Kissed by Fire: Cal Kestis

Chapter 25

Y/n had never been more relieved than when she saw the familiar copper blur of Cal Kestis crash landing beside her. She hadn't been able to revel in it when she saw just why he crashed. Seeing the giant head of Gorgara, which is what Cal told her the animal was called, took all her attention until she felt Cal's arms surrounding her in a reunion hug. She could barely even hear BD-1's joyful buzzing past the ringing in her ears at seeing Cal again.

Finally, she felt safe once again. Not even Nightsister Merrin calling off her walkers made Y/n feel as safe as she was when around Cal. He had told her that where he had crashed was familiar to him, being the spot where he had fallen when they separated, and BD-1 lit up the map to show them the way back to Kujet's Tomb. It wasn't an easy trek, given that the undead walkers were still out to kill Cal. But Y/n didn't care. She was back where she belonged.

She didn't know when she started to think that being by his side was where she belonged, or even where she felt safest even when she wasn't. But it just felt right to her. Like something was reaching out and telling her that she was meant to be right here. She stopped those thoughts almost as soon as they came on, not wanting to jump to anything in her mind. But it was hard. It kept coming back to her. It wasn't like the devil whispering there when she was weakest. It was like an angel smiling there when she was strongest.

But she knew now wasn't the time to dwell on this. They were on a mission, one that every life in the galaxy depended on if they wanted the Empire to loose its power. There was no time for anything else right now. Y/n didn't want to have to tell herself to focus on the mission, but that was where she found herself when she glanced over to Cal. BD's light gently illuminated his face as he examined the map in front of him, casting a lighter glow on this dark planet. She was knocked out of her stupor of thought when BD shut off the map and Cal started to speak.

"So, what did you find out there? You already saw what I did," Cal asked, gesturing slightly to the defeated animal a ways behind them.

Y/n blinked. She debated whether or not she should tell him about running into Nightsister Merrin. She doubted he would take it lightly, considering that Merrin was actively trying to kill Cal, despite excusing Y/n from her wrath. Deciding telling him was the better option, she let out a light sigh and said, "Nothing much. Just some more killer plants and spiders and... I ran into the Nightsister."

Cal paused in his stride. He turned to her with a sudden face of concern and... anger? "The Nightsister found you? She didn't hurt you, did she?"

"No, she didn't," Y/n answered back, trying to calm him.

"She didn't put you under any sort of spell?"

She raised her brow at him. "Would I really tell you that if she did? And no, she didn't. We just talked."

Cal's tense stature lessened, but only slightly. She could see in his eyes that he was alarmed by her news, especially after the attacks from the Nightbrothers that Merrin kept sending and her sisters coming back just to kill him. BD-1 trilled from behind as Cal put his hands on his hips and asked, "What did she say?"

"You know, the usual. Hating you, wanting you to die because you're a Jedi, you're a liar," Y/n pretended to check off on her fingers. "She was trying to turn me against you, Cal. She really hates the Jedi."

"She didn't try to attack you with her walkers?" Cal questioned as they started moving forward once again.

"She didn't. Actually, she called them off from me," Y/n said, and Cal's eyes widened in surprise. She almost laughed at how bewildered he was right now. "I know. It surprised me too. But she did say she wouldn't help me, she just wouldn't harm me."