A Thousand Year Old Heart

✴Chapter 22: Break The Ice

Ethan flashed her a smile as soon as Davina started walking next to him. “Why are you smiling?” she asked him suspiciously.

He shrugged his shoulders, tearing his eyes off her. “Because your whole face is glowing with happiness.”

The girl panicked, staring now dumbfounded at him. “What?” she spat.

Ethan glanced at her and, eventually, bursted into laughter. “Aw come on, just admit it. You have a thing for him, don't ya?”

She blinked. A thing? Davina scoffed, a nervous laugh escaping her lips as her eyes darted around. “No! How many times do I have to tell you?”

Ethan rolled his eyes; with a quick glimpse over his shoulder, he noticed Kol following behind. Ethan chuckled. “Okay okay, sweetheart. Don't get upset now. But I told you before, there's something fishy here. And you can deny it every time, but I can see that, little old Kol over there has his eyes on you.”

Davina felt uncomfortable with that conversation and, because of that, she decided to drop that topic with a simple eye roll. “Uh-huh.”

Instead, she turned her attention to the fourth boy ahead of them. Kyle was certainly a mystery. He rarely spoke and addressed to anyone and mostly spent time alone and away from the group. Why? Were he not to talk to them during their journey, then why come in the first place? Why did he want to help with the hunters? The only person he seemed to like was Ethan, but even to him he did not speak a lot. Was his personality like that? No, that couldn't be entirely it, since the tension in the air was blatantly obvious.

Davina raised her head and straightened her back. Her confidence was returning despite his nonchalance and she sped her pace up to walk beside the other guy. It was hard to walk through the thick snow, but she was so determined to get close to him that no obstacle would stand in her way.

Davina's breath was coming in fast short pants when she finally reached him, who by the way did not even seem to acknowledge her presence. “Hey, Kyle.”

He didn't speak. A cold, quick glance though was just enough to send shivers down her spine.

But still, Davina was persistent. “Can I ask you something?”

He turned his head, his eyes meeting hers. No matter how warm their colour was, the iciness of than man surpassed any kind of good-natured vibe they gave off. “What?”

Oh at least he didn't shut her down. Davina breathed in deeply the cold air and cleared her throat. “Why are you being so distant?”

He looked at her with his eyebrows furrowed, as if he did not understand the meaning of her words.

That's why she decided to elaborate. “I mean, you don't talk too much and, even when you do, you only speak to Ethan. Is there a reason for it?”

Kyle let out a big breath; the look on his face demonstrated a person that was bored, or simply pissed. It took him a few minutes to give her an answer. “You shouldn't be here.”

Davina narrowed her eyes. Well that was very straightforward.

“And why's that?” she asked with her usual upset frown.

“Because no woman should be here. Your place should be back at home with the rest of them, not out here pretending to be a little adventurer.”

She opened her mouth slightly to say something, but she was astonished. Not because he had scared her or she had felt humiliated, but because she was surprised by his narrow-minded and sexist personality. But then again, we were talking about one thousand years ago. Women were still treated as objects and given no respect. What did she expect of a man?

On the other hand though, Ethan and Kol weren't like that but... There were always some exceptions, weren't there?

Even though Davina wouldn't let this slip that easily.

“So is that what actually bothers you? Me?” she raised her voice, upset, Kol and Ethan soon turning their attention to the other two, “I can't believe how prejudiced and ignorant a man can be! Your perception on that matter is the exact same as the one of an old man! First you have no right to speak of me as if I am some weak and defenseless girl who's just going to stand in her little house and wait to find a man like you! If all men were thinking that low of a woman, then I would rather die single and free than being with an imbecile!”

At the end of her monologue, the usual redness of her cheeks had returned, her eyes were glaring daggers at the man standing before her, who by the way had been gazing at her in shock during her speech. But it wasn't just him. Ethan had his jaw dropped, stunned and staring in awe at the pouting girl with the puffed cheeks. He couldn't believe in what he had just witnessed, the sweet Davina having such a sharp tongue and being so infuriated. What were those two talking about anyway?

Kol had seen the whole scene unfolding before him. Davina was yelling at Kyle, who for the first time seemed to be so stunned and speechless. Soon, he couldn't hide the smile that was appearing on his face. She had shut that idiot for good. On second thought though, why was she saying all those things to him? Had he offended her? Well, she certainly insulted him. But, Kol was sure he deserved it.

Davina couldn't stop panting. However, when she snapped out of that state, she looked around awkwardly; Kol and Ethan had seen and heard everything. How could she let herself act like that? In front of them? And heck, why did his words affect her so freaking much? God, how stupid! Why did she even bother to reply to Kyle?

Suddenly, she felt her cheeks burning and the embarrassment settling in. Footsteps approached her slowly, Ethan and Kol marching next to each other in sync. “Um what happened-?”

"Nothing!” she uttered, regaining her composure, “We were just talking-”

Abruptly Ethan placed his hand over her mouth, surprising both Davina and Kol. “Quiet.” he whispered, his eyes darting around frantically.

Davina arched an eyebrow, pushing gently Ethan's hand from her mouth. But it wasn't only Ethan who was acting oddly. Kol and Kyle had snapped out of the previous shock too, both being aware of their surroundings. Davina listened carefully at the sounds of the forest, trying to concentrate.

And then she heard something cracking. And footsteps. Slow, heavy, steady footsteps. And they were approaching the group.

Davina and Kol exchanged looks.

The hunters.