training in hand to hand combat and the little training I have had with a knife is no use with rocks. The Hunter enters the cave, not spotting me yet. He’s a tall man, bald headed and very muscular. Hunters that travel alone are almost always armed. I spot it straight away: a short sword hanging loosely from his belt. He’s distracted by the waterfall and he also got wet coming through. He shivers as he takes off his thick travelling cloak. I take the chance, my heart beating faster each second. I run past him and jump. I misjudge the jump drastically and land loudly in the pool of water, the sharp rock flying from my hand. The Hunter, startled, turns on me instantly, picking me up by my neck and throwing me against the far wall of the cave. He draws his sword and advances on me with it raised. My hands fumble for another rock, though I find none. He stands over me, the sword inches away from my neck.
‘Arys!’ I hear a familiar voice shout.
The Hunter is caught off guard, turning his head in the direction of the voice and I kick him as hard as I can. My foot makes contact with his stomach and he collapses on the floor. I jump up and step on his hand as hard as I can, forcing him to let go of the sword. I hear my name called again and so scream to alert my rescuer of my location. The Hunter pulls my legs and I fall to the ground, scraping my back against the wall of the cave. I cry out in agony while the Hunter kicks away his sword and picks me up by my neck again. I struggle and kick as much as I can but his iron grip won’t release me. Just as I think he’s won, his release slackens and we both fall to the ground. I see blood spray the floor as I pass out.
I awake to find myself in Kai’s tent. I recognise it instantly by the smell of him. The sharp pain is still in my back and I see light penetrate the gaps in the entrance to the tent. From what I can see, it’s still very early. Kai has his own tent. He found it and claimed it, and must carry it when changing location. He doesn’t mind this, and is content to have a place to call his own; he hates being treated like a child. I think of him properly for the first time since waking up. Kai: the boy I love, the boy who I shouldn’t love, the boy who is engaged; the boy who betrayed me. As the memory of last night comes back to me properly, I feel hatred for Iris burn through me. And Kai’s betrayal stings more than the pain in my back.
The entrance opens and Kai steps in, smiling slightly at me. I reach for the knife on the floor of the tent, grab Kai by his shoulders and throw him to the floor. My strength surprises me, as Kai is well built. I pin him to the ground, my knife against his neck.
‘Arys!’ he says, as if telling me off.
‘You said you loved me!’ I scream at him. ‘I should have known better! Love doesn’t exist anymore. Not the Old World kind! Not the real kind!’ I release him, tossing the knife onto the floor again.
‘I did love you!’ he pleads, after catching his breath again.
I attempt to leave the tent, but Kai immediately rises and clutches my wrist. ‘This is a complicated situation now, Arys. Papa told me everything when you were gone. I don’t love you. Not the way you want me to, though I promise on my life that I will protect you. That’s the real kind! Hopefully I demonstrated that tonight. Nothing is going to be the same anymore, but you have to trust me.’
11
Arys
I struggle as much as I can against Kai’s grip on my wrist. His words have hurt me more than I could have thought possible. Papa is right; I would take any sword wound over the pain of this betrayal. I stop struggling as much, the anger ebbing away, replaced by an empty gloomy feeling. Kai releases me and all I can do is stand there staring at the boy I no longer recognise as my best friend. I take a deep breath, choosing words
‘Arys!’ I hear a familiar voice shout.
The Hunter is caught off guard, turning his head in the direction of the voice and I kick him as hard as I can. My foot makes contact with his stomach and he collapses on the floor. I jump up and step on his hand as hard as I can, forcing him to let go of the sword. I hear my name called again and so scream to alert my rescuer of my location. The Hunter pulls my legs and I fall to the ground, scraping my back against the wall of the cave. I cry out in agony while the Hunter kicks away his sword and picks me up by my neck again. I struggle and kick as much as I can but his iron grip won’t release me. Just as I think he’s won, his release slackens and we both fall to the ground. I see blood spray the floor as I pass out.
I awake to find myself in Kai’s tent. I recognise it instantly by the smell of him. The sharp pain is still in my back and I see light penetrate the gaps in the entrance to the tent. From what I can see, it’s still very early. Kai has his own tent. He found it and claimed it, and must carry it when changing location. He doesn’t mind this, and is content to have a place to call his own; he hates being treated like a child. I think of him properly for the first time since waking up. Kai: the boy I love, the boy who I shouldn’t love, the boy who is engaged; the boy who betrayed me. As the memory of last night comes back to me properly, I feel hatred for Iris burn through me. And Kai’s betrayal stings more than the pain in my back.
The entrance opens and Kai steps in, smiling slightly at me. I reach for the knife on the floor of the tent, grab Kai by his shoulders and throw him to the floor. My strength surprises me, as Kai is well built. I pin him to the ground, my knife against his neck.
‘Arys!’ he says, as if telling me off.
‘You said you loved me!’ I scream at him. ‘I should have known better! Love doesn’t exist anymore. Not the Old World kind! Not the real kind!’ I release him, tossing the knife onto the floor again.
‘I did love you!’ he pleads, after catching his breath again.
I attempt to leave the tent, but Kai immediately rises and clutches my wrist. ‘This is a complicated situation now, Arys. Papa told me everything when you were gone. I don’t love you. Not the way you want me to, though I promise on my life that I will protect you. That’s the real kind! Hopefully I demonstrated that tonight. Nothing is going to be the same anymore, but you have to trust me.’
11
Arys
I struggle as much as I can against Kai’s grip on my wrist. His words have hurt me more than I could have thought possible. Papa is right; I would take any sword wound over the pain of this betrayal. I stop struggling as much, the anger ebbing away, replaced by an empty gloomy feeling. Kai releases me and all I can do is stand there staring at the boy I no longer recognise as my best friend. I take a deep breath, choosing words
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