Tempting Darkness

I waited, thinking someone was coming in, but whoever it was had moved back to their room. Rubbing my arms at the coldness of the room, I made my way to the fireplace to see if I could light it. Kneeling in front of it, I got a sense of déjà vu, which sent a shiver down my spine and made me glance at the door. No one came in, and I turned back to the fireplace. I looked for the flint and tried to get the fire going. Stacking the kindling in and some wood. Just as I was about to light it, I heard the door. My heart skipped a beat as it unlocked, and Kalen stepped in. He looked upset as he carried a tray in his hands. The smell of hot food wafted to my nose, and a few seconds later, Darius walked in behind him. He tossed a fireball at the fireplace, and I jumped when it rushed past me before he sat down in the chair. "Can't she stay in our room just for tonight?" Kalen pouted at him.

"I prefer to be in here," I told Kalen before Darius could answer. Kalen dropped his head and walked over to me while Darius moved to sit on the small armchair in front of the fire. Kalen placed the tray in my lap.

"You should eat," he said, and my stomach growled hungrily as I looked down at the plate, which contained vegetables and some steak. Real food, and it smelled delicious. Yet when I went to take the knife off Kalen to dig in, the plate was removed along with the knife. I sighed before looking at Darius, who then cut up the meat, and I rolled my eyes and looked over at the fire.

"Seriously, Darius?" Kalen whined at him. Darius ignored him before handing the plate back to me but keeping the knife. I took it from him, feeling like a child that I wasn't even allowed to use a knife like a normal person. He placed the knife on his lap. "She could do just as much damage with a damn fork."

My fork was suddenly plucked from my fingers. "Thank you for pointing that out," Darius growled at him.

"Darius, I didn't mean for you to take it from her," Kalen snarled.

"Quiet, or you can go back to your room."

"How do you expect her to eat?"

"It's fine, Kalen. I spent most of my time in the woods anyway. No cutlery there," I told him before picking up a piece of broccoli off the plate.

Darius leaned back and closed his eyes while Kalen watched me eat and talked to me. He was very talkative, and I preferred this sunny side of Kalen as he animatedly told me about different things.

"So, you spent most of your time in the woods?" Kalen asked, and Darius scoffed, making me realize he had sat up to listen to our conversation. I plucked another piece of meat off the plate. The sauce was making my fingers sticky.

"No, mostly traveling. I was trying to find a human settlement or city to bunker down in."

"Why a human one?"

"Because I was running out of magic," I answered.

"The man on the footage from the school, who was he?" Kalen asked.

I glanced up at him from my plate. His expression darkened, and I could tell he was quite upset over it.

"I didn't know there was footage, but he wasn't boyfriend if that is what you were wondering. I never ran off with anyone, Kalen."

"Then who was he?" Darius growled, and I jumped at the tone of his voice. Kalen stared at me expectantly, wanting me to answer.

"An acquaintance. I hardly knew him. He was also running from his bonds. I overheard him speaking on the phone in the library to his girlfriend. He wanted to be with her, so he planned to find her." "So, he just helped you escape?" Kalen asked.

"Yes. We needed two people to break the wards, so I offered to help him break them if he gave me a lift into the city. We parted ways at the bus depot," I told them.

"Then where did you go?"

I shrugged. "I had $43, and that was it. So, I told the bus driver to get me as far as he could, heading north."

"Why north?" Darius asked, and he genuinely sounded curious. I dropped my gaze, knowing my answer would probably anger him.

"Why north, Aleera?" Darius's tone of voice was more of a demand than a question. I looked at Kalen, who was studying me.

"I was trying to find a place called Astrid." That seemed to surprise them as they both looked at each other.

"Have you heard of it?"

"Yes, but we aren't telling you where it is. Why were you looking for it?" Darius asked, folding his arms across his chest and sitting back. He looked at Kalen, who sighed, also refusing to tell me where it was. "Answer the question, or I make Kalen leave," Darius growled. I nibbled on my lip, not willing to say, and Kalen looked at Darius.

"Fine, come on, Kalen," Darius said, hopping up.

"Aleera, just answer. I want to stay."

Yet I didn't want my answer to upset him or for him to get the wrong idea.

"Kalen, now!" Darius snarled before bending down and gripping his arm.

"Just a little longer, please."

Darius glared at him and hauled Kalen to his feet, and the look Kalen gave me broke my heart.

"I was looking for someone," I blurted, and they stopped.

Darius turned to look down at me, and Kalen looked at Darius.

"She answered. Can I stay?"

Darius's lip pulled up over his upper lip before he sighed and nodded, and Kalen sat down again.