DEFIANCE

ᚒ1ᚒPrincessᚒ

ᚒADESLIEᚒ

Three moons.

Three moons had passed ever since we decided to stay together until we found a safe place where we no longer had to expect the worst. I needed to find my way back to my tribe and he also had to figure out how to get out of this forest.

We spent three months circling the woods as if we were cursed to be trapped in this maze-like place. The longer we stayed here, the more my anxiety grew. Seeing my family again was a hope I am not certain will happen.

“Here, you can have some of mine if you’re still hungry.”

I stopped fiddling with the jade pendant hanging from my chained bracelet and looked up at him through the soft smoke rising from the firepit. The flames danced quietly between us, casting moving shadows against the surrounding trees.

“Huh?”

The corner of his lips lifted at my inattentive reaction. He rose from the chopped wood he had been sitting on, brushed ash from his coat, and walked over to my side. He held out a half-burned fish towards me with a small smile.

I knew I was still hungry. My body reminded me constantly, especially after long days of walking and nights spent half-awake. Still, I couldn’t bring myself to accept it right away. I had already eaten the bigger fish earlier, and now he was offering me half of his without hesitation.

Despite my reluctance, my hand slowly lifted to take the stick the fish was skewered on. Our fingers brushed, and the brief contact made me bite the inside of my cheek, a quiet reaction I hoped he didn’t notice.

It probably meant nothing to him.

“I’m very grateful, Delon. Thank you,” I murmured, my voice soft, still shy about calling him by his name alone.

In my tribe, we addressed older boys and girls as “brother” or “sister” before their names. It was a form of respect, a reminder that we were bound together by shared blood and history. But Delon insisted I call him just by his name. He said he wasn’t used to being called a brother, especially that he cane from someone of another land. There were not any sorts of those indications from his land.

“Of course. Don’t worry about me. I’m not hungry. I ate plenty of the fruit we found yesterday.”

He chuckled lightly and reached out, gently patting my head as I started peeling the fish from its bone. The gesture felt natural now, no longer surprising, though it still stirred something quiet inside me.

He leaned back with a sigh, his rugged coat brushing against my knee as he settled in beside me. The warmth of the fire mixed with the steady presence of him, making the night feel less empty.

He wasn’t lying. I could tell.

In the days I had known him, Delon had never been good at hiding the truth. His emotions showed themselves openly, in his voice, in the way he moved, in the way his eyes lingered when something troubled him. He had always been honest with me, at least as far as my instincts were able to sense.

It was something my tribe possessed: an innate ability to detect sincerity from falsehood, and to sense the feelings and intentions of others. It wasn’t flawless, and it didn’t reveal everything, but it had been helpful during times of meeting new people.

I hadn’t mentioned this ability to him yet, and I didn’t plan to, not for now. Knowledge like that carried weight, and not everyone needed to know everything. But someday, I would tell him. When the time felt right.

He had been nothing but kind to me. He promised to help me find my tribe, and someday, I hoped I could repay him not just with gratitude, but with something meaningful.

I told him how I had been separated from my people while traveling toward a new land after being attacked by a group of Guturians. The memory still felt sharp, like a wound that hadn’t fully healed.

After I saved him from falling off a cliff, he told me he owed his life to me. I could sense the truth in his words, steady and unwavering. And I believed him when he promised to help me return to my family.

He shared that he had been sent to deliver something important to the land of Gituski, but a pack of wolves chased him despite the protective gem his leader had given him.

I guess that gem wasn’t as magical as they claimed.

“Wha—”

My head snapped toward him as he gasped softly. I followed his gaze and realized he was staring at the back of my neck. I blinked, suddenly remembering that I had tied my hair up earlier, exposing the mark.

My hand instantly went to my nape, tracing the familiar pattern etched into my skin from birth. It was a mark that represented my tribe, my lineage, and my place within it.

My head lowered slightly. I remembered that Delon could see clearly in the dark. Of course he would notice it, even with the night surrounding us. His sharp hearing was just as impressive.

The realization made me feel oddly embarrassed, though the mark itself was nothing to be ashamed of.

“I didn’t notice that earlier. What does it mean?”

His voice held genuine curiosity. I let out a small, awkward chuckle, surprised by how invested he suddenly seemed.

“It’s an inborn mark of my tribe… and my standing in it,” I mumbled.

“You didn’t mention that before.” He sounded almost disappointed.

“It slipped my mind,” I said, offering a small, apologetic smile.

He returned it, though his eyes continued to study my nape. His hand lifted slightly before he stopped himself, hesitating.

“Can I…?”

I nodded.

When his fingers brushed my mark, a sudden tingle rushed through my body, making me shiver despite the warmth of the fire.

He flinched and pulled his hand back, as if he felt it too. He looked at me, surprise giving way to quiet amusement.

“That’s… new,” I muttered, rubbing my nape.

It was strange. Others had touched my mark before but no one had ever caused me this sort of feeling. Even when I touched it myself, there was no reaction.

“Really?”

I nodded and looked away. From the corner of my eye, I saw him nod as well.

Thinking about how he was the only one who made my mark react like this, suddenly gave me an idea that maybe it meant something. Something unexpected, something special.

Maybe.

I hope it was something.

I sensed a shift in him, a feeling that mirrored the flutter in my chest. A hint of wonder. A hint of hope. Almost as if he was thinking the same thing.

That maybe ......... the reaction meant something rare.

Maybe the Ghods were sending me a sign.

For the second time, he asked permission to touch my mark, and again, I allowed it.

The moment his fingers touched my skin, the gentle tingle returned, soothing, calming, comforting. The warmth spread through me, easing the thoughts I hadn’t realized were weighing me down.

I didn’t know I could feel like this, and I knew I would long for that feeling again.

But then he stopped.

I opened my eyes to find him tense, staring into the distance.

“What’s wro—”

He pressed his finger gently against my lips, silencing me. His eyes scanned the forest, his posture alert, his senses sharpened. It was as if a dangerous creature would jump out at any moment.

My unease grew as he reached forward and untied my hair, letting it fall to hide my mark. He didn’t seem to notice my questioning gaze. Instead, he stood and held up a hand, signaling for me to stay still.

My heart raced. I could feel his fear. But I was shocked to realize that it was not for himself, but for me. He was concerned for what will happen to me, and despite feeling afraid of what could possibly be out there, my heart warmed.

He actually cared for me.

“Stay here. Don’t move.”

Understanding struck sharply as I realized he meant to face whatever there was, alone.

“No… don’t leave me here.” I grabbed his coat, pulling him back.

His expression softened. He patted my head gently before stepping away.

“Don’t worry. I’ll be back. I promise.”

His words steadied me, though fear still lingered. I wasn’t afraid he would abandon me, I knew he wouldn’t. I could feel his desire to come back as soon as he could and that was enough to ease my racing heart.

I was just afraid that something might happen to him.

“Promise you’ll come back… I’ll be waiting.”

He smiled and pressed a gentle kiss to my forehead.

“I always keep my promises, Adeslie.”

Warmth spread through my chest as I watched him disappear into the forest.

I knew he would come back.

Right.

Right?