The Blood Rite

Chapter 11

Nyx had returned to the hut not long later, offering Silas his congratulations. Asteria had rolled her eyes, she knew Nyx understood what it could mean for her, but he was overprotective of family and would've punched Thomas himself if he was allowed. Nyx had patted Aster on the back and told her Thomas wouldn't speak to Devlon if he knew what was good for him. Aster thought Thomas hadn't displayed masses of intelligence in the little time she'd known him, so Nyx's words were not much comfort.

Either way, life had continued on as normal for the next week. Silas and Aster were back training with each other and mercifully there had been no more awkward encounters between the two. Silas and Aster had also started a new kind of lesson; he was teaching her how to survive in the wilderness. She had laughed at it to begin with, but his tips and tricks had grown useful. As Silas said; she'd grown up in a beautiful mansion and had no idea how to start her own fire or find the best shelter.

"Caves are good", Silas said as he pointed to one in the distance, "as long as there is nothing inhabiting them. It's always best to check first".

They'd been trudging about the woods most of the afternoon. Silas took her back to his original campsite, it was now fully covered in snow, but he explained why he chose this spot over everything else.

"How did you learn all this?" She asked.

Silas was tall and buff, but he carried himself with a confidence that Aster was familiar with, and it wasn't the arrogance of a regular Illyrian warrior.

"I learnt most of it from my father but some of it I had to learn by trial and error", he stated simply.

So he had been thrust out into the wild and had to adapt. Aster frowned, "do you miss your dad?"

They never really spoke about his exile. In Asteria's eyes whatever he had done couldn't be that bad because Silas was so nice. However, she could not doubt that the circumstances intrigued her.

"No", Silas replied simply, "he was not a good man".

"And yet you're a good man", Aster said.

It was true. She usually found that Illyrian males followed in their family's footsteps, which usually included conservatism and rudeness. But Silas wasn't like that, and if his father was truely a bad man than she was happy he was different.

Silas smiled, "I try to be".

Aster could tell her compliment had made him flustered and she wanted nothing more than to see that look in his eye over and over again.

"You are", she reiterated, "I think you're one of the best males I've ever met".

Silas shook his head, "you're flattering me, I'm meant to be giving you lessons".

Aster smirked to herself before following after Silas as they continued deeper into the woods. His comment about his father had left her more curious. She didn't want to evade his privacy so Aster continued on in silence. 

They reached a river and Silas began explaining how rivers were the best way to lose someone's scent. Aster already knew some of this, her family would not send her into the Rite with no knowledge of how to survive, but Aster liked listening to the way Silas explained it. And she knew that by teaching her this stuff, Silas would rest easy when it came to the Rite.

Devlon had come to watch everyone's training a few days earlier, and Aster had watched as he observed her and Silas. She had cursed herself that Devlon would most definitely split them up in the Rite. That thought alone had caused a spark of anxiety in her stomach, she had began to rely on Silas and his stern words of encouragement.

"You know how it's Winter Solstice soon?" Aster asked, interrupting his teaching again.

Silas sighed, "yes".

"Devlon usually gives everyone a day off to celebrate the holiday and I was just wondering - since you don't really have anyone to celebrate with - I mean you have us, but like no family - I don't mean it like that, I mean-"

"-Aster! Just spit it out", he huffed.

Aster blushed but continued, "would you like to come with Nyx and I to Velaris for Winter Solstice?"

Silas's lip twitched, "that sounds nice".

"It is!" Aster said excitedly, "there is usually a lot of drinking and my dad has his annual snowball fight!"

"The High Lord had an annual snowball fight?" Silas questioned, raising a brow.

"Yeah, but it's just between him, my uncles and Nyx. Us girls usually drink more wine and sometimes try and paint with my mother's stuff", she said smiling happily at the fond memory.

"I would love to come", he said smiling, "are your family going to mind?"

"No, of course not, Cassian and Azriel love you", she replied excitedly.

In reality she hadn't told her family Silas might be coming too, her lack of daemati abilities made it difficult to communicate sometimes. And Cassian and Azriel have never expressed any kind of love towards Silas but she knew they bonded a bit in the fighting ring so that counts for something, right?

"Do I need to wear something fancy?" Silas asked seemingly in deep thought, "I only really have my leathers and some casual clothes".

Aster had seen Silas in his casual clothes, it had made her stop and pause. Because, how the fuck does one man look so good in a plain black shirt.

"Casual clothes is fine", Aster said a little too quickly.

Silas gazed out into the distance, across the river and into the tree-line. Aster followed his gaze but saw nothing there. Silas turned to her, his eyes locking with her's.

"Thank you", he said softly, "you have done a lot for me".

She shrugged nervously under the weight of his gaze, "you don't need to thank me".

He shook his head, "I do".

Aster sighed, "Silas you're being dramatic, I would've done what any kind person would've done".

"That doesn't make me any less grateful".

She didn't realise how close they were standing, she didn't know who had stepped forwards first but she felt her hands itching to touch him. Looking for an excuse to touch him she reached out and ran a finger along the scar on his neck.

"Where did you get this?" She said breathlessly.

He had tensed under her hand so she retracted it.

"It doesn't matter", he stepped back, Aster frowned but respected his boundaries.

Silas had turned and stalked off back towards the camp, Aster followed a great distance behind. So much for no more awkward encounters.