Grimacing, I shrugged. “I don’t exactly know. We fell and there was a tunnel, and I just… walked.”
“Oh.” Ryllae’s brows furrowed. “What about the others?”
“I don’t know,” I said. “There are no signs of life down here at all. Just us.”
She frowned. “Oh. That’s…”
“Not great,” I finished for her. “I agree.”
Pulling my pack over, I fished out the last loaf of bread. “Here. You should eat.” Even as I held out the food, my stomach grumbled.
She raised a brow. “Is that all we have?”
I turned the small loaf over in my palm. “Yes. I want you to have it.”
Her brows knit. “What about you?”
I shrugged, ignoring my hunger pains. “Don’t worry about me.”
My Death Elf frowned. “You can’t just… not eat, Daegal.” She tilted her head, and a beat passed before she said, “I think… I think I might get us some food.”
Intrigued, I sat back and watched as she approached the lake. Lying flat on the stones, she reached out, skimming her hand over the surface. A red ribbon of magic left her palm, skating over the water.
After a moment, she looked over her shoulder.
“There are fish here,” she said. The excitement in her voice was unmistakable, and my stomach grumbled at the thought of fresh food.
Before I could point out the obvious—we had no fishing tools—Ryllae closed her eyes, the water rippling as she placed her hand in it. Ribbons of magic streamed from her outstretched palm, the red threads weaving through the water as if they were hounds seeking a scent. Soon they disappeared into the deep depths. Instead of withdrawing her hand, she murmured beneath her breath, gliding her fingers in the water.
I could have watched her for hours. Crouching near the rocky shore, I had the perfect view as Ryllae twisted her hand, drawing it out a few minutes later. The question of fishing equipment was answered once and for all when her dripping fingers pulled a long red ribbon as though it was a line. A look of sheer determination crossed her face as she tugged the rope towards her. On the other end, the biggest fish I’d ever seen struggled against Ryllae’s magic. Unable to get off the line, the fish flopped around on the stone, gasping for air.
A flash of pain went across my Death Elf’s face, and she murmured, “I’m sorry.” The fish’s tail slapped against the rocks as Ryllae closed her fist. Instantly, the creature stopped struggling. Its mouth opened as the red ribbon of magic dissolved into dozens of pieces, scattering on the wind.
Raising timid eyes to mine, she asked, “Would you care for some dinner, Daegal?”
“I would love it.” My lips tilted up, and I closed the distance between us, gently drawing her in for a kiss. “You are incredible, princess.”
She laughed awkwardly. “Or just hungry. Sleeping took more out of me than I thought.”
Shaking my head, I silenced her with another kiss. “No,” I said. “There is no question in my mind. You’re incredible. Now sit back and let me take care of you.”
Using some scrap wood from a rowboat that was already in pieces, I started a fire with the flint in my pack. When it came time to clean the fish, I pulled out my dagger and sharpened it on a nearby stone. I was about to split our dinner down the middle when Ryllae’s fingers landed on my wrist.
“Can I… will you show me what to do?” Her eyes widened. “If it’s not too much trouble, I mean. I’d like to help… if that’s okay.”
“Of course, love.” Handing her the blade, I wrapped my hand around hers, showing her the best way to hold the blade. “The first thing you need to do…”
She listened intently, and I watched proudly as she cleaned the fish all by herself. On top of her many other qualities, Ryllae was an excellent learner.
That night, we dined on roasted fish. It was delicious, smoky, and meaty, and filled a hunger within me that the bread hadn’t been able to touch. When nothing remained of our dinner but a pile of bones, we moved away from the water’s edge to rest. I drew her against me, wrapping her tightly in my arms.
“Sleep, Ryllae,” I whispered into her hair. “Tomorrow, we’ll make a plan.”
The gentle lapping of the water against the rocky shore was the only sound as we lay beside each other.
I thought she had fallen asleep when she said, “Don’t let me go, Daegal.”
Shaking my head, I pressed a kiss to her forehead. “I won’t.”