NOVEL NEXT Chapter 33: Chapter 33
It had been ten minutes since Zedd left the village. He didn't know where he was headed, but he knew one thing for certain: he would survive.
The night was bitterly cold, with only the pale moonlight to guide him. His cloak, draped snugly over his body, shielded him from the icy air. Beneath it, he was armed to the teeth—a katana slung across his back and a sturdy backpack carrying whatever supplies he had deemed necessary. The hood of his cloak was pulled low, casting his face in shadows.
As he walked through the desolate terrain, Zedd felt it—the distinct sensation of being followed. He didn't care. Let them come. If they thought he was an easy target, they were in for a rude awakening.
After an hour of relentless walking, he arrived at a dense forest. The trees loomed high above him, their twisted branches blotting out even the moonlight. He wasn't tired, not even close. Hunger, thirst, and fatigue were distant memories, thanks to the synthetic tissue grafted onto the left half of his body—from his shoulder down to his hip. It was a curse and a gift.
Setting up a small fire, he finally spoke, his voice cutting through the stillness of the night.
"All right, Reina. Elara. You can come out now. You've been following me since I left the village."
For a moment, there was nothing but silence, then the rustling of leaves. The two girls emerged from the shadows, shivering from the cold. They moved closer to the fire, their trembling forms bathed in its warm glow.
"Why the hell are you two following me?" Zedd asked bluntly, irritation lacing his tone.
Elara, ever the fiery redhead with her piercing red eyes and an attitude to match, crossed her arms and replied, "We're curious, Zedd. You can't just leave the village and expect us to forget about you. We want to know everything about you."
Zedd frowned. "Curiosity? That's your excuse? Listen to me: it's not safe out here. Go back to your village and forget about me. This forest isn't some goddamn fairy tale—it's crawling with bandits and thugs. You'll get hurt."
Elara scoffed, placing her hands on her hips. "No one's going to hurt me! I can take care of myself."
Zedd rolled his eyes, already regretting the conversation. Reina, on the other hand, was her usual shy and innocent self. Her soft voice broke the tension. "We're not here to fight, Zedd. We just… we want to understand you. To know what you're hiding."
Zedd let out a sharp laugh, shaking his head. "Oh, so that's it? You're planning to follow me wherever I go, is that it?"
Both girls nodded in unison, their determination unwavering.
"What about your families? The villagers? They'll be worried sick," Zedd argued, though his tone had softened slightly.
Elara's expression darkened. "We're orphans, Zedd. Both of us. We've never known our parents. And the villagers? They couldn't care less about us—they've always treated us like crap."
Zedd ran a hand down his face, exhaling sharply. "I'm warning you, leave now, or you're just signing up for misery. This isn't some cheesy romance story. You're not going to find a happy ending here."
Elara, as stubborn as ever, smirked defiantly. "What are you gonna do if we don't? Huh? Throw us out?"
Zedd glared at her, his patience wearing thin. "Fine, stay if you want, but don't expect me to save your asses if things go south. You're on your own."
But before he could say more, he noticed both girls had fallen asleep by the fire, huddled together for warmth. He sighed, shaking his head. "Great. Just fucking great."
Muttering under his breath, he dragged them closer to the fire to keep them warm. Despite his earlier words, he wasn't about to let anything happen to them. Sleep was no longer a necessity for him, so he kept watch, his senses heightened and his katana within reach.
His eyes scanned the dark forest, ears attuned to every rustle and creak. Any bandit or thug foolish enough to approach wouldn't live long enough to regret it.
For a moment, he glanced up at the moon, its pale glow barely visible through the canopy. Then his gaze shifted back to the fire, and finally to the two girls—Elara and Reina, fast asleep, clutching each other tightly.
He shook his head, a faint smile tugging at his lips. "Idiots," he muttered softly. "I'll deal with you tomorrow."