Calathus

Chapter 11 - Marked

Dedicated to Moonlight1001 for her votes and comments. ^-^

11.

Marked

 

“Nayichi?” Iari repeated.

His ser nodded. “What do you know of them? Have you ever encountered one?”

The young man shrugged. “I ‘ave seen them from afar but never talked to one. I know common knowledge about them. What clan they belong to depends on their crystal shapes and that’s ‘ow you can also tell ‘ow ‘ostile they are.”

His ser returned her gaze straight ahead, eyes narrowed in thought.

Reth pursed his lips. He had heard his ser and Iari’s short conversation as he walked a few paces behind them. He wanted to speak up and say he knew about the Nayichi too. In fact, he knew more than Iari had told her. Reth could tell which Nayichi belonged to what clan on sight. He could determine their form of magick from the gems on their stomach. He could even acknowledge when it was safe to touch their crystals.

Such information and more had been provided to him while he was in the Instituo. It was only natural a Rhokin would understand the ways of magick in all its known forms.  

Reth’s eyes darted at Iari. He knew of the boy as well. The flow of magick was strong through him; Reth could feel it. It exhibited a strong current, but he noticed it had slowed to a warm, calming drift when Iari had been explaining his healing ways to Reth.

He smiled as he recalled the difference between a frost lotus and frost moss. Though they both appeared similar at first glance, the green leaves on a lotus were more curled and usually dotted with faint yellow smudges. A sense of pride filled him when he had accurately pointed out the difference when Iari presented him the green plant at the side of the road. His ser had told him not to fail her, and he wasn’t planning on doing so.

He eyes flickered back to his ser. He saw she still had the troubled look on her face, probably still pondering on the Nayichi. Reth decided not to say anything about it after all. She had not asked him the questions about the Nayichi. She had a reason not to, for sure. It would probably bother her if he started to spew out all her knew about the creatures. Still, he held on to the longing that she would ask.

His thoughts drifted to the night before. Reth had woken up to darkness but it wasn’t too dim he couldn’t see his ser wasn’t present. He sat up only to notice the body next to him. It was his ser. She was curled up next to him in her sleep. Reth stared at her for a few seconds before allowing the lull of sleep to take him.

Something strange had woken him up again. This time, he knew for sure his ser was gone, but he figured she had left to relieve herself. He still felt tensed, sitting up alone in the night’s gloom. His eyebrows perked up when the dimness spat her out. She walked back with her head down, sword hand gripping her sheathed blade’s hilt. Without glancing at him, she settled back on the ground to sleep, but Reth noticed she never released her hold on her sword.

It must have been during those two moments that my ser had encountered the Nayichi. Why did she not wake me?

“I sensed the Nayichi from last night as well,” Calera said, interrupting his thoughts.

Reth turned to the other silver eyed. Her words were few yet she always seemed to find the desire to utter them to him. Reth knew her ser disliked Lycin but was unsure how she felt about Calera. He looked back at his ser. She was further up ahead, having fallen in step with Ser Aldermeck and Deneck. Reth and the female silver eyed now trailed behind everyone.