Page 66 of A Simple Truth

“You saved our lives today,” I reaffirmed.

“Oh, how noble of you to pretend…I savedtheirlives,” she replied, rolling her eyes at me. “Don’t think I didn’t notice you murdering them all in your head like three hundred times.” The corner of my mouth tugged upwards seeing the little flicker of life coming back to her. I playfully flicked her perfect little nose and added,

“To my credit, it was a swift and easy death, and it was barely three hundred times...”

“But you trusted me,” she said out loud, more to herself.

“I did. And still do,” I admitted as the sheer airiness settled between us, our eyes quietly connecting our souls like an ancient spell, captivating me entirely. The little shadows from the fire nearby danced on her perfect face as we stared at each other. My heart raced against my chest as I lowered my face closer to hers until—

“Are you starving? Because I am starving,” Finnleah interrupted me before I could say a word, darting her eyes away. “I feel like we haven’t eaten anything for two days.” She sat up, pulling her lips further away from mine.

“We actually haven’t. Here.” I grabbed the bag with the last few provisions we had, even as my heart plunged below my knees.

“Where is the smoked salmon?” Finnleah ravaged through the sack.

“I threw it away,” I replied, focusing on just how hungry I was too.

“What? Why would you do that?!” she asked, appalled.

“Maybe because we’ve been in the hot, humid jungle for almost a week, and it’s raw fish?” I debated, passing her some bread instead.

“Smoked,and it would have been fine!” she grumped but took the half-stale bread.

“Have you considered that perhaps I’m just a bit tired of you puking, so better safe than sorry?” I raised my brow taunting her.

“First, it wasonceokay? And second, have you considered that maybe it’s your presence that makes me hurl my guts each time? You’re so…so…” She motioned with her hands at me while searching for the right word. “So…nauseating.”

That little fiery spirit of hers was back and I couldn’t resist a happy smile as my mouth stretched wide.

You didn’t seem to mind it the other night,I wanted to reply, but held it back, unwilling to taint a cherished memory to win an argument. Instead, I took another bite of the apple, keeping my mouth busy with something that wouldn’t satisfy the true hunger within. Hunger that grew each time I felt her gaze on me.

“How about this, then: you manage to stay in my ‘nauseating presence’a little longer, and I’ll get you more salmon once we are back at camp. Deal?” I bargained; she folded her arms, contemplating, looking for caveats. After not finding any, she begrudgingly answered,

“I’d be foolish to make any more deals with you, General, considering how the last one ended. But fine, for smoked salmon, I’ll do it. So, you’ve got yourself a deal. But it better be really, really good.”

“I wouldn’t give it to you any other way.” The words plummeted out of my mouth before I could think twice on their meaning. Her eyes lit with wicked intent, but before she could say a word, I hastily swallowed the half-chewed apple in my mouth, almost choking, but blurted out, “Speaking of camp…I better send a message to Zora and Orest that we’ve been delayed.” I put the food down as I stood up, my arm drawing a large circle in the air, then performing a sequence of other arm and hand gestures. Though my back was turned to her, I could feel her loud stare, questioning my movements, as I drew another symbol.

“What are you doing?” she finally asked, giving into her curiosity.

“You’ll see,” I replied, enjoying her attention on me. As if on command, with a sound of a clap, the large, black raven appeared out of thin air, high above our heads.

“Liriya?!” Finnleah gasped, shocked, as she watched the bird land on my forearm. “She just appeared out of nowhere. How did she do that?”

“Liriya is an imprisoned demon,” I said, pulling out a small roll of paper and a tiny bit of pencil attached to her foot. “At least, that’s what I believe she is. But she can travel through space.”

“You’ve imprisoned a demon?” Finnleah asked, intrigued.

“I wish I could take the credit, but I haven’t. I’m not sure who did. But I first met Liriya when I was taken away to the barracks as a child. The woman who raised me used her to communicate with me once I was gone. One second, the bird was there with her, another she was with me, delivering me messages. One day, Liriya showed up and wouldn’t leave, no matter how many times I asked her to deliver my message to my Diamara. I told my uncle that something was wrong with my stepmother, but he didn’t believe me. Only a month later, they discovered all the High Ladies dead, their bodies prematurely rotten.Murdered in a ritual by Insanaria.” I quoted the cause of death as I read it in my uncle’s reports, years later. I lowered my eyes to the large bird perched on my arm as I scratched her chest.

“I knew Diamara was gone the moment Liriya didn’t leave me.” I paused, looking at the empty paper scroll as if I was six again, in the stuffy barracks, fighting back panicked tears. I blinked the memory away, scribbling a short message for Orest. “Somehow, she’s stuck around with me through the years. Luckily, she’s smart enough to stay away from people, to understand who is around, so only a few chosen ones know of her abilities. To most, she is just a curious, large messenger raven, but to me, she’s been more of a guardian…demon.” Liriya cawed in agreement as I softly smiled at her onyx eyes. “Though, I must warn you, she does have a mind of her own and is very much a vengeful little thing.” I chuckled, remembering the time she clawed the eyes out of an older kid that harassed me in the barracks when I first arrived.

“I like her already.” Finnleah smiled genuinely, as Liriya flew off my arm and down to one of her outstretched legs.

“She is also a terrible hoarder, so if anything shiny goes missing, she probably has it.” I sneered at the bird who now cocked her head at me, as if considering if she should soil my head; something she’d also done before.

“Ahoarder?!How dare he accuse you of such things! I bet he just loses his stuff and blames you for it, doesn’t he?” Finnleah exclaimed theatrically. Liriya cawed, passionately agreeing, and I rolled my eyes at both of them. “Yeah, that’s what I thought. He is such a tattle tale, too. I very much agree,” she added as Liriya jumped closer to her until Finn’s fingers gently scratched the top of her feathered head. I stood back, folding my arms, watching the large black raven and the fascinating, freckled woman, fully immersed in a pitter patter of caws and feminine whispers of what I was sure was a list of horrible accusations towards me, and perhaps a plan of some terrible crusade.

My heart went still for a moment, and the world quieted around me.

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