KINGSLAYER

♕ 2 | 2 ♕

Act 2 Chapter 22
JAYLAH

The days blurred together as one, gloomy and never-ending. I lost count of how long it had been. After the attack of the mountain golems, it seemed nothing could top the sheer terror of those moments falling through free air. But I was finding that the slow deterioration of our scarce food was perhaps worse. Starvation loomed over our heads, as gray as the clouds blocking the sun.

Alexander's lost pack held a significantly larger amount of food, while mine carried things such as firesticks, bandages and a wilderness guide to the Hochov Mountains. The latter, I assumed, was Lorenzo's idea of a joke. This left us with no chance but to ration our dwindling food. Every time we stopped to eat in the day's crescendo, I knew we both counted ahead to the number of days until there was no food left.

There were no options. Though we passed through the highest peaks, leaving the snow behind, there was little wildlife of the eating kind to be found here. Bears, perhaps, and creatures like wolves and lynxes, but I supposed we were more their prey than they were ours. The encounter with the golems was more than enough for me.

But one particularly frigid day, an opportunity presented itself. It came when we were on the winding decline of the slopes. In fact, the Dark Forest was even visible on the horizon, like a black sea waiting to swallow us whole. It was only another day of travel before our next location would be met.

Alexander spotted it first. "Is that another series of statues ahead? Thank the Gods I warned you. Now you have time to prepare for groveling at their feet."

But I knew better. "Do not be ridiculous. You must have terrible eyesight, for anyone can see it is a little stone cottage. Perhaps for hunting further below."

"A shame. I was looking forward to seeing you grovel."

"Quite bold of you to assume I would ever submit to such a position."

I nearly turned the accusation around on him before being hit with the realization that he had undoubtedly been in that position before. After all these days, I still had not broached the subject of his enslavement. But the closer I watched him, the more I could guess which survival traits were learned from years under an unkind master. The aggressive way he always woke. Sudden loud noises always startled him. He also never left his back unguarded, always careful to watch my every movement even if it was veiled in a loathing way. Which it mostly was.

There was a silence that stretched taut between us, and I wondered whether he thought about how much I knew. Despite all his insults, he knew I was far from stupid. And I knew far too much now.

"Surely they have supplies inside," Alexander said, trying to see through the pine trees partially blocking it from view. "I'd ask if you're thinking what I'm thinking, but I am not foolish."

Leaving out the fact that I never knew what he was thinking, I said, "We will leave them be."

"I'd be inclined to agree if we weren't in danger of starving to death. Unless you're ready to resort to cannibalism, I suggest we take the easy option." He threw up his hands. "Hell, I'll make it even easier and promise to kill whoever's inside if that's what saves us."