two days later

The smaller teenage girl stared at me from the other side of the fire. I hadn't figured out her name yet.

Veya had disappeared and left her in charge.

She'd been gone for almost two hours. The girl had been eating a single fruit for most of it, she was clearly savoring it.

I recognized it from Calla but I wasn't sure what it was called.

The girl mumbled something but I couldn't tell what it was. I thought she was talking to herself but she looked at me expectantly.

"Sorry, what? I didn't hear you."

She held a small piece of the fruit out to me. "Would you like some?" Her voice was barely above a whisper.

I shook my head. "No thank you, it's yours."

She looked almost guilty. "I know they were overcharging you, I got this for free. It's only fair."

I smiled at her. "I appreciate your kindness, but I'm not hungry." That was a lie, but I had my own food.

She threw the small piece into her mouth and tucked the rest away. "You're Eres, right?"

I nodded. "What's your name?"

Her voice went quiet again. "You're not going to hurt me, right?"

I frowned. "No, I just want to get my friend back. I don't intend to hurt anyone."

"Veya told me not to tell you, but if you aren't going to hurt me..." She pulled her knees to her chest.

"Kovi!" Her voice cut through the air like iron. "I told you not to say anything." Veya shot me a glare as she walked up to the girl.

I hadn't realized how small Kovi was until I saw Veya towering over her. I had seen them together before but for some reason, it shocked me now.

"What did you do to her?" Veya stared at me as she wrapped a protective arm around Kovi.

"Nothing." I held my hands up in surrender.

She scoffed and crouched down in front of Kovi. "What happened?"

"Nothing, we were just talking." Tears started to form in her eyes. "I'm sorry."

I was almost amazed by the way they acted. It was like they were the only people in the world.

Veya wiped the tears away as soon as they fell. "I'm not mad at you. What did you talk about?"

She shrugged. "I offered him fruit, he said no. He asked my name but only because I asked his first. I didn't tell it but he said he wouldn't hurt us."

Veya sighed. "People say lots of things." She bit the inside of her cheek as if contemplating something.

She stood up and looked at me for a moment. There was no hatred in her eyes now, she was weighing the risks of something. I could see the precise moment when the answer wasn't what she wanted.

She turned to Kovi. "You're staying here, I already arranged a room for you."

Kovi jumped to her feet. "You're leaving me?"

The shy teenager that was talking to me earlier was gone now.

"It's too dangerous, and you don't have your magic yet." Veya's words were calm and steady, almost a script.

"Then give it to me! You have the ability and Vorneya's Scythe!" Tears ran down her face. Veya reached out to her but Kovi pushed her away.

I glanced at the Scythe on Veya's back. No wonder she didn't go anywhere without it.

"That's not the point Kovi. You won't know how to use it anyways, I don't have time to teach you now." Her hands were balled into tight fists but her voice remained even.

I was impressed by her control.

"So you're just going to leave like Dad did?" Kovi scoffed.

If Kovi was trying to piss Veya off, it worked.

Fire blazed behind her eyes. "Don't compare me to him."

"Why?" Kovi laughed. "You're both leaving the people you were supposed to protect? First Sev-"

"You are not my fucking daughter. With that logic, Sev was just as much your fault as it was mine."

Kovi stumbled back at Veya's words, but she wasn't done.

"I never wanted to go to Sifa, I told Mom to come back inside and she didn't listen. It's not my fault they're both gone. I have been more of a parent to you than Dad ever was. Don't fucking compare us. You're staying here because I don't know if I'm strong enough to protect you out there, not because I'm abandoning you."

Veya pulled a small knife from her pocket and grabbed Kovi's hand. "You want your magic, fine."

She cut a thin line down Kovi's palm and shoved the scythe into her hands. Kovi gasped as the black markings of a Spirit formed on her arms.

I widened my eyes in surprise. I didn't know how magi gained their magic, but I never would've guessed this was how.

Veya grabbed the scythe as soon as the marks stopped forming. "Don't get used to it. If I fuck up this ritual it's going away anyway."

"It burns." Kovi whispered.

"Yeah, that's what happens when you join a clan." Veya put the scythe back in its place. Her tone was harsh but her eyes betrayed her. She might not be Kovi's mother, but the maternal instinct was there.

"I didn't-" Kovi started.

"I know, I didn't warn you. I'm sorry." Veya pulled Kovi into her arms. "It doesn't last long."

Veya looked at me as if she just realized I was here. I looked down, I shouldn't be here.

"I'll be back, I'm going to take her to where she'll be staying. Don't move." Her tone went back to the cold one she usually used with me.

I nodded and continued to look down until I didn't hear footsteps anymore. I felt a little bad about hearing all of that, but I knew Veya wouldn't have told me any of that. It was nice to know some things about her.

She wasn't gone long.

I opened my mouth to apologize but she cut me off.

"You didn't hear any of that, it never happened." She dismissed me with her hand.

I nodded. "Where are we headed then?"

"Ceravis." She put out the fire with a wave of her hand. "I assume you'll be able to get to Kalheim from the military base while I collect the Plague artifact."

I stood up. "Sounds like a plan."

...
why does this man nod so much lol

also, veya sympathy chaps ig?

<3