Radiance and Shadows

Twenty Six

When night fell, Synika pulled food from her bag and gave it to Zina, neither of them bothering to say a word. Zina fell asleep against a tree shortly after, Synika left awake to stare into the cosmos.

She sighed. She knew the girl had been right about what she'd said. She was reckless, and it was stupid. But the truth was that she didn't know better. She knew how to kill to save, and that was all. She wasn't cocky, she was just confident.

At least, that's what she told herself.

She would discuss it with Zina when she awoke, she decided.

/\/\/\/\/\/\

Zina stirred in her sleep, the moon still high in the sky. Synika watched her partner whimper and twitch in her sleep, feeling her emotions.

Sune materialized beside the girl, sitting on her knees, and gazing into Synika's eyes.

"She is having nightmares about you." Sune told her. "You terrify her."

Synika looked away. "I can't help that I am cursed."

"No, you can not. But your fangs and claws don't scare her. She's always been able to look past that."

"So then what is so scary about me?"

"She's afraid to lose the only thing she has left. And she's terrified of you, because she knows you no longer care for yourself. You scare her with your blind defiance of reality." Sune said. The woman had a way of sounding sweet and harsh at the same time.

Synika bowed her head. "I don't know how to help that. I love her, but that doesn't mean that I want to live this way."

"You are all each other have. You would do well to count your blessings rather than your curses." Sune replied. With that, she stood up, walking behind a tree and disappearing.

Moments later, Zina stirred from her sleep, blinking slowly and sitting up.

"Synika? Who are you talking to? Is everything okay?"

"Yes, Zina. Everything is okay. I was just um.. Practicing a line in one of my magic books, is all." Synika replied.

Zina took a deep breath, standing up to stretch. "Okay."

"I think you should rest." Synika suggested.

"No, I can't sleep. Just having nightmares anyways." ZIna said, putting her weapons in place.

"What about?" Synika asked, pretending not to know.

Zina flushed. "Uh.. just.. Wolves. Yeah, wolves. Lots of teeth, you know."

Synika looked down. "Right.." The elf said, standing. "Listen, um.. You know you can tell me anything, right?"

Zina started off into the trees again. "Yes, I know. Why?"

"I just.. Want you to know."

Zina eyed her over her shoulder. "Alright, well.. I think with should start looking for my sister after we've had a few days rest at home. Is that okay?"

"Sure, Zina. I think that's a good idea."

"Good! We can start in the Dread Ring, since that's the last place she was."

"Alright, Zina."

The conversation died, the silence of the forest pressing on as they made the long trek home. It was nearly a full 24 hours before Zina finally sat down to rest. The city was only another two miles away, but she couldn't do it. The tiefling slumped in the plains that surrounded the outside of the city, the flat land between the walls and the mountains that held Neverdeath behind them. Synika waited for her to fall asleep, then lifted the girl into her arms, tying her shield and sword to Salyrria's back to carry.