Zane
The silence of the camp was careful, like freshly fallen snow. Every sound reached us softly, as if even the forest knew that the girl I had brought with me was still more fragile than any snapping pine branch. Life slowly returned around the fire. The soldiers spoke in low voices, but they kept glancing at me, as if waiting for me to address them. Maybe it was because what I had done the day before was still burning in their memory.
I did not mind. At least now they knew the rule was simple. No one touches Elariana. No one hurts her. And above all, no one speaks to her the way that man did. He was already part of the past.
After washing at the spring, the cold water woke every muscle in my body, but it did not clear my mind as much as I wanted. The anger was still there. The momen
