Heart desired

//Chapter 26//

"So, what do you want to talk about?" Savin asked, twisting and folding his legs, so he was facing me.

"Back then when I was here," I started. "we only came here because Resh attacked us. Did you guys know each other?"

Savin looked like he expected anything but this. I could see his mind working, probably debating whether to lie or not. Resh looked bored as he examined his nails in the dim light, clearly avoiding the question. How big the dirt under his nails must be was a misery, since he could see them even with no light.

"Why are you suddenly asking about that?" Savin finally asked.

"So it's true." I said. "You wanted my help, but you sensed my hesitation. You wanted to speed up the progress, so you took a gamble by attacking us." Since he was going pale, I guessed it was the truth after all.

"You knew I couldn't out run Resh that day, because you made me exhausted. I get it that the plan was to kidnap Daniel, so I would have to ask you for help. But I willingly came to you, so it was so easy for you."

None of then said anything. Resh was still looking at his nails while Savin was expressionless. But his eyes were calculating, wanting to know how I learned about that.

I continued. "When I made the blood oath, I thought you went to rescue Daniel. Instead you went to them, but Resh had already wounded his shoulder so you just told him that the deal was made and bought Daniel over to me, who was unconscious."

"If you knew, why did you come to Elkelyn after that?" Savin asked. "I've betrayed you. You knew that, but you were making friends here, helping Daniel cut off his oath. Did you come to spy on us?"

"Nope." I said. "I did not know back then." I turned to Resh. "Since when you started living in Elkelyn?"

"Since the day our father threw me out of the border." Resh finally looked up from his nails. "I had no magic inside Rawen, I was an outcast, some trash. Outside, I discovered that I had the power to not only blast fire through my hands, but also to befriend anyone I wanted. I found Unnel one day, when he was patrolling Rawen's borders. He saw me and knew who I was from a look. He took me here. I was not only a prince of Elves. I was also the prince of Elkelyn. I lived here ever since then."

"But his upbringing was so bizarre, he earned the reputation as The Cruelest Prince Ever after a month he was here." Savin casually added.

"The one in the mask? That was you?" I stared at Resh. No wonder why he felt so familiar back then, even with the mask. "Everybody was terrified of you! Kylan and Kahlee warned me to stay away from you!"

"You don't have to worry about that." Resh said, going back to his nails. "Others, they should."

"Scary." I said. "Okay. The thing is, I had this dream when I was sleeping the day I was kidnapped. I was you, Resh. I was chasing us, I was blasting at Daniel. I was the one talking with Savin."

Resh didn't look surprised, though Savin did. "It's common for Rawyers. I can sometimes even direct my dreams to see something I want. This is why Rawyers were chosen to be the leaders. We can be at anywhere, anytime, as anyone."

I waited for some seconds till that news sink in. "Well, then, I just had a dream."

I described everything I saw. For a moment, nobody talked. I also didn't say anything.

I wanted that dream to be false.I wanted it to be just something random that all the normal people dream in their sleep. That way, it was bearable. If I were to think that Daniel wanted me dead all this time I was with him, I was afraid that I would loose the only friend I had left from Rawen. From Warren's Den. From my childhood. The only friend I saved wanting me dead was something I never considered before. I could not think of it. Not just yet.

I may be putting myself in to an illusion, but otherwise, it was too painful. I remembered how I held on to his legs, how I begged for the executioners to not to kill him. I remembered how he cried with me. He was not only my friend. He was someone I saved to share my pain. I wanted to do everything I can to keep him alive, to protect him. I believed he would stay by my side.

Savin put a hand on my shoulder, snapping me to reality. I hadn't realised how fast I was breathing. Resh took my hand. The three of us just sit there, letting the silence envelope us.

This time, the silence wasn't awkward at all.

-

Resh walked me back to the mansion.

The light red glow abouve the mountain suggested that the sun was rising. We did not talk much at all. As we were walking, I noticed that the way we both walked was the same, even though we received different training growing up. I chuckled a bit.

"I don't really find it relaxing when you stare at my feet and giggle." He said, narrowing his eyebrows. "What's so funny about my feet?"

"It's not your feet." I said, rolling my eyes at him. "Look, the way we walk, the foot placement, it's the same."

He also began to observe it. "Wow. It's like we are walking twins."

"Teach me to fight." I said.

He looked up at me, confused. "I thought you already knew how to fight. You fought pretty well with that assassin back then." He said.

"I do know how to fight. But you and Savin are so fast and agile. I want to train to be like that. Savin even jumped off a building with me."

That reminded me. "Oh, I forgot again."

"What?" Resh asked.

"The day I met Savin, I was seriously wounded. Somehow he cured me within hours. I want to know how, but everytime I see him, I forget."

Resh whistled. "That guy is mentally ill sometimes. Did he tell you that we were like vampires?"

I nodded.

"Well, out blood have fast healing properties. I think he fed you his blood."

I stopped walking. "What?"

"You were stabbed, right? We couldn't lose you, so he had to work fast. I was going to do it, but I was only half Elkelyn, so it's not effective that much."

I felt sick. My heart was pounding so hard for no reason and I felt like I was on something. I tried to do some drugs when I was in a mortal school with Natalie, and this was how I felt back then. Excited and rushed.

But why was I excited? Sometimes I could not even understand myself.

"So," I spoke after I gained some of my composure back. "Is his blood still inside me?"

Resh looked at me like he was looking at an alien. "Are you out of your mind? He did not inject you with his blood. He fed you. You pooped it out the next day."

Feeling embarrassed for no reason, I sped up. I had read way too much mortal manga. "Just, teach me how to fight."

"Sure." Resh said, easily matching my pace. "Come to train with Kylan from tomorrow. Before that, be prepared. The king wants to see you in three hours."