The Forests of Bakazak - Chapter Nine

"So... Octa gets to come with us?" asked Kal quietly.

I nodded, smiling.

She turned her head slowly to Octa, grinning. He was grinning too, his bright green eyes shining.

I turned away to give them time to talk.

Dilmon walked up to me. "So, you're staying?" I asked.

He nodded, smiling.

"I'll miss you," I said.

"Me too, but we'll keep in touch."

"You bet we will," I grinned. He grinned too. We hugged for the last time in what I knew would be a while, and I watched as he turned and walked towards the marketplace that had already started opening a few stands. I sighed. I've known Dilmon for my entire life. He's like a brother to me. It'd be weird being without him.

I turned back around and saw Pyro, leaning on the wall of the guard cabin with his hoodie up. I walked up to him and smiled. The smile that lit up his face pinched me in the stomach. It wasn't an unpleasant feeling.

I wanted to say something, but I was pretty much lost for words. My brain didn't seem to want to think of anything but the stray lock of Pyro's fringe just nearly covering his eye. I felt my face heating.
I wanted to say something, but then Octa and Kal walked up to us, hand in hand. I don't even know what I wanted to say.
"I'm coming with you too," said Octa, smiling.
The world became black again as the third name appeared in my head.

Pyro-Dawn Tyromant.


I opened my eyes and discovered I was leaning sideways, supported in Pyro's arms. I must have fainted when his name showed up, and he caught me. His grip was gentle, and he was so close that I could see all the different blues and browns of his eyes. Both our faces flushed as I stood up.
"Sorry," we said at the same time, in the same bashful tone.
I grinned. He was pressing his lips together to refrain from doing the same.
"What happened, Red?" asked Kal.
"Huh?" I said, still filled inside by the sensation of being in Pyro's arms.
"You fainted," said Kal. "Are you alright?"
"Oh!" I said, feeling stupid and blushing again. "Erm.. yeah. The Runes showed me the third name, Pyro's on the list, too."
Pyro looked up from the ground which he had been staring at. "Really?" he said, sounding surprised.
"Really," I smiled at him, meeting his gaze. He went back to staring at the ground.

***

We were standing at the gate, about half an hour later, after all of us had had a proper breakfast consisting of pancakes and orange juice back at Kal and Octa's house. Octa had to change out of his pajamas, as well.
Kal and Octa went first, hand in hand. It seemed they never weren't linked by at least their hands. Pyro and I were walking a little awkwardly behind them. As we took that final step out of Eladra, I was once again draggged into the blackness. This time, two names had appeared in my mind.

Anais Hawkins,
Nathaniel Hawkins.


I opened my eyes. At least I didn't faint, this time.
"Hey Kal, Octa," I called to them. They turned around. "Have you heard of people named Anais and Nathaniel Hawkins?"
Octa grinned. "The Captains of the Broken Spine! The most marvellous flying bookship to have ever set sail!"
My eyes widened. Even I had heard of the Broken Spine. There were those rare books that even the Palace Library didn't have, and someone would be sent to buy them from the bookship, always to return with a thrilling tale about the pirate couple who ran it all by themselves. The idea of meeting them in person... I couldn't help but grin.
"Oh!" said Kal. "Didn't they announce their next docking point is in Alasbarrow?"
"I think so," said Pyro. "I heard so, too."

"It's a two-day walking distance from here," said Octa. "We could reach it by tomorrow night if we don't stop much."
"Let's get going, then!" I said, and walked onwards.