Ileus stopped massaging his horse. He shook his head vehemently, "Gavran Wilds are not only enchanted, they are filled with every damn abomination of the Lore. Even if we survive the spells and those abominations, there is a high chance that we are going to find wild feral animals." 

"It's not the animals I am scared of. But we have to take it. I am in no way taking you all to Fiadh stretch and expose our location! That place is like a giant desert of ice for miles and miles—an easy place to get killed." 

Ileus' irritation increased. He clenched his jaw and threw the brush he had in his hand on the ground. "At this point I just want to get out of this god-damned place! I know Aed Ruad is going to do his best to track us till we are in Sgiath Biò." 

"Do you think he is going to stop after we have crossed Sgiath Biò?" Kaizan stood up and looked at him, wiping sweat off his forehead with his fingers. Although the place was covered with snow, because of the bright sun outside, and because he had massaged his horse, he was tired and sweating. 

"Outside this realm, we resume our abilities." Ileus pointed. "We will be able to protect ourselves!" 

Kaizan nodded. "Yeah. But we can't underestimate him. He is going to make it one hell of a journey." 

Ileus grunted. 

"As if Aed Ruad cares! He will still send his soldiers!" Kaizan scoffed. "Who knows that even Maple comes out?"

Muscles tensed and Ileus energy turned murderous. He started massaging his horse again. 

"Why don't we simply go through Fiadh?" Zlu said as he entered. "Vergine Falls is a dangerous place!" 

"No Zlu. We've already talked about it and stick to that plan!" Kaizan chided. 

Others started walking in and the plan of change in route was discussed with the men. 

Anastasia came out of the hollow after she was ready. She didn't speak to Darla after the last conversation they had. Even though she was feeling extremely annoyed at her, she sympathized with her. The girl was in love with Ileus, but she wasn't realizing that Ileus was only seeing her as a friend. If that weren't the case, things would have been greatly different. 

"Princess." Ileus greeted her with a nod. "Are you ready to leave?" He looked at her with those golden eyes so intensely that she was spellbound. He held her waist and his hands traveled to her back holding her possessively. 

She bobbed her head like a monkey toy, which invited a smile from him. In two days they would reach Óraid and her new mission would start. The thought of leaving him made her feel sad, but she didn't let it show on her face. 

He picked her up and made her sit on the saddle. With one jump, he swung his leg across the saddle and sat behind her. 

The cavalcade started moving west towards Gavran Wilds. 

"You look fresh Anastasia," he remarked after a while of riding in silence. "Like a flower." 

"I had a nightmare-less sleep," she replied with a grin and renewed energy. Despite sending Nyles back to the portal, despite her spite with Darla, Anastasia was feeling good. 

"You mean that sleeping on me was the reason for your slumber?" he grinned.

"No, I mean that sleeping away from the damp ground was the reason why I slept so well." 

"Hmm. You weren't on the damp ground because of me, princess. I was your mattress for the night." 

"Since you were on the ground and I was on you, so in all practical sense I was on the ground," she grinned. 

"And what kind of reasoning is this?" 

"The best one!" 

"In that case maybe you need to stay on the damp ground for the night princess," he narrowed his eyes. 

She shrugged. "Okay. I think I should also sleep on a different bedroll." 

His hand went to her thigh and he brushed his fingers on her skin over the leggings. He leaned his head and said, "Are you sure?" 

"I am!" she breathed out. And she was absolutely unsure because her mind went into a tizzy when he brushed his hands up and down her thigh. 

"But the idea is weird. You won't be able to survive the dampness, princess, considering the fact that you haven't really slept on muggy ground even once, after we have left Vilinski." He pulled her closer to his chest and rested his chin over her head. Without realizing, she immediately leaned in his chest. He smiled smugly. 

"It isn't weird. I am quite used to all this now," she shrugged. It was definitely weird, but she didn't want to sound clingy.

He didn't reply because he couldn't stop smiling. The girl opened up sometimes without realizing, but still she had built too many walls around her. And fathoming her was becoming a challenge. She wasn't revealing her plans. 

Anastasia also became quiet because she thought it was the best thing for her. She had to start maintaining distance from him. For how long would she use him as a crutch? "I slept very well last night Ileus," she muttered. Whatever was happening between them was happening so fast that she was forced to think of ways to break this connection between them. Yet, all she felt was… She knew that whatever time she spent with him, she would cherish it for life. 

"Then why are you so surly, Anastasia?" 

"I am not…" she murmured. 

His Adam's apple bobbed. Disquiet seeped in him when she brooded, so he changed the topic. "We have changed our route." 

"Oh!" she jerked her head back. "Why?"

"We will be going through Gavran Wilds and then past Vergine Falls. It is going to be dangerous." 

"Dangerous, as in?" Thousands of scenarios bounced in her mind. "Do you mean Aed Ruad's soldiers are trailing us?" 

"After yesterday's incident, they will surely be trailing us. That's why Kaizan suggested that we go through the wilds. It is a thick forest and we are going to stay protected, but the problem is that the place is filled with… let's say… different kinds of people, and wild animals. Just stay with me, okay?" 

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