Enchantment of the Bow

Chapter Thirteen

The herb witch gave me several more herbs, which I generously purchased for Adolin's headache. I hand the bundle over to him, which he regards with tired eyes.

"What's that?" We had met up at the stable to get ready to head on our way.

I toss it to him, and he stumbles to catch it. "It's something for that hangover. Eat them, it will help."

He takes the dates and stares at them like they are something he found in his mounts hooves.

I give him my flask. "I just filled it. Eat those and keep drinking, you'll start to feel better."

Kaladin looks back at me curiously from the stall were his mount is held.

I glance at him, then continue walking to Lasreal, leaving Adolin to gather his horse.

I call for him in my mind, and his gorgeous black head comes out into the open.

It pauses me in my tracks as I recall the dream I had last night about the first time I saw Lasreal.

~Flashback~

I was so scared of him at first, until Lance crouched down to put a reassuring hand on my shoulder. He was only a boy then, but he sounded like an adult.

"You shouldn't be afraid Lyra. He can only be as brave as you are. He's your soul now, and you have to go claim him, or it will be gone forever."

The black beast had risen out of the ocean at a deadly gallop, changing through waves of white and blue of the water to settle as the darkest color of shadows. He had felt me here, and showed himself.

I nodded bravely, and took a step forward.

The waves crashed against the sandy shore as the beast watched me with his black eyes, but I was no longer afraid.

I glanced back at Lance who was sitting in the sand, watching carefully and silently, like my guardian angel. He would save me if something bad was to happen. I was sure of it.

I swallowed, and continued forward, stopping a few yards in front of the beast.

Can you hear me? I thought as we stared at each other. Lance had told me they could hear your thoughts.

His ears flicked back, then forwards again, and arched his neck out to sniff the air between us.

He flashed his Sharp teeth as he raised his head and called, his eyes still watching my every move.

That was the first time the sound of the water beast hadn't frightened me.

I knew he was calling to me, but I dropped my eyes and raised a hand out, flattening my palm. He would have to come to me.

I closed my eyes as the sound of hooves on wet sand came closer, and hot, salty breath puffed at my hair.

I opened my eyes to see the beast, the name  Lasreal  seeping into my mind. That was his name.

I'm Lyra. I think, staring Into his eyes. If this were another situation, I would have been terrified that a beast was so close to me.

But this is my beast. He wouldn't dare harm me. I force this thought into his mind, and with a toss of his head, he seemed to accept this.

Lasreal lowered himself into the sand in front of me, bowing down at first, and then laying.

Get on, something told me.

I did, but only before Lance screamed my name, telling me no.

That was the first, and last time I trusted a water beast so close to the ocean.