Page 13 of Forgotten Fate
He kept his gaze forward. “If I’m going to risk my life on a dangerous quest for someone I don’t know, the payment better beworth my life.”
He had a point.
How safe really was I with this man? I just watched him take out three grown men in the blink of an eye. Was I a fool? Was I about to accept a bargain that would get me killed?
I wondered how likely it was that he would just kill me and take the money now. We had been walking for a while, away from the bustling tavern. But in that time, we were alone in the dark streets of the city, and he hadn’t attempted to rob me yet.
My instincts somehow told me I could trust him, even if doing so wasn’t logical. Besides, where would I be able to find someone else who had been to the Forest of Torment? It seemed unlikely that I’d find anyone anytime soon.
Was running into him just pure luck? Were the gods on my side?
This was my one and only chance, I decided. I had to take it. Had to risk it. I only hoped that this strange man wasn’t full of shit. But I held onto that odd sense I had that he was truthful.
“Okay,” I sighed. “Four hundred gold. But I will only pay you when we make it there safely,” I told him.
“Half now, half when we get there,” he bargained.
“I’m not giving you anything right now,” I countered. I imagined giving him half now and him taking off with it, never to be seen again. I wanted to trust him, but I also wanted him to know I wasn’t a fool. “Half when we leave Rimor, half when we get there.”
“Deal,” he answered. “Give me two days to prepare for the trip and I’ll—‘”
“No!” I shouted.
He stopped walking and finally turned to look at me. I stopped as well while he stared at me skeptically.
“I’m sorry, I just… I need to leave before dawn,” I told him. I only had so much time before my father would discover my absence. And the moment he did, he’dprobably send his entire army to find me. Delaying was not an option.
He looked at me curiously. “That doesn’t give me much time to prepare,” he said.
“We leave no later than dawn, or the deal is off.” I was not budging on this one.
The handsome stranger eyed me curiously. He seemed to have come to a stage of acceptance as he said, “Fine. I will meet you at the North Gates of Rimor at dawn.”
My body relaxed, releasing the tension it held as I thought I had blown my only chance at making it to the Forest of Torment. “Thank you,” I sighed. He only nodded in answer. “Shall we keep going?” I asked when he didn’t start walking again.
“We’re here,” he replied, gesturing at the building towards my right.
“Where is here?”
“The inn I’m staying at,” he answered.
My brows rose. So he wasn’t from Rimor.
“I see,” I said, recognizing that it was time to part ways for the night rather than interrogate him with more questions. But there was one important one I had yet to ask. “Can I have your name?” I couldn’t call him ‘handsome stranger’ forever.
“Elias,” he answered, his honey eyes staring into my emerald greens. I gulped. An alluring name for an equally alluring man.
“Pleasure, Elias. I’m…” I stopped myself. “Aura,” I finished, realizing that the world only knew me as Aurelia. Only Rose called me Aura, really. I only hoped Elias wouldn’t connect it with my full name.
Elias smirked, the first time I had seen him look anything but intimidating. “See you in a few hours, Aura,” he said.
“I look forward to working with you, Elias.” I held out my hand for him to shake.
He seemed to hesitate for a moment before returningthe gesture. As our hands touched, I could have sworn I felt a jolt of energy pass between us, as if lighting struck from our touch. But the lightning wasn’t harmful. It was soft and warm and…alluring. The unexplainable sensation took me by surprise, but Elias gave no sign that he felt it too.
I let go and Elias turned to walk towards the inn’s entrance. “Get enough rest, Aura,” he said, my name sounding fitting on his tongue.
“You too,” I practically whispered back before turning and heading the opposite direction, eyes on my hand that momentarily touched his. Where our hands had met, I still felt a small tingly sensation and wondered if it was all in my head.