Lilac scents my nostrils and the gentle air dances through my skin. It doesn't take long until the sweet lilac is replaced by something sterile, like filtered air.
And that's a far cry from normal when you live within walls surrounded by forests of different sorts, the smell of dung normally lingers in the air — faint most days — but evident, the wet air and the mud.
My eyes snap wide open and the sight of black coated bricks heightens the panic surging through me.
"Relax heartbreaker," I snap my head towards the familiar voice. "You had everyone really worried…"
His golden hair slightly bounces as he reaches for my torso and helps me sit up properly on the bed.
"Even Grand Keeper Pael," his voice pulls me out of a haze I didn't even realise I had drowned in. His bright green eyes meet mine and the corner of his lips tug upwards but not before he wets his bottom lips with his tongue.
And how do I know that? Because I watched him, my eyes didn't stay on his eyes. I was probably even drooling.
".....though," he continues, "he'd rather eat glass than admit it."
My laugh is short, weak. "It's probably cause he wants to kill me himself."
Dylan's hands rests on the crown of my head as he sinks the bedding right beside me. He gently ruffles my hair before letting go. Though, he's a few inches away, my breath hangs in my throat.
"How're you feeling, heartbreaker?"
"Fine," it comes out stressed. "And stop calling me that. We're not eleven anymore."
He grins, my heart leaps and I relax into the softness of the pillow. "Knew you'd say that."
"How long was I out for?"
"About seven hours. Seems like you needed a lot of rest." When I don't reply, he hits me with a "Wanna talk about what happened out there?"
His brows furrow, he sucks in a sharp breath and whispers. "The only survivor is you."
I shrugg like it's nothing, though the painful swell in my chest begs to differ.
"What happened to the lycan?" My curiosity peaks but I'm glad Dylan knows I would prefer to change the subject. "Did they kill it?"
"No."
I tilt my head, "No?"
"Yeah, no."
I squint my eyes at him, darting my gaze up and down his face. "You seem to be really chill about it."
"Aren't I supposed to be…." he huffs at me, his chuckle sending warm tingles all over my body. "Chill?"
"Uh," I scoff, "no. Aren't we all supposed to be dead by now? Having a lycan within Eldarda is sure to bring chaos…. There's —" I strain my neck, hoping to see through the window. "Aren't we all supposed to be running for our lives?"
"Dina, you –"
"And why's everywhere so quiet? Are we the only survivors?"
"Breathe, Heartbreaker…." coos Dylan as he grabs both my hands. He thinks it's because he asked me to relax that I'm speechless, but actually….when you look into it, it's because —
You're concentrating on how his palm envelopes yours, aren't you?
I nod.
"Are you speaking to yourself, heartbreaker?"
My hands move against their will as I pull away from Dylan's sparky touch. I refuse to rub my palms on my laps, it would kill the volts climbing up my arm.
"We are safe, we are all safe." I arch my head to the side and all Dylan does is laugh, his lips are twinkling in the light breaking through from the window. "The lycan's in the dungeon and the reason why it's so quiet is because this is the eastern district, Dina."
I spread my fingers out subtly, needing the fuzzy sparks to leave already. I hate when it stays this long. I respond Dylan with an, "Oh."
The Eastern district is where the best infirmary is, and as a sworn member of Eldarda's third line of defence, it's only due that I get to be treated at the Eastern District.
A very gloomy district, might I add.
The roads are filled with faint fogs, making it seem like it's a town hidden in the mountains, having access to the clouds. Day and night has just one difference; it's light.
Eastern District, or as the rest of Eldarda likes to call it – Aembre – was like a doom of grey woven amongst the rainbow, and so were it's people.
Quiet, hidden in shadows like they're non existent.
"Wait..," seems like the fog in Aembre has infected my brain. The longer I stay here, –i think – the longer I become more distorted.
So I shift in my bed and throw the blanket off my legs.
"Did you say…." My feet lands on the floor and I stand up from the bed. Dylan watches me with darting eyes and furrowed brows. "That…" I yank my onyx leather jacket from the headboard and throw it over my shoulder.
"Dina, slow down. What are you —"
"Did you say the lycan's in the dungeon?"
"Yes, why?" I don't respond and Dylan gets on his feet, shuffling through the concrete ground to reach me. "Don't tell me that's where you're going."
"I won't."
"That's far West, Dina. At least four hours." He says matter-of fact-ly. I squint my eyes and I rake the floors with sight, when I see the leather boots with splattered mud, I grin.
"This isn't funny!"
I pause in my tracks, eyes softening at him.
"I'm sorry," I notice his already stretched out palm withdrawing. "Why would you want to meet it?"
"What?"
He scoffs, licking his lips. Gosh! This golden boy!
"Don't play dumb with me, Dina. You know what."
I roll my eyes so far back. "I….have never seen a lycan before."
"They're a threat—"
My feet move towards him on their own accord as I cut him off. "A fairytale meant to scare little kids to go to bed and act right—"
"There. Is. A. Reason," Dylan matches my energy, walking towards me and right now, I feel the need to keep walking until our bodies meet. Yet, my feet remain fixed where they stand. "why they were extinct, Dina."
"Were," my tone is low, highlighting a word from his sentence. "Past tense, Dylan."
"He could be the plaything in the lycanthropy, Dina, and there could be more. He's dangerous."
"I swear I won't get myself killed."
He sighs loudly, worriedly. "I don't support this."
"You don't have to. But, you can trust me."
Dylan shakes his head, arms tugging upwards in mock surrender. "There's no stopping you, heartbreaker."
I land a soft punch on his shoulder and he doesn't budge.
Probably did it to feel his buff build, you whore.
No, I definitely did it as a tease.
You want a tease,
noted.
I blink rapidly, disrupting my thoughts.
"Let's go, we've got a long way to go. We'll probably get there by noon."