For a moment, her brain couldn't even process what she'd just heard.
"You're not even listening to me!"
She shouted, hoping it might change something-anything.
He was leaving. And somehow, it felt like her whole life was walking away with him.
"What am I supposed to do now?"
There was nothing left for her inside anyway.
After being kicked out like that, there was no way she could go back in.
Everything had been going so well...
Well, as well as things ever go for her.
Finally, she moved-heading toward the garden wall.
He had to climb it to get out.
"Should I just stay here? Ugh, I feel like that stupid rat again."
She wanted to cry.
But she wouldn't.
Her pride had already taken enough hits for one night.
She pressed her foot against the cold stone wall. The surface was rough, biting into her skin as she tried to climb.
She shook her head. No time for fear.
Clumsily, she pulled herself up, the wall scraping against her knees.
For a split second, she remembered the day she and Darkov had climbed the palace walls together.
Then she let herself drop from the top.
"Ow!"
Her foot landed on something soft- warm.
Too dark to see.
She tried to stand, but a pair of arms wrapped around her, pinning her in place.
Fear and adrenaline mixed into a single shiver down her spine.
What if it was Koren?
"You'll follow my orders."
Her body froze.
She couldn't feel much anymore.
Not that she had a choice.
"Fine, but... do we really have to be this close? How am I supposed to believe you won't take my body again?"
His voice was low-gravelly, broken-almost alluring.
Still disgusting, though.
"I can't do this,"
he muttered.
For a moment, he almost sounded... sad.
"What's your command then?"
Why was she even trying to comfort him? Was she stupid?
"We're going back to the palace."
"Together?"
She leaned against him, like she was listening to a bedtime story.
He didn't seem like he was planning to let go anyway.
His voice brushed the shell of her ear.
"She should see you before I kill you."
"The princess? But I don't even look like Gralik, do I?"
"I don't care."
She groaned.
"Yeah, sure. Let's just walk in there and let them crucify me on sight!"
"Figure something out,"
he growled stubbornly.
"Ughhh!"
The closer she got, the more she felt it-the faint electric hum on his skin, softening.
Maybe it was something about his echo.
"What if I hide my face? My voice still sounds the same, doesn't it?"
Koren's name flashed through her mind before the idea could be swallowed.
"I don't remember,"
he said.
His eye twitched.
"You're kidding me! How did you even live in this body?"
His head dropped onto her shoulder.
He looked half-asleep, but no-it wasn't fatigue.
Something else was suppressing his echo.
Right now, there was no one else in Olgard she could even talk to.
Why wasn't she using that to her advantage?
"So... what do I get in return?"
"You're in no position to ask for anything."
His breath hit her neck-hot, slow, deliberate.
"Then I'll just tell the princess everything. I'm dying either way!"
He froze.
Still no reaction from the Death-Bringer.
"At least find me a place to stay,"
she mumbled, sighing.
"...You smell disgusting,"
he added.
She frowned.
It wasn't exactly disgusting.
İt wasn't completely wrong, just strange. Cold. Almost rotten.
"And where am you supposed to find clothes if you have to cover your face?"
"At least figure it out yourself."
His hand suddenly tightened around her throat.
He was weak, but even weakened, his touch burned with unnatural energy.
"F-fine!"
Her voice cracked. Desperate. Airless
He didn't stop.
He wanted to remind her who he was.
He lifted his head slightly, listening to her breath.
Her helplessness disgusted him so much that his face twisted.
But then-suddenly-he flinched.
The physical contact broke in a shockwave of pain. Contact wit the human body lasted this long.
She collapsed, limp and silent.
He stared at her, forcing himself to breathe evenly.
He had to control it-if he wanted to see those eyes again, the ones he'd been craving.
Something was dulling his echo.
But the reason was still far beyond his reach.
He grabbed the girl by her collar and dragged her across the dirt.
If he wanted to move unnoticed, he'd have to steal.
No one in this city could see him like this as a Nyxaris otherwise..
He couldn't even guess it.
He slipped into the body of a nearby mount, standing in the garden of a house.
The poor creature didn't even have time to fight back before losing control.
He threw the girl's body across the his back wit her webfoot, arranging her like a sleeping traveler.
Where the hell am I?
This shit soft... warm... moving.. alive?.
She lifted her head too fast, dizziness crashing over her. World spun.
A long, feathered creature like half frog, half bird -have wings- was carrying her through the night.
Her hand flew to her throat.
The last moment replayed in her mind, making her stomach twist.
It was pitch black.
Jumping off didn't seem like the best idea.
But seriously what happened? Did he leave me on this.. thing?
He gave up?
Then, far ahead, a tiny light flickered in the distance.
"Huh? What's wrong?"
She was putting its had when she felt its pause.
The mount stopped abruptly, claws scraping the cobblestone.
The world went silent.
And the echo-his echo-whispered again.