Chapter 8 - Just a Quiet Walk
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The evening, though still light, grows colder as Obi and Shania step outside the castle gates. They wave to the guards posted outside, exchanging quick greetings on their way before continuing the casual conversation between them.
"I hadn't realised how late it had gotten," Shania comments, not minding much that the topic is of no significance. She happily speaks her mind around the few people she can call friends, Obi being one of them.
"Do you think your boss will be mad?" Obi asks.
"Maybe. But I'm sure he'll understand once I explain everything."
"Fingers crossed?"
"Fingers crossed." Shania lets out a breathy chuckle, glancing up at the littering of clouds rolling across the sky. The fresh chill of open-air blows against her side, making her stumble slightly towards her companion. She avoids a rough shoulder bump and instead places her feet carefully enough to just brush arms. Neither of them acknowledges it. To distract from her fumbling, Shania caresses the dying petals of the flower still clenched in her left hand. Her mind goes back to the moment she was given it, the sharpness of those intellectual eyes, boring deep into her soul, taking any sense of security she has left. Her rubbing increases in speed, unknowingly breaking off the ends of a few petals.
"Who gave you that?" Obi inquires, snapping Shania out of her own head. She looks down at her hand fumbling furiously, halting it immediately and bringing it up to show Obi.
"Izana offered it to me before dismissing me," she explains. A slight shiver runs down her spine. "He is as intimidating as usual."
"What did you talk about?" He asks, pointedly looking at the flower.
"He asked about the fight at the castle wall. I'm not sure if I saw you there, but I'm sure you have heard of what happened."
"I heard. I was told you had a big part in it."
"Eh..."
"Was that all you talked about?"
"Yeah. I'm surprised, I thought you would've eavesdropped."
"Master had me on strict orders."
"Really? The great ex-assassin, turned sweet, teasing messenger has been leashed by the prince?" Shania goes to push her elbow into Obi's side but pulls away moments before contact. Obi glances down incredulously with a quirk of the lips, cat-like eyes sharpening with amusement.
"I'm leashed to no one, little miss," he replies and Shania cocks a brow. "Could I see that?" He asks, gesturing to the flower. When he gets a nod of approval, he plucks the flower from her hand and slows his pace to a stop. Shania follows suit and goes to turn around but is stopped as a gentle hand caresses the side of her head as Obi places the flower—as dishevelled as it is—into the curve above her ear. She freezes on the spot, glancing up beneath her lashes and watching Obi bring his fingers away from her hair, pauses then brings it back to push a part of her fringe to the side. Underneath is revealed the moulded skin of a burn scar and Shania does nothing to stop him.
"How did you get this?" Obi asks, eyes narrowing.
"An accident," Shania replies, short and sweet. "Come on, I need to get back before my boss has a field day..."