Xander’s voice trailed off. A somber silence filled the cavern as our breathing was the only sound.
“What?” I breathed. I was a foot from Xander, and without thinking, I grabbed his hand. Something within me knew I needed to touch him, to hold him, for what was coming. “What happened next?”
He sucked in a deep breath, lifting his silver-lined eyes to mine. A singular tear ran down his face. This male, who was almost larger than life, was crying.
And I knew.
This was the worst kind of story. The kind that spoke of ruin and death and destruction.
“Elyx’s world fell apart,” he said. “Thick, black smoke covered the entire village.”
“No.” The word was a plea, a whisper, as it left my lips.
“The destruction had been fairly recent. Flames, red and orange, were still licking the sides of the buildings. The stench was terrible, and there wasn’t a single person in sight. Elyx cried out, running to the cottage he shared with his mother and sister, only to find that it was completely destroyed. Everything was gone.
“As he stared at the remnants of what had been his home, a chill ran over Elyx. He screamed for his mother until his voice was hoarse, but there was no response. Over and over again, Elyx ran from one home to the next. Each one was a shell of what it had been. When he got to the seventh home, he heard something. A cry for help.”
“Goddess,” I breathed. I lifted my hands to my cheeks, surprised to find they came away damp.
“Inside was an older male, a village elder. Josef was his name. He was covered in burns that were so bad that Elyx couldn’t believe the old male was still alive. As soon as Elyx approached Joseph, the elder cracked open his eyes. ‘Come here, son,’ he said. Elyx complied.
“The old male extended an injured hand, grabbing Elyx’s tunic. ‘You must listen carefully,’ Josef rasped. ‘Inside the chest, you will find a piece of a map.’ The boy jolted, but the old male continued. ‘You must reunite the five sisters. Together, they will lead you to our people’s salvation.’ Before Elyx could say anything, Josef took a long, shuddering breath and his eyes fluttered shut.”
Xander stopped talking as he rubbed his temples with his free hand. For a long moment, he did nothing but stare at our intertwined fingers.
I asked, “What happened to Josef?”
“He died,” Xander replied, his voice gruff. “Everyone died. Elyx and Saena were the only survivors from their village.”
The only survivors. The words rattled around in my mind. There was so much death and pain and suffering.
For what?
I thought of the crimson red that marked the House of Irriel. The blood that now stained the steps in Thyr. The marks I bore on my own back.
This was wrong. It was all wrong. And I wanted to run away from it? To get up and leave Ithenmyr and just pretend that none of this had ever happened.
A small voice inside me that had begun to speak in Thyr was growing louder. More persistent.
Running away won’t solve anything.
A heavy silence settled upon us as Xander’s words echoed through my mind. I warred with myself as I let his story settle within me. We sat, connected by our joined hands until a chill passed over me.
Wiping tears from my eyes, I looked at him. I tried to force some levity into my voice as I said, “That was a terrible story. Are all stories so sad?”
Xander stilled, contemplating my question. Eventually, he shook his head.
“No,” he murmured, rubbing his thumb on the back of my hand. “Not all stories. But all the ones I seem to know. Maybe one day, I’ll tell you a story of a certain redhead I know who enjoys going for leisurely swims in the river and stabbing people she just met.”
“Sounds familiar,” I said, raising a brow. “How does that one end?”
A half-smile danced on his lips as he glanced down at our joined hands. I stared at our intertwined fingers as that familiar feeling twisted within me. I let go, bringing my hands into my lap and wrapping his cloak around me.
Xander chuckled, elbowing me in the side. “I don’t know, to be honest. We’ll have to wait and see.”
I hummed before another question struck me. “Did Elyx find the map?”
There was a long pause, and Xander studied me. He leaned against the rocky wall, his eyes shrewd as they swept over me.