They'd been walking in silence for a long time. Neither of them said a word. Jhed's anger was slowly cooling — and turning inward. He was angry at himself now.
He'd let words he'd buried inside spill out in a moment of heat. He regretted it. But he didn't turn back. He kept walking forward. Shine watched him.
"He's regretting it."
Morning had become afternoon. They'd covered a good distance. Going back for Nain meant losing half a day.
"I shouldn't have said that to her... but why do I even feel bad about it? She was nothing but a burden anyway." Jhed kept talking to himself. But somewhere, he was worried about her. His pace had slowed without him realizing it — as if he were walking slowly enough for Nain to catch up. He told himself her anger would cool and she'd come back on her own. That's why they were moving slowly.
He couldn't talk to Shine either. He'd said terrible things to him too. He felt sure Shine must be hurt.
Of course — if you say something cruel to someone's face, it's going to sting. But Shine hadn't been stung at all.
All around them, silence. Only the sound of leaves shifting in a soft breeze.
Flowering trees appeared along the path — jasmine and others, their petals open. A beautiful fragrance drifted through the air. Sunlight fell directly on both of them through the canopy. It looked like a painting — the kind a skilled artist spends months on.
"Are you worried about Nain?" Jhed asked quietly.
"Yes. The king trusted us — that's why he sent her with us." Shine said.
Jhed felt a cold drop of dread.
"If something happens to her, the king won't let this go."
"So what do we do — we can't go back either," Jhed said, genuinely lost.
"Nothing. We keep moving forward."
"What do you mean nothing — how are we supposed to find her?" Jhed looked at him.
"We don't need to. If she wants to find us, she'll follow. There's only one road here — she'll catch up soon enough." Shine said it calmly.
But he was worried too.
"The reason I'm worried is that cut isn't a normal cut." Jhed had been turning it over in his mind.
"Shine — she had a wound. It didn't heal even after a healing potion, and it kept spreading across her hand." Jhed said.
Shine stopped walking suddenly.
"What—? You're telling me this now?" He said it fast, sharp.
"I thought it was a normal cut."
"If those monsters bit her, and the wound isn't healing — she could turn into one of them."
"But if she was bitten, why didn't she turn immediately?" Jhed asked.
They stood among the flowers, talking. Shine looked shaken now — genuinely unsettled.
"She's a fire magician. Her fire might be holding it back, slowing the change." Shine was visibly anxious, sweat breaking out, hands trembling slightly.
"It's been too many days already. We need to get to her fast. She could turn at any moment. Let's go back." Shine turned around.
"He's giving me orders again."
Shine was about to head back when — figures appeared on the road ahead, moving toward them.