grimmer (Sequel to Kailin)

Chapter 28: Your Eyes Trace, My Eyes Falter

She was watching me. I saw her when I lifted my head; caught her gaze in a brief instant when the waves of Grimmer had parted.

Why was she not fighting?

There was a roar overhead, as I had not yet risen from my hands and knees. Another knife was quickly drawn from my belt and twisted up into the ribs of the oncomer. I lunged to stand in the same instant, dragging the knife up through the beast's side. Emotion was fought off my features; duty came first. I had to aid my people. Watch over them. Fight this horde off our border.

Ana's blue eyes followed me again as I made waste to another string of attackers. The motions came easy enough that I allowed my focus to wander into the thoughts of the others. Members of the Vari had a noticeable amount of attention on my movements. Most had not noticed my brief absence. But the Elders had. Ana had.

Many more Elves were watching her. Watched her fight as intently as I watched through their eyes. Her style was notably different; motions rougher, more direct; trained to kill bluntly and directly, as the humans had trained her. As graceful as she was for a human, and as fluid as she was in her direction, she was not as smooth as the Elves. So they watched.

I hadn't seen her in weeks. Having her there started odd and unwelcome longings in my chest; when my eyes should have been searching for the next threatening beast, they fought to find her. See every inch and memorize the touch and feel of every breath and stroke and fingertip. Claim her as my own once more.

In the essence of time, the Grimmer were put down swiftly. Still, I stood tensed on the southern face. They were there. Looming in numbers larger than we'd seen before, waiting, gaining strength; looming in the dry land between Dugrai and any standing Human settlement. It was Kailin land. It had been made clear that any act of ours, without aid of the Humans, within the body of Kail would be taken as a separate threat. Tailin had made it clearer still that any Elvish move, also without Kailin consent, would end in the rejection of those bodies from Elven territory or relations; an excommunication.

We had to wait, then, for their strike.

A feminine hand slipped over my shoulder. Though I knew whose it was, I thought only of Ana — wished I could have turned to see her. It was Saerwen.

"Would you like to explain how it is you appeared in Cozner not a moment after standing here?"

"The Knight," I replied, tensing. I passively channeled a heat through my arm that would press her hand to be removed.

"I did not realize they could take more than one body."

"They can."

There was a deep grunt. She did not move.

"I must thank you, Saerwen." I didn't look to her, but I could see how she'd been watching Anaera, and the others, in my absence.

"To what other purpose may my sense be held? No." Her grey eyes turned up to the same horizon I gazed over. "I do not need your thanks."

A stiff nod was all she received before she stepped away again.

I felt Ana's stare like a burn in the back of my head. My eyes closed; I thought back to how our... differences had been brought about. I knew she thought of the same.

Her mind was covered from my view, still. I reached for her thoughts and reviewed a blank wall through which no murmur passed. It was frustrating; the only mind I needed to observe was the only one removed from my eye.

I turned. At my motion, she turned, as well — she ran into the forest's depths to avoid my gaze. Just as quickly, she was gone once more.

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