The Wet Divide ✔️ [TSS#2][BXB]

VIII

A small light was illuminating from Raen's tent indicating that he was still awake. Why? I didn't know.

I took a calming breath but it didn't help me in the slightest having run and was now out of breath. The fear from earlier having startled my heart.

I pulled back the entrance curtain and walked in, having forgotten to ask Raen if I could. I looked for him in my frantic haze and found him sitting at his couch, sharpening his axe. He looked up at my sudden intrusion with wide, tired and angered eyes but they softened into a hard stare when they landed on me. Still holding their tiredness.

"Keylin?" He frowned at me as he placed his axe on the couch, getting up.

"What are you doing here?"

"I'm sorry it's late." I gulp as I bring my hand up to run through my hair.

"I have nobody else to go to."

I whisper this as I avoid the stinging in my eyes. Letting my gaze fall on Baja who sat obediently at my side. Staring at Raen with her glowing green eyes.

Raen stepped forward and looked as though he wanted nothing more than to touch me and take me in his arms but he stopped short and cleared his throat, knowing he couldn't do that anymore. My heart pained at this but I ignored it.

"Tell me what happened." He demanded softly and I gulped looking up at him. The reason why I was here in the first place sinking in and the fear seeped back into my features.

"The creature..she came to me again in my dream, but this time..she told me something. She told me she was looking for the boy with a mark."

I shakily reached down to lift my shirt up to my chest, exposing the paw print along my ribs that binds Baja and I's souls. My face crumbles as I look at Raen.

"What if it's me Raen? The creatures from the Shadows are reaching out to me for a reason. It's only a matter of time before-"

I didn't get to finish my sentence when Raen is bringing me into his arms, holding me close to his chest and I feel whole again.

He shushes me as I try to catch my breathing and I fist his shirt in my hands as I bury my face in his shoulder. Scrunching my eyes up to will my glassy eyes away and I inhale his scent. Raen's scent.

"It's not you." He says softly. Holding me closer. "I know it's not. If they think they can come here and take you away from m-us, they're mistaken. We're not letting you go. Not this time Keylin."

"Why?" I whisper quietly into his shoulder. "Why would they want me of all people? What have I done?"

"I don't know Keylin." He whispers back before moving back from the hug, his hands outstretched as he holds each of my upper arms, looking at me seriously.

"We will figure it out. We will tell your father when he returns of everything. If anyone can do anything, it's him. He will make sure that no creature from the Shadows will ever cross the Dry Lands."

"What if they do anyways?" I ask shakily, eyes red. "You haven't seen them Raen. We don't know what they can and will do in order to get what they want."

"They don't know what I can and will do in order to keep the people I love safe Keylin. I hope they never find out."

I nod my head unsure at that but decided not to say anything else to Raen about it. I know Raen can't take on a Shadow, let alone probably a whole army. The comfort and assurance was what I needed right now but I know when the time comes it will be useless but I can't change the future, if they come looking for me it's inevitable. I can't change that.

"C-Can I-" I begin shakily just as Raen speaks, making me smile at his quiet demand, well more like plead.

"-Stay here tonight." He looks at me with hope and something a lot softer in his eyes that the old Raen rarely showed. I was confused nonetheless but I couldn't help the flip my heart gave. I nodded.

"Okay." I breath out and he does too, as if he was holding his breath. I send him a thankful look as I thank him gratefully. "Thank you."

"It is no problem." He smiles. "It's better if you stay-in case something happens."

"Right." I bring my hand up to rub at my shoulder, looking at him with a small smile. He gulps as he looks at me, his eyes sometimes flickering to look down at my arms and exposed collarbone from my bag and oversized shirt, glistening slightly with sweat. I run my hand through my messy hair resulting in it becoming messier but Raen only took my appearance in, a dark look in his eyes that made him look all too familiar.

"I uhm..I'll take the couch." He eventually whispers, blinking repeatedly as if he were coming out of a daze.

"You can sleep in my bed."

"Its ok, you can take the bed. I don't think I'll be sleeping much anyways." I state, Baja having made her home at the bottom of Raen's bed on the floor.

"Keylin please." I stop and turn to Raen to see a familiar look on his face, concern marking his features.

"Take the bed." He insists.

I take a breath and nod at him, not wanting to make things difficult as I made my way over to his bed, all too familiar from where we used to sleep in it together. The last time I was here was the morning Malakei came in and woke us up. It was the day that I wanted to end things. If only he showed me this kindness and side to him before, maybe everything would've been different. Maybe we would've still been together.

Either way, I missed him. The deep whole in my heart was prominent as I laid on the bed alone. I wanted to cry because of how different things were but knew that this was because of me. I wanted this, Raen just went along with it. For me. It will kill me when he moves on from me. Kill me even more if he ends up loving Mila.

"Leka nosht Keylin." He says to me as he blows out the low burning candle beside him on the couch, moving his axe to the ground as he makes himself comfortable on the couch and I feel bad.

"Leka nosht." I call quietly, clutching the pillow closer to me. Wide awake as thoughts ran through my head. Afraid to close my eyes in fright of meeting the woman again.

**

Hello! Short chapter I know but it's an update!😂 the reason I'm updating early is because I am experiencing Storm Emma (of course a storm has to be named my name) and 'the beast from the east' is going to going to clash soon so I'm afraid the electricity will go and we will be stranded with no power (hopefully not) that's why I'm updating on this fine Wednesday but don't worry! If all goes well I will be updating Monday too :) as a bonus chapter because I'm amazing😂 (lol, I'm really not)

Emma x