OVER THE COURSE of the next three days, we prepared for war. We had no idea what was in store for us so the best way to deal with it, was to go in fully armed. We never knew the dangers we could face, especially if we were working with our enemies.
I trained with Matthew, listening, watching, and then practising his movements myself. Katrina would pitch in to help with useful tips on posture from time to time. Lorrenia taught me how to use the high technology weapons, which were actually quite easy to operate.
Darsh was barely in action; he was too busy alternating between sleeping and being a genius. Macaria would stand in corners, a faraway look on her face as she watched me fight or decided to help the others with supplies.
No matter what she did, she never tried to talk to me again, after I had dismissed her from my room. I supposed I had hurt her pride repeatedly and there was only so much rejection a person could stand to silently accept.
I couldn't help it, either. Every time I looked at her, she reminded me of things I shouldn't have visions of. A dark palace, radiating death, a field of narcissus flowers, a wailing woman, and other indescribable pictures. Deciding that the visions were best kept to myself, I told no one about the nightmares that tore my mind apart every time I closed my eyes.
I swing my legs over a chasm on the hill and throw another stone over the edge. It clatters helplessly down the height. The pebble disappears with a faint plop into the silent river flowing a hundred feet below.
It had been almost a week since I had run away from home. I have no idea how my parents are, what Charles might be going through at school, how my friends were holding up. I violently chuck another stone into the chasm, while a single tear graces my cheek.
"Well, well, well, what are we doing here?" A voice says right beside me and I nearly jump out of my skin. I hastily wipe my tears away before squinting up.
The sun was at an angle directed straight into my eyes, causing them to burn and water. After a few seconds of sun-blindness and beautiful black spots, a head of tousled brown hair came into focus.
"If you ever do that again, I will skin you alive," I threaten but shift to make space for the newcomer to sit down.
Matthew chuckles as he pulls his jeans at the knees before dangling his legs by my side. He bumps his shoulder to mine and says, "Sorry, I used to do this with. . ."
He stops abruptly and throws his head back dismissively. "You know, it doesn't really matter. Anyway, what are you doing out here? Training was supposed to start fifteen minutes ago," he jokingly chides, tapping his wrist.
I look down at my feet, sheepishly. "I just hoped to bunk a class. But now that you're here, we can go back. . ." I offer but Matthew begins to wave off my sentence.
"It's alright. We can have a day off," he smiles before taking in the chasm below us. "Don't you think a better location would help if we're hanging out?"
I laughed genuinely for the first time in weeks. "Why? Afraid of heights, are you?" I ask, elbowing him.
Matthew puffs out his chest indignantly. "Scared of heights? Pfft! What absolute nonsense. I just don't like being at places where I can fall to my death from."
"That's actually just being scared of heights, you know."
"Really? I think my version was fancier."
We laugh together before he pulls his legs up and wraps his arms around his knees. "But seriously, why here? We always have the common area for breaks, you know. Plus, it offers an advantage called 'no death in sight' zone."
I shake my head, thinking of Lake Astral back home. The thought makes me incredibly sad but I push those emotions back inside. "Nothing interesting. Being around nature centers me is all."
"Understandable. It is quite calming." He turns his head back to look at the cave entrance in the daylight. "Five years and I've never once bothered to sit outside." He exhales noiselessly. "It really is breathtaking."
I know what he means. The hills stretch endlessly around us, covered with sparkling trees, bushes and miles of dew-covered grass. Random flowers sprout from the ground, adding variety to the dominating green tones.
The chasm below drops over a river, running swiftly down. The water looks extremely serene from up here, with its little waves bumping into each other. Chittering squirrels, badgers and birds mill about the place, almost making it look like paradise.
In the gentle sunlight, the cave entrance glows with magic. Its usual fiery aura is replaced with a honey-like tone, warm and inviting. If I let the magic churn my mind enough, it shows me my home back on Avernus.
Then, just as quickly, the sight would change back to being just a cave opening and my heart would free fall like a stone into my stomach. I wrapped my arms around my shoulders, squeezing the overtly tensed muscles into relaxation.
"Yeah. We'll be leaving again in less than twenty four hours. It would have been a shame if I had to miss this." I tip my head in the direction of the hills.
"I guess I owe you my thanks."
I furrowed my eyebrows, turning to glance at him. His clear eyes, as blue as the open sky, twinkled. Even the strongest of wills would crumble at the sight of those unearthly ocean eyes.
"For what?" I ask.
"For not letting me miss this."
I tear my gaze away from his hypnotising pupils, resting it on my sneakers instead. "Actually, I didn't really call you."
"Ouch, Meyers, that hurt," he laughs, his voice ringing over the silence enveloping us.
"You know my last name?" I ask, quizzically.
Matthew falls silent, but quickly recovers himself. "You told us the first day you came here, Cynthia, don't you remember?"
I am pretty sure I revealed nothing of my last name, fearing that I might be turned away if my family name was brought up. I was only afraid Katrina would spill the beans but when she didn't, I hadn't bothered with making it a point of discussion.
However, I think it would be best to not pick up that debate right away. I get up from the ground and dust my jeans. "Alright, I think I'll get to packing for tomorrow," I say to no one in particular.
That does not stop Matthew from hurrying over to stand next to me. He towers a good few feet over my small frame and I wonder how the world looks from that height. I want to make a joke out of it but something stops me.
"What's the hurry?" He asks. "We've got all day. Let's at least catch the sunset."
That makes me laugh. "You'd like to wait till then? Matthew, it's another three hours away!"
A lopsided grin brightens up his face, which reminds me of purity and innocence so much so that I can nearly picture it on another face I know.
Before I can make the connection, Matthew says, "Why not? We'll be leaving on a weird suicide mission tomorrow. Who knows when I'll get a fresh chance to see a sunset without death hanging over my head?"
I press my lips into a smile. "Alright, stay here. I'll call the others and get us something to eat."
"Already got that covered." Matthew pats his pockets, mischievously, and pulls out a few bars of chocolate.
"You've got our friends in there, too?" I wiggle my eyebrows at him and pat my pockets, mocking jim.
He laughs again and I feel my heart flutter inside my chest. "Quit it, Meyers. Just sit down."
I happily oblige. I had always found the phrase, the more the merrier, maddeningly confusing. More people meant more opinions, more words, more confusion. It certainly didn't seem to look merry when a bunch of people talked over each other without actually listening.
"If you could ask for one thing right now," Matthew breaks the silence between us, "what would it be?" He opens a bar and breaks off a large chunk of chocolate, passing it to me.
I roll my eyes. "You mean, other than not wishing to travel a 'flawed pathway', rescuing an immortal, and having a daughter older than I am? What kind of a crazy question is that?"
Matthew slaps his hand over his forehead. "Be serious for a second."
I click my tongue. "Fine." Wringing my fingers together, I say, "I wish I could protect everyone. My family, my friends, you guys, just, you know, all of you. I would gladly take all the bloodshed and pain if someone could guarantee everyone else's safety."
He nods, his expression earnest. "I'd ask for another lifetime with my family. We were cut apart too fast, too soon." I can literally see the walls building up around him so, I put a hand on his shoulder.
"Hey, as soon as this is over, I'll make sure your parents get to see you. Can you tell me who they are?" I ask in a vain attempt to fixate on his identity.
Suddenly, carefree Matthew seems to have jumped off the cliff. In his place, a broken boy, whose eyes have now turned a stormy shade of blue, looks at me. "Don't make promises you might not be able to keep, Cynthia. A heart torn by a forgotten oath hurts more than one not promised an ounce of anything."
A line from the Flawed Pathway burns through my mind and I suck in a shaky breath.
Beware of the oaths the close ones take.
Had I made a mistake before the quest had even begun? I cannot shake off the feeling try as I might, Matthew's eyes still boring into mine. I finally look away and the tension seems to fall away.
He clears his throat, refusing to acknowledge the part of him that he had involuntarily showed me. What was he hiding? Why was he trying so hard to hide it?
"Let's just watch the sunset." He peers over at me before averting his gaze with a heavy sigh. "One last time."
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