Page 14 of Heatbound Hearts

"Somniara," I explain. "Nosaos's domain. The god of dreams. They say if there is no sleep there. Or endless sleep, depending how you look at it. It's like you're in a waking dream-like state all the time."

They murmur among themselves, and I grin, watching them take it in. I've lived here my whole life, with my dad before he passed. But it's fun to see it through someone else's eyes.

"Alright." I grab my pack and look around the room. "Ready to go?"

They eagerly agree, and I know this is going to be a fun few weeks of travel. I have the rest of the month off of guard duty for the celebrations, so I have plenty of time to spend with this new group.

We make our way to the market, weaving through the bustling crowd. I keep close to Bronwyn, my hand hovering near the small of her back. Just in case.

As we browse the stalls, I point out the wall of fog in the distance. "That's the border of Echovia, Cither's realm. God of whispers. No one's ever penetrated that fog without permission. The voices make you go crazy."

I explain how each god's power shapes their realm. "Oltyx's influence makes our forests lush and our earth rich. In Vortexia, Netia's chaos magic causes reality to warp and shift. And in Somniara, Nosaos's dream energy blurs the line between imagination and reality."

We stop at a clothing stall, and I help Bronwyn pick out some practical outfits for the journey. Kairos and Naia pick through the earthen toned fabrics, too, and I give my opinions as they all look.

As Bronwyn holds up a deep green tunic against her chest, I can't help but imagine how it'll bring out the color of her eyes. I grab it. "We'll get it."

"But, Zyx-" She looks between me and the tunic. "I can't-"

I wave my hand at her. "I hate to tell you this, but I'm a hunter, so I don't buy food. Built the house myself. I don't have many things to spend money on so let me spend on this." I point at what Naia is holding. "Anything you want, just give it to Lumi at the front. She always gives me a good deal."

"How sweet," Naia answers. "Thank you."

I nod at her, but when I see Kairos watching me, I add, "You can make it up to me later."

The demon smirks.

As we weave through the market stalls, I can't help but grin at the wonder on everyone's faces. It's been ages since I've been here myself, and seeing it through their eyes makes it all fresh again.

"Oh, look at these!" Bronwyn exclaims, holding up a pair of intricately carved wooden earrings.

I lean in close, pretending to examine them. "Beautiful," I murmur, my eyes locked on her instead of the jewelry. She catches my gaze and blushes, quickly turning back to the vendor.

We continue our leisurely stroll, picking up odds and ends. Kairos finds a book on local flora, while Naia's drawn to a display of colorful scarves. I make sure to snag a few extra supplies - just in case.

As we're wrapping up, a thought hits me. I turn to the group, trying to keep a straight face. "So, uh, you all like camping, right? 'Cause we're gonna be doing a lot of it. Like, weeks."

Naia's eyes widen slightly, and Kairos grins down at her. But before they can respond, Bronwyn bumps her shoulder against mine, a mischievous glint in her eye.

"Oh please, I'm an expert camper," she boasts, chin tilted up in mock challenge.

I can't help it - I laugh, slinging an arm around her shoulders. The contact sends a jolt through me, but I keep it off my face at least. "Is that right? Well, I can't wait to see these expert skills of yours."

She leans into me, just a bit, and it takes everything in me not to kiss her right then. "You'll want to take notes," she says, grinning up at me.

We stand there for a moment, lost in each other's eyes. Then Kairos clears his throat, and I remember we're not alone.

"Right," I say, reluctantly dropping my arm. "We should get going. Got a long journey ahead of us."

As we head out of the market, I can't wipe the smile off my face. Weeks of camping with Bronwyn? Bring it on.

8

BRONWYN

Ican't take my eyes off the breathtaking landscape as we trek across Terramyst. Every step reveals a new wonder, so vastly different from the bleak, ravaged Earth I left behind. The air here vibrates with life and magic, a stark contrast to the deathly silence I'd grown accustomed to.

"What are those?" I ask Zyx, pointing to a cluster of crystals jutting out from the ground. They pulse with an inner light, casting a soft glow on the surrounding vegetation.

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