Walking on Thin Ice

In the meantime, Edýia had progressed and entered the next village closer to Fiahthyr forest. She had no idea if Haren had finally figured out her plan, but she had a good head start. Edýia was confident that she would reach the forest before he caught up.

She only had to keep going. Stopping for rest or food wasn't an option. Haren was a mountain of a man, and one step of his was worth three of hers. With that thought in her mind, Edýia walked, staying out of sight. She walked on the outskirts of the villages, not wanting to draw attention to herself. Just in case her brother was following her.

He would stop and ask the villagers if they had seen her, and she wanted him to lose her tracks.

Haren wasn't far behind, but he kept on the main roads and stopped to ask people if they had seen Edýia clearly describing his sister. Each time he asked, the men and women just shook their heads and carried on with the work he had interrupted.

Haren gritted his teeth and cursed each time without saying much as a thank you to the villagers. He stomped through the villages, utterly displeased with his sister and her rebellious behaviour.

It didn't take long before Edýia left the village, unaware that her brother was already in the same village as her but on the main road. In front of her, lush woods stretched as far as her eyes could see, and she wondered if that was the forest Dak had travelled to.

" Is this the forest?" she questioned to herself. Since she had avoided the village at all costs, Edýia couldn't ask anyone for directions, and she had only her instincts to rely on.

In Vellai Castel, Azra sat in the garden and stared into space, mulling over the incident in his parent's chamber, unable to wrap his head around the incident.

Rhya approached him from behind " Are you alright?" she worriedly asked, seeing him sitting there alone. She was worried after she had watched from a distance the exchange between him and Ian.

Azra nodded " I don't understand!" he absently replied, looking at his trembling hands.

Rhya hummed " You're different from us, and my understanding is that Seth had interfered a lot while Iris was pregnant and after you were born!" she remarked as she sat next to him and grabbed his hand, making him pull his hand away from hers fearful that he might end up taking her life by accident.

" I'm curious if it's just Iris or anyone you touch. Rhya let him know her thoughts while she reached for his hand again and held it tight, wanting to test her theory.

It didn't take long, their hands began to glow, and Rhya felt the life drain out of her. Her vision darkened. Her body slowly began losing its strength. Azra froze and pulled away before she slipped into unconsciousness. As Rhya swayed and flopped in his arms, Azra quickly jumped up and let her fall on the ground, horrified at what had just happened.

So it wasn't just his mother. He couldn't touch anyone without killing them. That thought ran through his mind.

" Rhya!" Athan's voice boomed in the garden as he ran and picked her up in his arms, checking to see if she was still alive.

Athan sighed in relief when Rhya whimpered and opened her eyes to look at Athan.

" What happened?" he questioned while his eyes darted between Azra and Rhya. He was hoping that either of them would answer his question.

" She touched me!" Azra absently replied as he stared at his trembling hands. He was in disbelief at the purpose of his existence.

He couldn't believe that his destiny was only to bring death and destruction. He shook his head at his thoughts and ran out of the garden.

Athan looked at Rhya with questioning eyes, wondering why she had touched him. He saw no reason why she would do such a stupid thing when she was fully aware of what he was capable of.

Rhya sluggishly pulled herself up, fisting Athan's tunic " I just wanted to test a theory, that's all!" she casually explained while resting her head on Athan's shoulder.

" A theory that almost got you killed! What were you thinking?" he questioned in disbelief while raking his hair with his hands.

Rhya chuckled " I'm still here, aren't I?" she smirked " I'm not that easy to get rid of!" she continued as she stood up and reached for Athan to help him stand up.

" And what did you find?" he curiously asked as they walked inside the castle. He couldn't understand what Rhya could find from touching him.

Rhya grinned " He is a disaster waiting to happen and the answer to our problems!" she vaguely replied. Athan frowned and gave her a disapproving look.

" Speak plainly, Rhya! It is not a game, every time he touches Iris, he is bringing her closer to the end of her days, and this no time for you to play with your words!" he scolded while he pushed her inside the kitchen where Tyla was preparing dinner.

" He is a Dumach. I don't know how it happened, but I have a feeling the way he came to be, has something to do with it," she explained, still as vague as before. Athan released an exasperated sigh as he had no idea what she was talking about.

Tyla frowned and looked at the two, surprised at what she had just heard " Rhya collectors, they are just a legend, aren't they? I mean, even if the legend is true, they ceased to exist before our kind even came into existence."

What Tyla said threw Athan deeper in confusion since there were two of them, and he still had no idea what they were talking about.

" What the hell, would two stop speaking in riddles and speak clearly for once!" he said, a little exasperated. He couldn't bear the tension of not knowing anymore.