Capítulo 4: Into the wilds
The morning sun hung low in the sky, casting long, jagged shadows over the rugged hills. The path led by Kael wound deeper into the wilderness, the terrain growing more treacherous with each step. The wind grew colder now that they had climbed higher into the mountains, and whipped through the rocky landscape, tugging at Alenya's cloak and chilling her to the bone.
Kael walked a few paces ahead, his fluid movements demonstrating his intimate familiarity with the land. Alenya followed in silence, keeping her distance. She was growing more wary with every passing moment. Something about him didn't sit right, and it frustrated her that she couldn't put a finger on it. His knowledge of the shrouded paths was too detailed, his timing too precise. Then there were the questions. He had asked too many right questions…as if he thoroughly knew her.
Despite her concerns, Alenya reminded herself that she needed him. Even more so now, as she blindly followed his lead in an unknown territory. He knew the land better than she did, and if they were going to avoid the king's hunters, she had no choice but to trust him. Nonetheless, her instincts were on high alert. She felt her magic stirring beneath her skin, as if it too, sensed that something wasn't right. The air around them felt heavy, charged with an energy she couldn't quite decipher.
They trudged for hours before Kael finally spoke.
"There's a ravine ahead," he said, his voice calm but with a note of warning. "The bridge is old, so we'll have to cross very carefully."
Alenya frowned. "A bridge? Out here?"
Kael nodded. "It's been here for centuries. Built by an old trade route long abandoned after the wars. It's the fastest way across the chasm, but is of course, very dangerous."
Very dangerous. What else did she expect? Everything about this journey echoed danger.
She reminded herself that had no other option. They couldn't turn back, not with the hunters closing in. Avoiding the bridge could add days to the length of their journey and was not an option. Alenya nodded curtly and followed as Kael led the way.
When they reached the edge of the ravine, Alenya's breath caught in her throat. The chasm stretched wide and deep, its jagged cliffs dropping sharply into darkness below. A narrow, ancient bridge of stone and wood spanned the gap, its surface worn and crumbling with age. Below, the wind howled, echoing through the gorge like the cries of lost, tortured souls.
Kael stepped forward, testing the first stone with his foot. The bridge groaned under his weight, but it held. He glanced back at her, his expression serious.
"Careful," he warned, his voice low. "One wrong step and there's no coming back."
Alenya tried to swallow the lump in her throat, and tried to muster even an ounce of courage as she nodded in response. She wasn't afraid of heights, but the sheer drop below was enough to make even the bravest person pause and reconsider.
Kael crossed first, his steps sure and deliberate, his eyes never leaving the path ahead. He moved with the grace of someone who had done this before, and Alenya knew that this was far from his first rodeo. He knew this land like the back of his hand.
When Kael reached the middle, he turned to her. "Your turn."
Alenya took a deep breath and stepped onto the bridge. The stones felt rough and uneven beneath her thick sole boots, and the wooden beams creaked ominously with each step. She kept her eyes on the far side, refusing to look down. The wind picked up as she crossed, tugging feverishly at her cloak while slightly rocking the bridge. Kael advanced safely to the other side as Alenya reached the midpoint of the bridge.
Halfway across, she felt it.
A faint tremor beneath her feet, barely noticeable at first. The bridge suddenly shuddered as the wind roared through the gorge, and for a split second, Alenya lost her balance.
Her heart leapt into her throat as she stumbled, her hand instinctively reaching out to steady herself. The bridge swayed dangerously, the old wooden beams groaning in protest. She could feel the magic within her stirring, ready to unleash itself to protect her.
But she knew better than to use it now…not here. She suppressed her dissenting power, gripping the rope railings tightly as she attempted to regain her balance.
"Don't stop!" Kael's command sliced through the wind, sharp and urgent. "Keep moving!"
Gritting her teeth, Alenya pushed forward, each step a delicate dance between life and death. The tremor had subsided, but the bridge still swayed under the force of the wind. Finally, after what felt like an eternity, she reached the other side, her legs trembling with relief. Kael offered her his hand to which she ignored, blatantly stepping past him onto the solid ground. She took a moment to steady her breathing, her heart still racing from the near fall.
"You're lighter on your feet than I expected," Kael remarked, his tone light. She briefly disregarded his comment and paid attention to something in his eyes…something seemingly calculating. Alenya shot him a sidelong glance. "I manage."
Kael didn't push the conversation further, but his eyes lingered on her for a moment longer than necessary before he turned away. He was watching her, studying her. And that made her uneasy.
They continued in silence, moving deeper into the mountains. The path narrowed, and the cliffs rose higher around them, casting long, dark shadows over the trail. The air grew even colder, as the wind bit at their skin, and the tension between them thickened. It wasn't long before Alenya began to notice something else; something darker. The thought roused a spine-chilling, instinctual feeling that made the hairs on the back of her neck stand on end. She glanced around, scanning the rocks and the cliffs above, but saw nothing out of place.
The feeling continued to irk her. She felt as though they were being watched…or even followed. Kael must have felt it too, because he slowed his pace, his hand drifting toward the hilt of the sword at his side.
"We're not alone," he confirmed, his voice low. Alenya's pulse quickened. "Hunters?"
"Perhaps," Kael responded, his glimmering green eyes narrowing as he scanned the cliffs above. "Or something worse."
Alenya's magic stirred, restless and ready. She felt the pull of the earth beneath her feet, the hum of the wind in her ears, the steady rhythm of the trees in the distance. Her powers were tied to the natural world, and in this moment, the world itself seemed to be whispering a warning.
There it was, a subtle clink of metal tapping against stone. A shadow shifted on the rocks above. Kael reacted instantly, drawing his sword in one fluid motion. "Move!"
Alenya didn't need to be told twice. She darted to the side, just as a figure dropped down from the cliffs, landing with a heavy thud where she had just been standing moments before. The figure was tall, clad in dark leather armour, a black hood pulled low over their face. Their movements were quick and precise, drawing a long, curved blade from their side.
A hunter.
Alenya's heart pounded in her chest as she backed away, her hand instinctively moving toward the dagger at her belt. She couldn't use her magic here. Not in front of Kael. Omitting its use, however, will put her at a severe disadvantage.
The hunter advanced, their blade gleaming in the dim light. Kael stepped forward, his sword raised, his eyes locked on the attacker.
"Get out of here," Kael growled, his voice low and dangerous. "Now."
But Alenya didn't move. She couldn't just leave him alone in danger. The hunter lunged, their blade slicing through the air with deadly precision. Kael parried the strike, the clash of steel echoing through the canyon. They moved like shadows, fast and fluid, each strike countered with exactitude. Alenya flinched with every hit, her heart racing. The magic in her veins boiled uncontrollably. She couldn't stand there doing nothing for any longer. Just as she was about to step forward and intervene, something changed.
Kael hurtled towards the hunter, his numerous strikes bearing more power. In a blur of motion, he disarmed the hunter, sending their blade clattering to the ground. Before the hunter could react, Kael pressed the tip of his sword to their throat.
"Who sent you?" he demanded, his voice cold and unforgiving.
The hunter said nothing, their breathing ragged, their eyes hidden beneath the shadow of their hood. Kael's grip tightened on his sword. "I won't ask again."
For a moment, the hunter remained silent. Then, with a raspy voice, they finally responded. "Someone far more dangerous than you."
With that, the hunter twisted their wrist, revealing a hidden dagger. Kael saw it too late. The blade flashed, cutting through the air toward him. Without a thought, Alenya's magic surged to the surface. The ground beneath the hunter shifted, the earth itself rose to catch their wrist, seizing them in place. The dagger fell from their hand, clattering harmlessly to the ground.
Kael stared at her, eyes wide with shock, as the realisation of what she had just done hit him.
The silence that followed was deafening.
Alenya stepped back, her heart pounding in her chest. She had just revealed her secret. And there was no taking it back now.
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