67 Chapter 57

"How beautiful is this place!" Galaspiael whispered as they admired the landscape of the Forest of Silence. Kalena smiled at the delight in his voice. She was sure he would like it there after a long time locked up. She made special arrangements for them to come there. They admired the whole area.

"It's a really strange place. When I was here, I lost my control over fire. This is probably some remnant of an ancient war. After all, this place looks very unnatural. Normal cliffs are not that smooth."

Galaspiael didn't answer. He closed his eyes as he felt the wind on his face and took a deep breath.

"Can we stop here for the night?"

"I'd rather go a little lower. Someone may notice us here, and I cannot enchant fire here."

"You can't do it at all," he reminded him. Kalena laughed. He hit the point.

"Aren't you afraid of those guardsmen from the mine? What if they find us?"

This convinced him and he agreed to walk a little further, but Kalena could see that he was still staring at the cliff.

The night was warm and pleasant. Great for a long, restorative sleep. Despite this, Kalena woke up after a few hours, touched by some strange feeling. It was still dark and the fire was still smoldering.

Galaspiael was sitting on the hill they had admired in the evening. He sat quietly, ignoring the darkness around him. He rested his hands on the stone and kept his eyes on the distance.

Kalena stared at him from a distance, feeling that this place was showing its power once again. For a moment she thought the Galaspiael might be an illusion. It was only when he turned and smiled to her that she cried like a baby and ran to hug him. She didn't know if it was a dream or a ghost or something else. Galaspiael was there like before, and that was the most important thing now. There was no sign of several months of captivity on his face. He hugged her tightly and did not let go of his arms for a long time.

"You're still alive right?" she had to make sure. "Tell me, are you alive?"

"Yes, Kalena, I am alive and so are you," he said calmly and pointed to the place where they slept. The girl noticed two bodies lying next to each other.

"How…?"

"Honestly, I have no idea, but I like it. But since you said you couldn't enchant fire here, I suspect any energy can circulate freely in this place. Nothing stops it, which is why there are so many ghosts here, and that is why our souls have separated from our bodies."

"So what I experienced here before was not a dream?"

"I don't know what you've experienced, but probably not... Kalena, why are you still crying?"

"I missed you," she confessed, looking deep into his eyes. "This version of you. You are completely different now."

"But that's still me."

"My gratitude cannot be expressed. You may not consider yourself a heroine, but that won't change the fact that you saved my life,' he said, still looking into her eyes. "I owe you quite a debt. You were extremely strong and brave."

She looked away. Galaspiael moved closer to her, and even though it was not cold, he covered her with his long robe.

"I wasn't brave," she said softly, "and I'll never be. I'm still scared. While fighting Washar, I was afraid like never before, and now I lost my power and I'm afraid even more."

Galaspiael cupped her face in his hands as if to kiss her.

"I said you were brave, not that you felt no fear. Everyone is afraid of something, this is a normal feeling like joy or sadness. But brave people take action despite fear. You are the bravest. You were brave even before when we went to Yagn-Sho."

Kalena sighed and hugged him tighter.

"Will we stay here a moment longer?"

"Yes. We'll stay as long as you like."

*

She woke up with Galaspiael, the very moment he awoke. They stared at each other for a moment, and when she wanted to speak, tears streamed from his eyes. He hid his face in the crook of his elbow and began to cry as much as ever

"He told me you were dead!" He shouted, his voice breaking.

"Who?" Kalena asked, completely taken aback by his strange reaction

"He. He told me that when we were still in Sekania."

Kalena felt her throat tighten.

"Do you remember what happened in Sekania?" She stuttered.

"I remember," he replied, "Kalena, I missed you so terribly!"

She hugged him so tightly she was sure the grip would damage his ribs.

"I missed you too. You can't even imagine how!"

He pulled away and blinked back tears. He slowly calmed down.

"I'm not sure I remembered everything," he began slowly and stared at the ground. "I remember you, the palace, and the war in Sekania. From the beginning, when I saw you, I thought I knew you from somewhere, but now I know for sure. You are Kalena. You were my apprentice at the Scribes' Association. My… " he didn't finish.

"Maybe by the time we get to Kagolania you will remember everything?" She asked hopefully. "When I was leaving, a conspiracy against Samin began to be organized. We will help you regain your throne."

Galaspiael turned serious in a second. He pressed his lips tight and looked away.

"I'm very happy," he whispered, but his behavior showed otherwise.

*

"I met Mizar on the way," said Mei, slicing a root of a plant with such a difficult name that, although Zarkin repeated it several times, she still couldn't pronounce it.

"Me too. And I talked to him. It turned out that our biggest thing is that everything is going too easy. Even in the absence of problems, they can make a problem."

"What's going easy?" She asked with genuine surprise. "It may seem this way if someone spends all days in the quarters and does not see what is happening in the city. On the way back, I had to fight the guards! Even going for a walk is not easy now."

"When did you fight the guards?" he picked up. "Are you okay? Why didn't you tell me anything?!"

"Oh, because it was not a big fight. I ran away from them immediately and they lost their way chasing me around the market. I'm not hurt, so I didn't want to worry you. But don't let him tell you it's going easy! So far, we don't have any general on our side."

"That could change soon." Zarkin took a small bottle from his pocket. "I made you the antidote again. It's better to have it on hand, especially since we're making poisons in the kitchen."

"I'm done with the last one," she said, dropping the last pieces of root into the cauldron. "It went fast." After these words, she hugged and kissed him. Zarkin moved closer and lifted her slightly so she could sit on the table. He kissed her back and his heart pounded more and more.

"You smell good," he said softly, "I never really paid attention to it."

The girl sighed deeply.

"We don't have the opportunity. I swear, while your master was watching over us, we had a lot more privacy than we do now!"

"I think he is watching over me even now. In fact, not only him." The boy nodded. "Someone's coming here."

"Let's go somewhere else."

"Wait!" Zarkin walked over to the door. "I don't recognize these steps, it's a stranger."

Mei jumped to the floor.

"Maybe Okiani?"

"We do not let Okiani in, even for negotiations they are taken somewhere else. Only people from the Association should be here."

"So maybe a master you don't know has come," she said, shrugging her shoulders. "Don't jump up every time you hear a strange noise. Many people walk here every day."

"Take a look at the corridor, just be careful!" He instructed.

The girl rolled her eyes but looked outside.

"Indeed, I can hear him now."

"He's going back and forth!" Zarkin said it as if he were talking about committing a crime. "This is not how a master who came here with good intentions would behave. Even if he hadn't been trained in this quarter, he might ask someone for directions, not wander alone."

Mei pulled Zarkin quickly on the door as the man from the hall turned towards the kitchen.

"It's a Righteous! I recognize the robes!"

"I knew it! I really didn't recognize these steps. Do you have a weapon?"

"I have your knife."

"You need to notify someone quickly, but first take care of him. Now he seems to be trying to enter the king's former room... although I don't know if the door to it was nearby."

"Let's not waste any time," Mei moved forward, gripping the knife. She turned to Zarkin and found he kept pace with her with ease.

"He'll be right out," he muttered.

Indeed, a second later an exceptionally tall and thin boy stood in front of them and jumped when he noticed that he was not alone.

"Stop!" Mei shouted at him as he started to run. "Who are you and what do you want?!"

The young man raised both hands in surrender.

"I don't want to do anything wrong."

"Then why are you lurking like this?" Zarkin asked.

"I'm not lurking... I didn't see anyone, so I decided to go in!"

"It's strange that no one has seen you. And we just talked about how it's all too easy. Mizar wanted something disturbing so here it is! A critical problem with security!"

Zarkin grimaced in disgust.

"Madegaldian rubbish managed to get so far unnoticed. We have to strengthen the security, otherwise, anyone can come in here and kill us."

"I didn't come here to kill anyone!" The intruder continued to defend himself. "I was a Righteous Conspiracy member, but I ran away. I am begging you, help me!"

*

"I have no idea how you got here, the gates of Yagn-Sho are closed." Aymon looked intently at the young Madegaldian standing quietly against the wall. "Where did you even get the idea to come here alone?"

The boy took a deep breath and looked around at everyone before he spoke.

"I'm... I was a student at Yagn-Mao. I chose a profession where no blood is shed. However, recently even we, students for whom knowledge of combat was forbidden, were ordered to join the ranks of the army. But I cannot. I refuse to kill" he stated emphatically. "I'm just asking for shelter. I'm not going to steal your secrets, I'm on the run from war."

"Right for another war." Rikken smiled wryly. "What's your name, my friend?"

"Noko, my lord. Nokomin Mishiro."

"Are you from the capital?"

"Exactly."

" You'll tell us now how you got here. We should think about strengthening security."

"If I may ask," said Zarkin, "why are you so hesitant to fight? Are you so afraid for your life?"

"Not mine. I cannot kill any living thing. I have made my vows and intend to serve in the temple of the god of life when I return home."

The boy snorted softly and moved closer to Mei.

"I don't like him anymore. It's my family's cult it is twisted."

"Should I remind you of my brother?" Mei whispered back to him.

He smirked and wrapped his arms around her waist.

"Your brother is nothing with my mother. You'll see when you get to know her."

"You can stay in your quarters," Rikken decided, "but you mustn't leave. And try not to go anywhere alone. Ideally, you should stay close to the main hall or kitchen so that as many people as possible can see you."

"Not the kitchen, he'll eat supplies," Zarkin muttered, "let him sit here."

"I will," he promised, "I won't go anywhere, I swear! But please, just let me stay!"

"I don't understand, you had Velikania and Port on your way, couldn't you stay there?" Mei asked. "A revolution is about to begin in Kagolania. You did not choose the right moment to come here.

*

"Are you asleep again?" Kalena asked Galaspiael after eating breakfast when he decided to return to the room they were renting at an inn. "We were supposed to move on. We'll be home soon."

"The woman who chased you," he began softly, "Najana, right?"

"Did you know her?"

"Is she dead?"

"I don't know," she admitted, "I fought with her in the Forest of Silence, but I don't know if I killed her. I didn't see the body on the way back, so she probably survived. I was afraid she would start chasing us, but since she didn't find us so far, we rather lost her for good."

"Can we stay here a few more days?" He asked after a moment. "We better make sure she didn't chase us. I don't have the strength to go."

"Wouldn't it be better to go home soon? There you will rest as much as you want, and Najana will not reach us."

"I'm tired," he repeated.

The girl sighed heavily and turned away from him. She rested her head on the edge of the bed and stared at the wooden ceiling.

"What's going on with you?" She finally asked. "Tell me! Why are you so reluctant to return to Kagolania?"

"I'm not"

"Yes, you are! Since you regained your memory, it's hard to even talk to you about it." She looked at Galaspiael and turned his head towards her. "I'm with you. No matter what you think about now or what is happening, I want to be able to support you. But if you keep pushing me away, I can't help you."

"Only a few more days," he asked, "we could go back to Hino. Maybe their goddess is your ancestor"

"If we went back to Hino, the journey would have been extended by a few weeks!" Kalena shook her head. "Is it about Samin? "Is it him that you are afraid of? We'll go back to Yagn-Sho, not the palace. Friends are waiting for us."

Galaspiael sighed deeply.

"Kalena," he interrupted, "I know how horribly this will sound, but would you mind not telling anyone that I have regained my memory?"

The girl did not know what to answer to that request. She watched him in shock in complete silence. He got up and wiped his tears, and as she wanted to hug him, he pulled away.

"Why shouldn't I tell anyone?"

"I still don't remember a lot of things."

"You're regaining your memory very quickly," she tried to comfort him, but he shook his head.

"Look at me! Do you see what I've become? Look at my hands, look what's on my face. I'm no longer fit to be king. I was never the right choice. The thought of going back scares me as much as the thought of going back to the mine. Everything scares me. I don't remember what it's like not to be afraid."

"It won't be like before. I'll help you! We will all help you," she promised.

"If you get angry now and leave me here, I'll understand. You've traveled half the world to save me, and I... well. I have failed you, and in Kagolania I will fail all who await my return."

"I'm not going back without you," she said firmly, but in her heart, she knew he was right. He couldn't rule anymore. He has become weak and dependent. During the trip, he only talked to her, avoided other people. He cried a lot, had terrible nightmares that woke him up practically every night. He must have had a cup of water and a lit candle by the bed, otherwise he would not be able to sleep. When they were among other people, he was ashamed and hide the mark on his face. It was hard to persuade him to take any independent action.

Galaspiael was back, but only partially. He was no longer the same man as before. He was still taciturn, though he spoke a lot more than at the very beginning. Kalena suspected that this would not change.

She wanted him to tell about what he had experienced in the mine. Many times she told him that if he felt the need to do so, he could tell her anything. Each time she encountered a wall of silence. Galaspiael just shook his head and squeezed his eyes shut tightly as if to wipe out an extremely unpleasant image from his mind. He kept her from getting to know his secrets, so she didn't push. She remembered well how hard it was for her to talk about the times of captivity.

Among all this Kalena was feeling better herself. The days went by, and over time it became apparent that it was possible to come back to life without enchantment. It was necessary. Time moved on, and she lived and went with it. She managed to live.

"I won't tell anyone you've regained your memory," she promised, "but today we must move on." There is still a long way to go and we should get home as quickly as possible. Don't worry. Until you decide for yourself that you want to confess the truth, I will remain silent."

He just looked at her gratefully and said nothing.