Born of Flames

Chapter 21 ~ A Soul Claimed by Souls

    It was with overwhelming relief that Arlon and Neeri left the temple ruins when the storm finally let up. They didn't bother stopping for the night when darkness fell only a few hours later. They were both full of pent up energy and eager to reach Ophir as soon as possible.

    They'd been moving at a rapid pace, almost a full out run, for hours now. It was finally beginning to catch up with Neeri. Her stomach growled periodically, reminding her of how long it had been since she last ate real food. She'd barely touched anything since she fed from Arlon.

    Her stomach had been too knotted up with nerves to make room for stale food. Arlon had barely spoken to her since that strange incident, and she couldn't help but feel like he was upset by what had happened.

    Perhaps she'd been wrong to act upon his desires, or had interpreted them incorrectly. Maybe they had been more instinctive than actual wants. She must have crossed some invisible line and Arlon was trying to repair it.

    Regardless of the cause, Arlon was back to his usual cold, inexpressive self, and as worried as she was by it, Neeri also found herself wanting to smack him too. Didn't he realize that she was just as confused as he was?

    She had always tried to keep her true feelings about him locked down tight, but Arlon wasn't an idiot. She knew he wasn't completely unaware of how she felt. He just chose to ignore it.

    So if he didn't return those feelings, if he hadn't wanted her to touch him like she had, why hadn't he stopped her when he realized what she was doing? Why let her go through with it? Why treat her like this now?

    Neeri couldn't help but shoot a quick glare at Arlon's back. His ebony fur was washed silver by the swathes of moonlight they passed through. She had to force aside the memory of his silky hair between her fingers. Neeri huffed a sigh and let her pace slow.

    Arlon remained ahead, though his ears flicked back, showing he'd noticed the change in her wolf's footsteps.

    Or maybe I didn't do anything wrong, Neeri thought to herself. Maybe he's just as confused as I am, and he doesn't want to make things more complicated with everything else that has happened. She glanced at the panther ahead of her again.

    He was still bounding onward, almost as if he was glad of the distance between them. Maybe he's protecting himself too, Neeri realized, recalling what he'd told her about the Human he had loved. If he hasn't let himself care for anyone like that after her...

    She couldn't blame him if that were the case. If someone had left her the way that woman had left him, she probably wouldn't want to open herself up to that type of relationship either.

    Neeri's fur bristled as Arlon paused up ahead and shifted into himself. He turned, waiting for her to join him. "What is it?" She called when she had shifted into herself too.

    "We're passing Durga's How." He pointed to a large hill only a short distance from their location.

    Neeri followed his finger to the How, then faced him and peered beyond his shoulder. Within the moonlit darkness, she could make out dozens of smaller raised mounds. A shiver rolled down her spine as she recognized where they were headed.

    "That's where the Corrupted Fae were buried after our battle with Astaroth," Neeri said.

    Arlon nodded, his blue gaze raking over her. "You feel it too?"

    It was her turn to nod. "Something doesn't feel right."

    It was as though the world was frozen here. No grass covered the graves and the ground was still charred black in areas where magic had scorched it. There wasn't a breath of wind to be felt, and even the moonlight above the area seemed muted, almost dull compared to its silvery sheen everywhere else.