Page 119 of Cry of the Firebird

"I know he's annoyed with me, but this is important." It ignored her, and too tired to fight, she lay down to wait it out.

She looks sopeaceful when she sleeps, the firebird said. It looked down at Anya as her hand burned with magic, her flames dancing with its own like they were one. Deep inside of him, Yvan squirmed.

If I let you out, do you promise not to upset her? Look how tired she is. She is fading under the strain. You are meant to be the one to stop it from happening. You promised to protect her.

Let me out so I can!Yvan shouted.

The firebird's wing touched her cheek before it started to change. Yvan tried to hold in the cries of pain so as not to wake her. He shifted and lay naked and panting on the thin carpet. He looked up uncertainly, but Anya hadn't moved.

Yvan got to his feet and quickly pulled on a pair of jeans and a shirt. The firebird was right. She did look drained. He had been harsh with her, but at least she had stopped drinking so much. Yvan wondered if Trajan knew she had been sneaking off to the bar when everyone was sleeping. Probably not. Trajan could still be clueless about the most mundane of things.

It's not up to him to take care of her. It's up to you,the firebird huffed at him.

Yvan ignored it as he carefully placed a spare blanket over Anya. He brushed her cheek lightly with his fingertips before he sat down on the floor and rested his back against the bed.

Anya moved in her sleep, and her arm flopped down beside him. As he was tucking it back in, her fingers tightened around his, and held them. Yvan left his hand there for a long moment, a sense of guilty weakness washing over him. Once she hadsettled, he carefully unlocked their fingers and pulled his hand back. He wasn't in the mood to torture himself.

"Nice to see you," Anya said and opened her eyes.

"Sorry if I woke you."

"You didn't. I didn't mean to fall asleep. It kind of happened." She yawned.

"You looked like you needed it," Yvan replied, sitting down on the edge of the bed beside her. "I'm sorry if I upset you last night."

"Don't be sorry. You were right after all, and we have bigger problems," Anya said as she sat up. "I think there is someone on the train following me."

"How do you know? He could just be another passenger."

"I thought that too, but his gaze is too direct, and it seems…aware. He is really tall, silver ash hair, and whenever I see him, all my magic starts dancing like a little kid wanting him to pay attention to it," Anya replied, toying with the end of her braid.

Yvan frowned. "Have you told anyone else about him?"

"Just you. I know the others would probably freak out and start checking every compartment, thinking he was going to attack me." Yvan did his best to hide that was what he wanted to do too.

"True. We seem to have collected a trigger-happy group around us who would rough up a passenger before asking questions," he replied. "He hasn't said anything to you or hurt you, so he really could just be a passenger."

"I wanted to think that too, except how my magic reacts when I see him. I don't think he is Darkness, but he's something else. It's like my magic wants to reach out and touch him. It has never done that before."

"How do you know he wasn't one of the Darkness?"

"I don't, but he didn't feel bad. I don't think my magic would have reacted like that if he was. I met Vasilli and Völundr, and I never experienced anything like that," Anya argued.

"He might just think you are a pretty woman drinking alone too much."

Anya snorted. "If he was going to hit on me, he would have done it by now. Maybe he's another magic user and is curious?"

"Do you want me to get Izrayl and do a search for him? See what he's up to?" Yvan asked.

Anya pushed her hands through her tousled hair. "Yes? No. No, don't. It could be my nerves about closing the gates messing with my head."

"Okay, but if he approaches you and is threatening, blast the hell out of him with your magic. I'll help you clean up the body afterward."

Anya laughed. "Thanks, Yvan."

"I'm not joking. I'll keep an eye out for someone matching his description and see what the firebird thinks of him. He could be another magic user who is curious about you, and I don't like it." Yvan didn't want to be an overprotective asshole, but he couldn't help it. "Maybe you shouldn't go anywhere by yourself, especially at night. If you want to drink, come and get me."

Anya rolled her eyes. "I would, but your frown of disapproval would kill my buzz."

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