Chapter 5

The next morning, Raiel was woken by a banging on his cell door, which, to his dismay, had been locked from the outside the previous night, despite his promise to help with the hunting. Startled, he jerked upright. The banging ended, and the door was unlocked with the rattling of keys. When it swung open, it revealed a man Raiel hadn't seen before.

He was tall and lanky with short-cropped hair, receding hairline, and a thin beard. His eyes were small with dark bags under them, and he didn't seem like he really wanted to be there. He looked weak, but Raiel could immediately recognize his stringy muscles to be hardened and well used, speaking an entirely different story from his face. He wore a brownish tunic, slim-fit trousers, and a glove on his left hand that had a thick, leather patch sewn onto it. He had a bow slung across his torso, a quiver of white-feathered arrows in his belt, and a long, curved dagger in a sheath strapped to his thigh.

Even when he spoke, he sounded like he'd rather be anywhere else.

“I was told you'd be ready when I arrived.” he said, his voice strangely monotonous.

They looked at each other for a long moment, before the man spoke again.

“You’re not ready.” He stated with that same monotonousness, while he pulled his backpack from his shoulders. He untied the straps keeping it closed and pulled out a set of clothes in Raiel’s size. He threw the clothes at Raiel without looking up and continued to rummage through his pack, finally fishing up a second, crumpled backpack. This he also gave Raiel, who had been too confused to react to it all.

“I wasn't told when you'd come.” Raiel got up quickly realizing he was completely naked still. The clothes he’d been given was a brown jerkin with a black, long sleeved undershirt and a matching pair of brown trousers. He also got a pair of underpants, which he thought was a ridiculous invention. He scrambled to put it all on as fast as he could, realizing, that even the seemingly simply task of getting his legs into a pair of pants could be tricky.

“I don't know why that is an excuse.” The slender man said while Raiel got dressed. He walked off, as if he had already dismissed the boy’s presence.

“But I-... Wait! Where are you going?” Raiel retrieved the wooden coin from the pocket of his robe and put in in the pocket of his new trousers. Then he snuck the two books from his blanket into the backpack before following the man at a run, anxious to get out of that awful cell for good. It felt strange to move somewhat freely again. Strange, but good. He noticed that the man walked silently, his light shoes making not a sound on the stone floor. It reminded him of Tali. When he caught up, the man started talking, though he was not looking back.

“I'm going to the forest to hunt for furs and meat to eat and sell at the market, and I've heard that you’re to come with me.” He kept a steady pace, walking briskly towards the door.

When they stepped out into the sun, at last, it felt scorching on Raiel's skin. He could hardly keep his eyes open, but when he did open them, an incredible sight met him. Around him everything was bustling with activity. It reminded him of something he'd seen long ago. An ant hive with every ant striving to fulfill their tasks. Standing out here was so very different from simply observing from his window. He wanted to study everything more, but he did not have the time for it.

He kept to the heels of the man whose name he still didn't know.

“What is your name?”

“Things such as names are only important between friends and family. We are neither, but I will tell you, I suppose. For practicality.” He sighed demonstratively as he shrugged, turning to face Raiel, “My name is Maldr, I am a huntsman like my grandfather, Celdr.”

Maldr set off again, ignoring Raiel once more. Raiel quickly caught up with him, walking beside him at an uncomfortable pace.

“I’m Raiel.”

“I already know you name. In fact, I know everything there is to know about you, which I must admit, is surprisingly little. You're a mysterious one.”

“Yes,” answered Raiel, uneasy with the all too familiar subject, “so I've been told. Where are we going, exactly?” he asked in an attempt to change the subject.

“We're going into the forest to hunt.” Maldr gestured towards the gate, which could be glimpsed partially down the road where it curved. The road they were walking on looked to be a sort of main street with an abundance of carriages and people going about their business. It occurred to Raiel how very apathetic they all were to his presence, now that his appearance fit into their norm, and yet, he couldn’t keep himself from constantly looking over his shoulder to check for attackers. Despite having spent an unusual four months in the city already, he felt like he did anything but fit in. He just couldn’t identify himself with them. He wasn’t sure he wanted to anymore, but it still felt like a personal defeat.

“Beasts are many even by the fringe of the forest. They tell me that you're quite the experienced hunter, so you'll secure us plenty of kills, won't you?” Maldr responded in a tone, that Raiel wasn’t sure was mocking or sincere. His first guess would be mocking.

“I had to get by.” muttered Raiel. This Maldr was getting on his nerves, constantly testing his limits. It was obvious that it was nothing but a trick to check his temper and reactions. It was likely Tali who had orchestrated this entire farce. He just didn’t know why.

When they had walked a good distance, Raiel could finally see the open land again after so long, and he felt drawn towards it, a longing, like his body would break down if he didn't go. This was his home, after all. He caught himself standing still in a daze, in the grips of his instincts and noticed Maldr studying him intently.

“Can you explain your eyes to me?” Maldr finally asked, frowning as if he was pondering on a difficult problem.

“My eyes? What do you mean by that?”

“They're different. Well, the two of them... they're not the same. You have a rare eye condition. You have one green iris, and strangely enough, one yellow. Incredibly odd and fascinating, I must say. Did you not know of this?” Maldr looked awake and interested for the first time since they had met. Probably not a good sign. The man came nearer, his face only a hand’s breadth from the boy’s as he examined his eyes up close.

“No, I didn't.” said Raiel defensively, taking a step back, “You seem curious about it. Also, I don't see what the big deal is. I'm sure lots of people have the same condition.”

“Oh, no, the condition itself is quite rare indeed, but still far from unheard of. What is truly astonishing, however, is the yellow color of your left eye. I’ve never seen anything like it, really.” Maldr said as he kept staring into Raiel’s eyes. “Tali told me about it, but I thought she was exaggerating. Most fascinating.” He muttered, mostly to himself.

This was starting to go towards places he had no desire to visit.

“Let's get going.” said Raiel, eager to get out of this conversation, and into familiar surroundings. Maldr followed closely behind him, as if he was suddenly afraid Raiel would take off by himself.

“We're continuing this conversation later.” Maldr noted. Raiel didn't feel better. He had just gotten away from Tali, and now he was in the grips of this madman, who seemed to be interested in studying him, as if he was a test subject. Still, if Raiel wanted to see the pup again, and he sincerely did, he'd have to endure this until the end, and it was not like he hadn't endured worse before – this was just different, somehow. Not as simple as it had been. These people were incredibly intelligent, and that made them unpredictable.

“Raiel, take this. It will help you on the hunt, so you don’t get us both killed.” Maldr handed Raiel a worn, short sword, its edges were dull and chipped, a small piece of the tip had broken off, and the grip had been bound with a leather string that looked like it would fall off in a gentle breeze.

“It doesn't look as useful as the spear Tali carries around.” Raiel observed, and inspected the sword again, there was no scabbard, as he had seen with the swords and daggers the people in the market had worn.

“Did you really think you’d get something of that quality? Not happening, especially since you're still a stranger here. Do you even know how to use it properly?”

“No, this is my first time holding a sword.” Raiel told him honestly. This was the best he would get, no matter what he did, so he could just as well settle for it. And like Maldr had pointed out, he had no practice with a sword, and he preferred fighting with his bare hands in any case.

“This will do just fine, I think.” He concluded

As Raiel closed the distance to the forest, he gradually quickened his pace, feeling the pull growing stronger with each step, his heart pounding rapidly in his chest. He had been confined for almost four whole months, which felt like an eternity, during which he had almost forgotten the beauty of the leaves swaying in the wind, the fresh smell of wet moss on rocks, and the feeling of standing secluded in a quiet dreamland. But this time was different than before. He was with another human being now, and it unnerved him to a degree that he could not explain. This was his home, and he had not granted this stranger access to his realm.

A thought gripped Raiel. He could easily do away with this man, if he so desired, and none would be the wiser before he was long gone. He had been keeping a close eye on human behavior, and almost all, with the exception of Tali, moved clumsily and slowly, like a newborn fawn. If this man was even remotely similar to other humans, he would not stand a chance against an unforeseen attack. He could even make a meal of him. He had seen other animals cannibalize on their dead companions, after all. Why shouldn’t he?

That would certainly have been a logical solution to his problem, had he been his old self. But he was that person no more. At least not entirely. Although the thought of killing Maldr had crossed his mind, he had hardly considered it at all, which came as a surprise to him. He had realized that he liked this version of himself better. Much better. And although he might not fit in here, he was far from the feral wild man that had emerged from the forest three months ago. He had become more civilized, and studied the ways of man, learning to act consciously, rather than instinctively. A welcome transformation.

When they reached the fringe of the woods, Raiel instantly felt his stomach drop, an instinct he was happy to possess, because it meant that danger awaited.

“Maldr, danger lurks. Let us take cover and assess the situation before we go any further” Raiel warned, and held up a hand to signal a stop.

“And how would you know of such dangers? Are you going to tell me you're psychic?” asked Maldr sarcastically.

“I’m not sure what a psychic is…” Raiel admitted.

“Listen here. I've been a tracker and hunter in service of this city for many years, and I see nothing out of the ordinary.” Maldr seemed offended. Weird, since all Raiel had done was warn him of a possible threat.

Perhaps his pride had been hurt. Maybe Maldr was one of those people for whom the preservation of pride and honor was more important than survival. And although Raiel, too, felt prideful, he would never sacrifice his life for such a useless notion.

“That of which I speak, is a feeling. A hardening in my stomach, a chill on my skin. It's unmistakeable.”

“Nonsense. I've felt no such thing. Let's get moving!” Apparently, Maldr had quite a bad temper. He scowled and threw caution to the wind and strode with long, determined steps through the thick undergrowth that marked the border between two worlds, leaving Raiel standing by himself, who still was not convinced of the wisdom in walking straight through in such a carefree manner.

Raiel did not have to wait long for his fears to be confirmed. A yell followed by a scream was more than enough to tell him that something had happened. The question was whether Maldr had perished already, or if he could still be saved.

Raiel broke into a dash. Why was he even rescuing the man? He did not have to, but somehow, he wanted to. He had not come this far just to abandon everything he had worked for.

The first thing Raiel saw when he crashed through the green barrier was the enormous bear standing in a clearing on its hind legs, paws waving in front of it, a throaty growl rumbling from its mouth.

The second thing he saw was Maldr, lying on his back on the ground. Still. His chest had been mauled horribly, blood already seeping onto the ground. A weak mumbling could be heard from his mouth. So, not dead yet.

With how heavily he bled, something had to be done swiftly, if he was to have even a small chance of surviving. Luckily, Raiel had grabbed the attention of the bear when he had emerged, and it was now fully focused on this newcomer. He held up his sword awkwardly, knowing neither stance nor technique. When the bear dropped back onto all four legs, he noticed movement on the ground, and he saw that Maldr had begun stirring feebly, waking from unconsciousness. It was now or never. If Maldr awoke now, and started thrashing around, he would be killed.

Raiel felt energy pumping into his legs as he charged, sword held high, uncomfortable without his hands free. As he came upon the bear, he slipped to the side to avoid the bear’s own advance and slashed downwards, aiming for the skull, but instead the sword connected at an awkward angle and slid off the smooth brown fur. His failed attack managed to bash the bear across the snout painfully, but no real damage was dealt.

The bear lunged forward, its great paw flying with terrifying speed and power, which Raiel only barely managed to block with the sword, resulting in the sword being hurled from his grip, landing several meters away. He could see no way to get his hands on the weapon again without putting himself and Maldr at even more of disadvantage than they already were.

Fine, it had been nothing but a hindrance, anyway. Comical, really, that the tool that all humans seemed to hold in such high esteem to fight was but a burden to him.

When the bear launched itself at him once more, he swiftly ducked under the lunge and spun in place, lashing out and grabbing the bear by its neck skin, and with a furious roar heaved it to the ground. A move that he executed with relative ease, now that he was free to do battle with his bare hands, his strength surprising even himself. The power it had taken to pull it off was still such, that he had barely been able to do it.

With every heartbeat, the blood being circulated through him seemed to carry with it a primal rage. The same rage, which had dominated his life until now. In its absence, he’d almost forgotten it during his time in captivity, but now, a violent storm surged in his veins, threatening to send him on a rampage for blood.

Raiel had managed to catch the bear’s claws on his arm, and his wrist and forearm now bled from three ragged, parallel wounds. The pain and the sight of his own blood further fueled him and he felt his control slipping to a degree he had not experienced before.

For but a second, the beast laid on its back, stunned by the turn of events. This was where Raiel saw his chance and his arm shot forward, shoving his fingers into the bear’s eyes with a toothy grin. The bloodlust he knew all too well came washing over him with renewed vigor as the blinded, pitiful creature yelped in pain and pawed its face. The bear rushed to its feet and lumbered into the bushes, its agonized wailing becoming increasingly distant. Raiel was left standing with labored breathing while the blood continued to pump forcefully through his body. Only an exertion of will kept him from running the beast down and finishing it.

At once he felt both horrified and relieved at his behavior and thoughts. On one hand, he had suddenly realized how very different his life had been in comparison to the average person. Constant vigilance and cold mercilessness as necessary tools for simple survival had shaped his being into that of a true beast. He did not wish for violence, but found himself enjoying the heat of battle. It was the way of the wild, and if he had learned anything in that miserable cell, it was that adapting to one’s surroundings was of utmost importance.

On the other hand, the fact that he had not lost that very person he had been brought him solace which, ironically, helped calm him as he felt the fury drain from him.

Whirling around, he remembered Maldr on the ground, gravely injured. Raiel ran to Maldr and put his palm under his head.

“Mal-... What-... Can you hear me? Oi! You can't die here, I still need you! I'm so close now!” When verbal communication and yelling seemed to yield no result, Raiel tried other methods. When he shook Maldr’s body roughly and the man eventually gave signs of life he exhaled and sat on his ass.

“Aah... That hurts a lot. Don’t do… tha-…” Maldr mumbled weakly as he trailed off, and fell into unconsciousness once more, leaving Raiel to try and figure out what the best course of action would be. Run away and leave a corpse for trackers and wild animals to find – or carry Maldr back to safety within the city walls. Again, the choice seemed an easy one.

Except for the few gashes on his arm, he was unharmed, so Raiel half dragged, half carried Maldr's limp body on his back. Raiel settled into a steady pace, breathing controlled but heavily, feeling the past three months of physical inactivity really hit him for the first time. He almost felt ashamed to be so out of shape, even if there wasn’t much he could have done about it.

If anything attracts attention, it's a boy trudging along with man slung over his back, so, naturally, Raiel was immediately approached by the city guards.

As they neared, Raiel breathed a sigh of relief, glad to finally have found help. He went to his knees to gently let Maldr lie on the ground, when he heard the recognizable, metallic noise of a sword being pulled from its sheath.

"Stop! Don't move a muscle!" an irascible, middle-aged man clad in uniform accosted the boy with an icy tone.

"Excuse me?" Raiel wasn't quite sure what he'd done wrong, but was pretty sure, that this wasn't how it was supposed to go. Wasn't he on their side now, in a way?

"I said: Don't you move a muscle. You're under arrest!" the man barked angrily.

Raiel watched the guard for a moment, unsure of how to proceed, "... Can I ask why?"

"None of your business. Leave your friend there on the ground and stand up slowly." he ordered, keeping his unsheathed sword pointed at Raiel's chest.

As Raiel let Maldr slide off his back, the hunter slumped like a ragdoll with labored breathing. The surrounding soldiers seemed to notice, for the first time, just how severe the unconscious man's wounds were.

They did not seem to recognize Maldr, so maybe he was not that well known. Raiel tried to explain, but knew that it was for naught. Admittedly, he would have had doubts, too, had he been in the guards' situation.

The leader who had been talking told one of his men to get Maldr ready for transportation. A stretcher was brought for Maldr to be carried on, and Raiel was secured with a pair of manacles with a chain connecting the two so he could not move his hands from an awkward position behind his back. One of the guards was sent to alert a stand-by squad of their predicament and order them to temporarily take their watch. Upon the arrival of the substitution squad, Riael was promptly escorted through the streets like the first time he had been apprehended, but this time he was much more composed, knowing that he would be able to explain himself as soon as he spoke to Tali.

“Contact Battle Chief Tali. She'll know what's going on.” He said to the guards.

The man hesitated ever so slightly, “We'll see about that. There are procedures.” he did not look at the boy when he spoke.

Great, this was going to take time. He just hoped that those guards weren't too stupid to rush Maldr's treatment. He was in a dangerous condition, where anything could happen.

They were led to a large building with a steady flow of people hurrying in and out. Inside they walked up to a wide desk behind which several identically uniformed people sat with large stacks of paper in front of them, writing on- and handing them out to everyone. Raiel's small group was regarded with some nervousness as the guards scowled at the passerby and loudly ordered several people to keep their distance, but the woman behind the desk kept it hidden well.

“We need you to immediately treat this man.” said one of the guards, the same man who had acted as leader earlier, and the two guys holding the stretcher stepped closer, “He's in a bad condition.”

“Yes, of course.” said the woman as she calmly examined Maldr’s chest wound, “The king's huntsman will be prioritized.”

The guards seemed to be taken by surprise, albeit mildly.

“So, he is from here, after all, eh? Miss, do you know this one, as well?” asked the guard and seized Raiel by the arm and pulled him forward roughly, making him wince at the stinging pain shooting through his forearm.

The woman studied Raiel's face, interest growing in her eyes. When she looked back at the soldier she shook her head lightly, “No, can't say I do, sorry. But I think it would be best if we checked his wounds in either case.” she said, her eyes lingering on Raiel's arm. “That could become infected, if left alone.”

The man thought for a moment before answering. “Whatever you say, as long as one of us are with him at all times. Jos,” the guard said to one of his colleagues, “Go find Battle Chief Tali and tell her of this guy here's presence. Get her to come here and see him, if you can. I don't want responsibility for him any longer.”

The soldier called Jos rocked anxiously on his feet, eyes nailed to his boots. “But Captain, she is... erh, well, her reputation is... I've heard stories, sir. About her.”

“Recruit! You know that it's your job to handle matters like errands, so get to it or you'll regret it, I promise you!” The captain's expression had changed from irritation to rage in a second and he clenched his fists, ready to dish out punishment for insubordination. Raiel could think of nothing but that he had to be a horrible superior. “Now, do as I say!”

Jos saluted with a nauseated and frightened expression on his face and hurried out of the building, leaving the group in an awkward silence. Fortunately, the nurse was quick to break it with an easy, calming smile, “Let's get you men to a bed so we can take a proper look at you.” Raiel liked her. She was nice.

The woman scanned the crowd inside the hospital until her eyes fell upon a young girl, who couldn’t be older than fourteen years. “Ah, perfect! Eryna, could you come here and help me for a moment.” The girl flinched upon being called and looked like she would rather be anywhere else as she approached the group hesitatingly.

“Yes, nurse Sakano?” she enquired. Her nervousness was palpable. When she saw Maldr, whose stretcher had been placed on the floor, she gasped loudly as her eyes seemed to try very hard to escape from their sockets. A hand swiftly went to her mouth and she had to turn away from the gruesome sight in front of her. She gagged a few times before facing the group again, her eyes becoming bloodshot. The woman, whom Raiel had heard was called Nurse Sakano rolled her eyes at the girl’s behavior.

“Well, Eryna, if you have finished embarrassing yourself in front of your patients, shall we get them treated?” the woman asked the girl with an eyebrow raised in amusement. Eryna could only manage a weak “Yes.” as she hung her head and dragged her feet in mortification, leading the group through the bustling building.

Raiel fell into step beside the authoritative, older woman. “Excuse me, Ms. Nurse Sakano. Could you tell me what this place is?” he asked curiously. He’d been glancing around since they arrived and understood why they had come here themselves, so he had a decent idea its purpose already.

“It’s a hospital, young man. And nurse is my job - my name is not ‘nurse’.” she chuckled with a captivating smile, which caught Eryna’s attention, making her look back.

Raiel considered what he had been told with some embarrassment at his own misunderstanding. “A hospital…” he repeated, “A place where I can get better, and you, a nurse, help me?” he asked, seeking to confirm his assumption.

“Correct.” she studied him with a newfound interest. “Are you not from around here, my child?” she questioned in a hushed voice as they entered a wide room, brightly lit by three enormous windows.

“… Not exactly, no.” he answered cryptically. She simply shot him a half smile, eyes narrow in thought, and walked over to the two men carrying the unconscious Maldr. While she directed them to move Maldr onto a bed, Raiel scanned the room.

Against the large windows stood four comfortable-looking beds with clean, milky white sheets. The walls were painted white, as well. Next to each bed was a nightstand, on top of which someone had set vases with beautiful bouquets of brightly colored flowers. When the door was closed, the otherwise busy hospital hallway outside could almost not be heard at all, leaving the shuffling of the men moving Maldr to the bed as the only sounds in the room. In the corner of the room was a metal trolley containing all kinds of odd tools, some of which Raiel could guess the use of, and upon closer inspection there were even a few very sharp knives.

A hand touched Raiel’s shoulder and gently turned him around. The girl named Eryna was smiling energetically, completely changed from her previous awkward demeanor.

“Nurse Sakano told me to take a look at your arm. Would you follow me to a bed, so we can get some proper lighting on the wound?” she led him by the shoulder to a bed and sat him down on the soft duvet.

“What’s your name?” she asked.

“Raiel.”

“Nice to meet you, Raiel. We’ll get you fixed right up, okay?” she beamed.

“Yes. Thank you.”

She left him by himself to retrieve some of the tools from the trolley before returning. To Raiel's unease, she had brought knives and scissors. He asked her what she needed those for, but she simply brushed off his questions as she examined his arm, which only made him more nervous. He watched her work closely as she cleaned the gashes with a cloth drenched in a clear liquid, which stung on contact. He caught her eye when she looked up, and she quickly looked down again with blushing cheeks.

“I’m sorry.” she mumbled.

“Sorry? Why?” he asked her with a puzzled look.

“I didn’t mean to react like that before when I saw your friend. It’s shameful behavior for a medical student.” she explained, not looking at him. He couldn’t stifle his laughter when he saw her squirming under his scrutiny. She frowned, pouting.

With an effort, he suppressed his snicker and elaborated. “Forgive me, it was not my intention to make you mad. You just have no idea how much I understand not knowing how to act. If you ask me, you have nothing to be ashamed of.” he reassured her.

Raiel spied the corners of her mouth raise a little, “Thanks.” she muttered.

He laid back on the bed and let her do her work in silence. He watched as she concentrated, sometimes getting her long blonde hair in her eyes, so she had to brush it away with a hand. The way she handled the different tools was a sight to behold. So very careful was she, that she performed the most miniscule hand movements seemingly with ease. For half an hour she worked on his arm without looking up.

“Okay!” she exclaimed and slapped her hands on the bed, startling Raiel. “We’re almost done! We just need to stitch you up now. Other than that, it doesn’t look too bad.” she informed him.

“Stitch?”

“Yeah. To close the wound properly. With this needle and this thread, I’ll seal it to make it close quicker and more completely.” she explained methodically, showing him how she would perform each step.

“You’re going to… stab me with that needle…?” he was not keen on the idea, and it clearly showed on his face. She saw his expression and led him over to nurse Sakano. The woman was treating Maldr’s injuries with deft hands, working with impressive speed. The man was still unconscious, but was sweating profusely, his face an unhealthy color.

“Excuse me, nurse. I think Raiel is a little worried about getting stitched, so would it be okay if I anaesthetized him beforehand?” she asked nurse Sakano.

Sakano stayed focused on her work while she answered, waving her hand at Eryna in dismissal, “Yeah, of course, but remember not to use your abilities. Just use regular anaesthesia.”

“But, it would be much more-,“

“No! This isn’t a discussion, Eryna. You have to learn the ordinary methods, as well, and you know it.” Sakano held up a finger to signal an end to the conversation and Eryna obeyed, walking back to the bed.

“What was that about?” Raiel asked when they sat down again.

“Because nurse Sakano doesn’t want those of her students with aptitude to only know how to mend wounds with their abilities, I’m only allowed to use ordinary medical techniques for at least a year.” she said dejectedly.

“I see.” he answered. In truth, he didn’t know what she meant, but was not about to reveal that, however. Instead, he accepted it nonchalantly, as if he understood. He would find out by himself later.

“Alright. Please lay your head on the pillow and we’ll get it over with.” she said cheerfully, pulling out a long, scary syringe. “This is something that will make you fall asleep, so you don’t feel a thing when I stitch you.” she reassured him.

Getting stabbed by a needle so he could get stabbed by another needle? That did not make sense. And he would become unconscious? Also not very appealing. “Uuh, I don’t think that will be necessary, after all.” he said ambivalently, putting up a hand to keep her away.

“Nonsense, you’ll be fine!” she laughed and slapped his hand away.

“You’ll feel a small sting, and it’ll be over before you know it. See you in the other side!” The joyful tone of her voice unnerved him.

When she stabbed the needle into his bicep, he decided he definitely didn’t want the sleep drug.

“No, wait! I don’t want to!” he yelled and sat up quickly.

Eryna grimaced apologetically, “Sorry, but it’s a little too late.”

“What do you mean?” As he uttered the words, his eyelids became so heavy that he couldn’t quite keep them open. The last thing he saw, was Eryna’s smiling face, and he regretted getting himself involved with her.

“That.” she said while Raiel’s head hit the pillow, already asleep.