"Well, looks like you are a healer," He said. I shrugged, but his countenance said he still didn't want to believe me. His eyes lingered on me for a second longer while the man who had been earlier tending to the cursed returned only to be surprised to find the previously cursed gasping for breath, the black scars slowly dissolving in his skin as if they weren't there in the first place.

"Take him from here," Nico told him and gestured me to exit the tent. I left without uttering a word.

"I think my work here has been done," I announced, turning to face him without any warning, making him walk right into me for a second. I took a staggering step back to make sure that he couldn't touch me again because the last thing that I wanted to feel at that moment were those strange sensations that eroded my rational thinking... or any thinking in general. Regardless, there remained little room between us, making me aware of every molecule of air that set us apart.

"Do you have a short memory?" He asked me, puzzling me momentarily until I recalled the last bit of the deal I had struck with him earlier.

"No," I answered, taking another step back because my heart was unnecessarily trying to break through my sternum for some unknown reason.

"Then give me your name," He demanded as if I owed him money.

"I wonder why you're so hellbent on that,"

"You can have my name, but I can't?"

"No,"

"It would be a delight knowing you as you've saved my friend's life, and besides, if you work with us, we'd require you to call you something sooner or later," He tried cajolery. "What is your name, mate?" He asked, taking another step closer, eating whatever distance remained between us until our hands were brushing, and those same strange sensations climbed up my arm like vines, poison vines that threatened to corrupt my judgement.

"What if I don't wish to give you my name?" I inquired carefully.

"Why wouldn't you?"

"I just don't want to," I shrugged, but it seemed like he wasn't going to take a 'no' for an answer because he ended up devouring the remaining distance, towering over me.

"Give me your name," He demanded again.

"You sound as if you're entitled to it," I glowered, trying to control myself.

"Because I am, now, what are you called?" He asked. His voice accommodated an undertone of annoyance without losing its authoritarian character. He continued, "Why were you alone in the woods tonight? How did you come across the bandits? Was it all some malicious design?" A wicked look filled his features as he asked the last question.

"Why would you think that?" I breathed, matching his cold and overbearing gaze.

"I have a lot many reasons," He answered curtly.

"Then I have a lot of reasons to be sceptical of you as well. Who are you truly? You don't look like you belong from anywhere here. Who are these people, and why do you have those weapons?" I inquired back, matching his grilling tone. He returned silence.

"All this just because I am asking for your name?" He finally surrendered.

I almost walked into his trap with that.

"It's..." I trailed off, thinking of a name. Of course, I wouldn't give him my true name because Nico wasn't his actual name. And even if it was, I wasn't under any obligation to provide him with my true name.

"It's?" He pressed. His gaze was lancing through me.

"It's Vittoria," I didn't recognise the words until after they'd left my lips.

"Vittoria?" He rolled it on his tongue slowly, testing it as if he found it hard to believe.

"So tell me what you were doing alone in the woods tonight, Vitoria?" He asked slowly and calmly.

"I will answer that if you tell me why your group is carrying those weapons," I asked him, again matching his tone. He pinned me with his eyes while a muscle in his jaw ticked. It told me whatever I needed to know.

"You know what? You'll find out about it once you have joined us as a healer," He told me. I knew he was doing this to keep me holding there for as long as he could.

"I haven't thought about it properly yet. I shall let you know later," I returned dismissingly, stepping back to leave.

"When exactly is later, " He inquired keenly.

Never. I was tempted to say that, but it wouldn't have gotten me out of here, which was my sole preference at that moment.

Besides, I was already in a lot of trouble. I didn't need to get myself into something grave that might reach the ears of the High Priestess.

A shiver ran down my spine just by thinking about her, and yet here I was, calling myself Vittoria. If she ever got to know about this, she'd cut me in pieces and throw them into the Lagrafiri volcano from whose ashes she'd then decorate the shrine walls. She was creative in that manner, Vittoria, but I wasn't least bit enthusiastic about finding out her other creative outlets.

"Tomorrow morning," I said. "I am exhausted for tonight. Can I get a separate tent and some supper, please?" I asked with fake politeness.

"Sure," He said wickedly.

~

I lay with my eyes closed in a separate tent given to me. I wasn't asleep yet. I was waiting for everyone to sleep because then I would get up and leave. Waiting for the morning in the woods would be the most foolish thing to do in that given situation.

I needed to leave for my brother's palace now; otherwise, I might not make it on time, and besides, I wanted to get over this soon because the longer I stayed here, the more it felt like my patience and self-control was being stretched.

It was established by now that Nico was suspicious of me and planning to hold me here for a while. If this wasn't established enough, Nico gave me a tent in the middle of their camp, right next to his, to establish this furthermore boldly. And for the rest of my time here, even when he wasn't around, I could feel eyes watching me, studying me from afar, trying to look through me. And they certainly weren't just Nico's.

I didn't leave immediately after everyone had gone to sleep. Instead, I waited long after that, staying still in my tent. I listened to the sounds the woods made at night. However, there was something oddly strange about the woods tonight. They stood still, holding their breaths as if waiting for something. The silence was deafening. I didn't even hear a cricket make a sound that night.

I closed my eyes and focused inwards, attempting to tune to my inner ears to listen to something. It was a moonless and starless sky making the night darker. Outside, I could hear the leaves rustle now and then but apart from that, the woods stood still like they would while anticipating a predator.

I waited... and then I nearly drifted into sleep, dipping in and out of the dream that was beginning to form behind my eyelids. I remained in that state for quite some time until something made me sit up with a jerk with my eyes wide awake. It felt like some external force was forcing me to get out of there.

I sat in my tent and listened again. The woods continued to remain plunged into that deathly silence. Though I picked up the low hush of the wind, rustling some leaves. It sounded like it was calling me. I turned to my inner voice and asked for a clear signal from the wind, which I got instantly.

The cover of my tent fluttered gently. Without thinking twice, I got up and stepped out. From the looks of the sky, it seemed like it was sometime earlier than the sunrise. No one was there to be seen.

For once, I felt free. The feeling of being watched was missing, but I knew that it wouldn't be like this for long. So, I took this opportunity and stole whatever supplies I could before setting out into the woods alone.

I couldn't believe my fate when I glanced back at the camp for the last time only to find that the woods had swallowed it. I kept walking without a halt while my instinct guarded my back.

As the sun ascended the sky, I met a river. I let her guide me to the horizon of the woods while searching for signs of civilisation. I had no idea where I was going because I had left it out of my plan. I was just too focused on sneaking out of the camp that I decided to leave this bit of thinking until now.

Though I didn't have to look for long, I found the river branching into a narrower stream after walking for a while. I listened to the rive again and followed the stream. Soon, I encountered a small group of women bathing in the stream.

From its looks, they seemed to be regulars here, suggesting they must live nearby. Carefully, I approached them and asked their village's name. It turned out to be one of the Far East villages of my brother's kingdom, which was precisely at the same distance as the shrine to my brother's palace.

I grunted at the thought of travelling so far, but this time, my luck decided to show me compassion. I arrived there on time as some village people were getting ready to travel towards the capital. I got on with them. For the most part, my joinery was uneventful and surprisingly smooth.

I didn't have to face any bandits or merchants carrying dangerous weapons. No, the problem didn't lie there. It was the most enjoyable part of the journey. The problem was my brother, whom I was dreading to see.

I could only hope that he would listen to me this time instead of just sending me back, but oh, the fates had something unspeakable in store for me that was waiting at my brother's palace.

_