The Unseen Road

Chapter Eighteen

The morning of the Battle of Agrelind was as quiet in the woods as it had been in the city. Morning dew hung heavy in the air, trapped in by the trees overhead. It snuck into Mina Holloway's tent, beading on her forehead with a thin layer of sweat, causing her to stir softly out of sleep.

Her eyelids felt heavy after a long night; only after a few attempts was she finally able to force them open. Daylight filtered through the tent canvas, softly spilling onto the floor of the tent where she had been sleeping.

She blinked. While she knew she was no longer in Agrelind, it took her a moment or two to recollect all that had transpired. Her heart dropped in her chest as she desperately hoped most of what she remembered was just a dream.

There was a huff beside her. Mina jumped, sitting up to face Lightquill, who was lying sternal beside her. Immediately, she saw the irreparable milky eye that had once been clear, and the reality of what had befallen her gryphon.

Tears began to fill her eyes again as she quietly shuffled up against his warm flank. "Lightquill..." she sniffled. "It did really happen."

Lightquill sighed. Then, he lifted his head up slightly, seeming to peer just beyond the entrance of the small tent.

"What is it?" Mina asked, shifting her position to crane her neck as well.

There was a stirring just outside the tent, accompanied by the sound of footsteps that got closer and closer. The canvas shifted, and a hand pushed it aside.

"Hey," a familiar voice greeted her softly. It was the boy who had rescued her the night before. "I heard you—"

But he stopped when he saw Mina's cheeks streaked with tears. His eyes fixed on hers, and he smiled lightly. "There ain't any reason to be crying now. You're safe."

Sitting up, Mina immediately wiped her eyes with the back of her hand. "I-I'm sorry..."

She met his eyes; although she was careful to keep her gaze low, she was able to clearly see the soft gray-blue irises, a natural color that somehow comforted her. They were a human color; for some reason they reminded her more of home than anything else did, except for perhaps Lightquill.

But she reminded herself those eyes were also inhuman. She recalled the striking gold they had been not long ago; though even then they seemed so familiar. Where had she seen eyes as unique as those before...?

Her breath caught.

"Get out of here!" The distant words echoed in her head.

Of course— it was so clear now.

She paused. For a moment, there was no other sound but that of her own heartbeat.

"...I remember you," she whispered at last.

But the boy only smiled, cocking his head towards the entrance of the tent. "I thought you would. Come on, let's talk about it outside."

Mina nodded and got up cautiously, whispering a word to Lightquill before ducking out of the tent with him. She recognized a few other shapeshifters walk by and meet her eye, but she was only focused on the boy in front of her.

The boy who had followed her all the way from Hartsville.

As soon as they reached the small clearing in the middle of the camp, he took a seat on a patch of soft grass, cross-legged, and gestured to a spot across from here. "Come on, sit down."

Mina obliged quietly.

"So, don't you want to ask me something?" he said at last.

"Um..." Mina replied, "Yes."