Villainous [Wattys 2021 Shortlist]

26: Guide

She tied the quiver to her belt just as Dante woke up. He frowned at her outfit.

"They fit perfectly. Do you think they were made for us last night?"

Dante dragged his own clothes towards him, shrugged, and abruptly began to strip off. Delilah turned away, cursing the way her cheeks reddened - but not before she'd noticed the scars that crisscrossed his shoulders, and a flash of that black, spiky tattoo. She remembered the last time she'd seen Dante shirtless, while they were sailing to the Delta, and wished she'd taken a closer look. She burned with curiosity about the tattoo, but he kept it covered so often that she kept forgetting he had one. Did it mean anything? The more she could find out about him, the better.

Safir walked in while they were devouring the breakfast of tea and fresh bread that had been laid out for them on the table. "Our clothes don't suit either of you, but you'll do for now," he commented.

He was answered by two identical scowls.

To Delilah's annoyance, this did not seem to deter him.

"The others are ready to see you off. I shall be your guide to the Earth Opal. Are you ready?"

"Yes." Dante swept towards the door, nearly knocking Safir over, and Delilah hurried after him. A few Rtko, including Tor and Nysa, were waiting for them in the clearing, and Delilah gazed around at length while Safir trotted past.

She might never see Il-Falan-Nur again. Despite her feelings towards the people, she knew it was a masterpiece - a work of beauty and nature. She would never forget the willow glade, lit silver by moonlight and golden by fireflies.

"Good luck," Tor said to Safir, gripping him in a quick embrace. "You carry our hopes with us."

Safir nodded and practically bounded towards the edge of the city, where their path was obscured by a tangle of thorny trees. "Let's go!"

Delilah shouldered her bow while Dante ran a thoughtful hand over the fletches of his arrows. Delilah smirked at the way the crowd flinched. It was good that they were scared.

Instead of shooting anyone, she saluted the Rtko and hurried after Safir.

"Remember what the Seer told you," Nysa called softly. "You are not trapped on the path you now tread."

They plunged into the trees.

Delilah scowled as she instantly lost sight of Safir. "Where is he?" she muttered as the undergrowth closed in around them.

"Hurry up!"

"Safir?" Dante growled.

His head poked out of a tiny gap in a barrier of brambles, white hair shining in the gloom. "This way!"

Delilah gaped at him. "You're small. There's no way I can get through that."

He seemed flummoxed. "Oh. Oh, yeah."

Dante lifted a hand to his temple. "Oh, skies, they've given us an idiot for a guide."

"Well, I keep forgetting how big you are," the boy responded, wriggling out of his weasel hole and scanning the barrier. "Let's try over here instead."

"Don't you know the best path?" Delilah tripped over a root.

"Of course - for someone my size. But don't worry, I know all the trails in Ziran. There's an easy route."

Dante cursed when a thorn scratched his face. "Hurry up and take us there. What will we find? A defence mechanism?"

"I've never been there myself, so I can't tell you."