Chapter 6

Lucian threw away the now bloodied handkerchief and took out another to bandage her wrist.

Now that they are close up, she could feel his surging aura. She was really being careless. She had felt this energy the moment she opened the door of the cabin but did not bother with it.

An aura this strong, in normal circumstances, she would have avoided it at all costs.

Yet look at how persuasive the witches' hints are. They dragged her body towards this person, and she was pulled like a magnet.

However, she really doesn't like this situation. This is dangerous, and she could be led astray.

Lucian may be smart and a good leader, but she remembers that he lacked practical experiences.

All because the people, most especially the direct descendants of the leading family of Mist Mountains seldom left to see what it was like outside.

While Amaryah was brought up in the Sachiel Shores, he was born and raised in Mist Mountains.

He grew up learning social etiquette, combat skills, and how to properly connect with a spirit as she was naturally able to handle the crowd and the little accidents because the Sachiel Shores was the place of trade and port of foreigners.

Lucian was taught by the book about values and honesty. Amaryah experienced a lot of things beforehand and that shaped who she was.

They were very opposite, so they did not really get along well when they first met. He couldn't handle how unruly Amaryah was while she was skeptical about how spoiled and sheltered Lucian was.

Yet although he was like that, Lucian was one of the good guys. The real good guys.

But he will only trouble her if he starts going on about justice and the heaven's retribution in front of her when he finds out about her plans.

A silly thought crossed her mind: "Didn't I die at Volcano of the Lost already? How about I act like he got the wrong person and escape?"

It was an offhand comment that she wasn't able to hide from the witches.

The witches were one with her, and when they heard this, they all teased and mocked her in her mind that a frown slowly appeared on her face.

At the same time, Lucian looked up and saw this expression.

"What's wrong? Does it hurt?" he asked again, voice laced with worry.

Amaryah wavered. How long ago was it? Those couple years in that unreachable place, with no one else but shrieking witches, she can only feel the cold.

The warmth in Lucian's voice poked into her memories. There was a time when people showed her nothing but sincerity, showering her endless love and warmth. And now where were all of them?

Amaryah steeled her heart and forcefully stuffed the resurfacing longing back in its supposedly impenetrable cage. Those people have either died already, been executed, or turned on her.

That's just how people are.

How life is.

Without thinking much about her actions, Amaryah denied as she shook the man's hand away: "You are mistaken. I'm just a homeless nobody."

She figured she wasn't exactly lying. For one, she isn't a Sachiel anymore. Never was. And she's honest about being homeless.

She had been chased out of her clan, so she is no one today but a wandering girl with clumps of souls inside her veins mocking her when they know that if she dies, they'd disappear with her as well.

She also doesn't want to acknowledge that their maker is her home yet. She might have stayed and endured a good decade on that side, but she never asked for it.

Like how she didn't ask to be born a witch, or to possess such powers.

So with solid hatred and annoyance, she willed the witches to shut their mouths, or consciousness, in their case, by using her usual threats.

Amaryah was getting tired of their antics, and she needed a rest.

With much stubbornness, she resolved to act the part like what she said, a homeless nobody, and bravely looked up to glance at Lucian's expression.

For a moment, a glint of unexplainable mixed emotions passed through his irises. His mouth twitched ever so subtly, before he opened his mouth to speak.

"Hm, my mistake. You look a lot like someone I know." Lucian nodded and looked away.

Amaryah pursed her lips and unconsciously raised her head, looking a little smug when inside, all that she was was relieved Lucian didn't push it.

Acting as if she was busy about something, she dusted her once white robe and hummed.

"Now if you'll excuse me, I have urgent matters to attend to," she uttered.

Amaryah turned again, ready to bolt away. She was just beginning to familiarize herself with the surroundings and trying to remember where in Selaphiel she actually was when she felt a hand grip her shoulder.

It wasn't that hard of a grip, but it wasn't exactly gentle either.

So with all the running and reminiscing, she almost forgot about her aching body from all the thrashing in the cabin and draining summoning of souls, although it was only technically a scrap.

Amaryah reflexively winced and groaned from pain, letting out a sound like she was getting butchered.

Yaron Lucian was shocked that he stood frozen for a moment before carefully retracting his hand that was left hanging in the air.

He looked down and saw Amaryah crouching on the ground while protectively holding the shoulder he touched.

"I'm sorry." He panicked. "Does it hurt very much? I didn't know about your injury there. I'm sorry. Does it really hurt? Should we take a look?"

"Ah..." Amaryah thought Lucian was being funny, and she almost laughed. She saved herself and turned the split laughter that escaped from her mouth into a more dramatic cry.

And Lucian, as if back in the old times, was clueless and completely fooled.