Fractured Soul

Chapter 46: Leaving So Soon

“Leave? Why?”

It had been two weeks since the council meeting, and things between Mella and Wesley had gotten slightly better. They weren’t five seconds from killing each other anymore, but it was still tense.

“Things should have died down with Larein by now. And we can find another earth place to finish learning the magic.” Wesley was packing his clothes back into the bags from where they came from.

“But if things have died down with your aunt, then we should still be safe here. Why do we have to go?” Mella knew she sounded like a child, but she didn’t want to leave Koa. Out of all the places she had been, Koa had been the nicest. There were no strange looks, the library was amazing, and no one was afraid. Of anything.

“Look, it will only be a matter of time before Larein finds us. She’s a tracker. So like it or not, we’re going to have to leave.”

“But--” Mella started, and Wesley turned on her.

“Mella, you don’t have to come. But you wanted me to be with you. That’s what you told the council. So if that’s still true, I’ll be waiting downstairs, and I’ll be leaving at noon. With or without you.”

“Oh don’t you dare start on truth, Highness. You’ve yet to finish-”

“Hey, you guys are echoing down the stairs.” Mella spun around to see Drake. “Ready for magic practice, Mella?”

“No…I have to pack.” Mella sighed, and looked at the prince, who had a small smug grin on his face. He knew he had won. “I’ve punched your cousin, Highness. Wipe the look off your face before I do the same to you.”

“Okay, violent much? Mel, it’s fine. Magic can wait.” It wasn’t fine, not by what Drake’s face showed. “Go pack. I’ll tell Gareth what’s going on.”

“Don’t.” Wesley had moved on to packing books. “The less that know, the better.”

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Soon after the sun had passed the highest point in the sky, Mella and Wesley were hiking through the forest towards the border. The prince had refused his horse. Dawn was too noticeable, even in Ivadona.

For a while it was nothing but silence, aside from the occasional bird and the crunching of twigs underfoot. Winter had lost its hold on the world, leaving mud and new plants in its wake.

Surprisingly, Wesley broke the silence. “I’m sorry for earlier. I was too harsh.”

“You think?” There was heavy sentiment in Mella’s voice as she climbed over a fallen tree blocking their faded path. Her bags bumped against her, the edge of a book digging into her back. Drake had told her it was okay to keep the4 two books she had found in the library. She needed them more than shelves did.

“Not helping. It’s just I’m not used to saying ‘why’ I’m doing something to anyone.”

“That’s a lame excuse and you know it. It’s been, what three months since Berna?” Mella felt a headache coming on. They had been more frequent lately. She blamed it on the excessive amount of magic she had been using as of recently, between juggling earth magic by day and spirit by night.

“Yeah, three months to fix a lifetime of secrets? I don’t think so.” He shot back. He was keeping a sizeable distance between them, in case Mella snapped.

“Well then, let’s fix it. What other secrets do you know about me? Got anything else hiding from me? Because I know that something was on your mind when—what now?”