𝐹𝐿𝒜𝒴𝑀𝐸 𝒯𝐻𝑅𝒪𝒲𝐸𝑅

𝒮𝐼𝒳𝒯𝐸𝐸𝒩

~

xvi

~

"THE TRAIL WILL test you. Force you to move beyond the pain, the fear, the failure. Until you become one with the killer itself. Remember, hesitation will draw danger to you like fire. But trust the path you choose and it will protect you. Even in darkness. As long as you listen. Always listen."

Geralt's words stayed with Ashiya as she and Ciri followed him, training harder than they had before.

They'd climbed, ran, jumped, swam, fought.

As Geralt hunted, the girls listened as a branch broke, and then another.

They exchanged a look.

Ciri grabbed her knife and turned, ready to jump onto the path. But at the last moment she slipped over the frost, grabbed Ashiya to steady herself but ended up pulling her and the two girls topped down a small hill and fell onto the path, crying out in pain and laughing.

Ciri hissed as she pulled herself up, blood dripping from a cut on her face onto the ground. 

Footsteps.

Both girls sprung into a standing position, and Ashiya pulled out her sword, and put her other hand up, ready to click her fingers.

A woman stood before them. She was pretty, with brown skin and curly hair. She had a long cloak and a kind aura about her.

 "I'm not going to hurt you," The woman declared, lowering her hood. She smiled, "Your girls."

"So are you," Ciri replied.

"I'm going to Kaer Morhen," the woman declared, "Is that where you're headed?" she walked closer to them but they stepped back. "I appreciate the suspicion but be reasonable. Would I have gotten this far if I didn't know the way." She studied the cut on Ciri's face, "Let me look," she offered.

Ashiya debated in her head, whether to let her past.

A few moments later, she lowered her sword standing aside and letting the woman bring her fingers to Ciri's face. She closed her eyes, speaking an incantation and within moments the cut had closed up, leaving Ciri's face clear and woundless.

Ciri blinked, "You're a sorceress," she realised, her eyes flickered to Ashiya, "Like you." 

The woman smiled and picked some daisies from the ground, handing them to both the girls, "It's nice to meet you."

"Tris," came a voice.

They turned to see Geralt walk onto the path, carrying a dead boar on his shoulders. 

"And a friend of Geralt's, you must be quite charitable," Ciri mused, standing aside. The two watched as Geralt and Tris smiled, staring into each others eyes.

"It's good to see you again," Geralt greeted.

"And you."

Ashiya and Ciri exchanged a look.

Half an hour later, they made their way into the hall.