Farewell

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"Carissa! Elon!" Lyron yelled.

Carissa moaned and tossed her arm over her eyes. Sunlight glowed brightly against her eyelids, but her body was heavy with exhaustion.

"Please come out. Lila's missing, and I don't know what to do."

It took a moment for his words to register. Once they did, Carissa jerked into a sitting position. The air was chilly, and she wasn't wearing a square inch of cloth. Carissa drew her arms around herself and glanced at Elon.

He wasn't there. The tent was empty save for herself.

"Hello? Is anyone in there?" Lyron asked. The flap of the tent began to rustle.

Carissa gasped. "Yes. Don't come in. I'll be out in a moment."

The tent flap stilled. "Very well, but please hurry. I don't know how long she's been gone."

Carissa scrambled for her undergarments. Where had Elon put them? Could he have tossed them to the ground? And where was he?

A flash of white caught Carissa's eye. Her undergarments were dangling from the corner of the cot, clean and dry. She slipped on her undergarments and clothes before emerging from the tent.

The sun was at least two hands above the horizon. Children darted around the grounds and complained loudly to their mothers about their empty stomachs. A few men were patrolling the walls, nodding as they passed each other.

Lyron was pacing in front of the tent, but he stopped when he saw her. "Carissa. Where's Elon? He told me I should watch Lila, and I've been trying to, but then that man found her yesterday, so I helped her to bed in the stone house, and I slept near her." He gripped fistfuls of his hair. "When I awoke this morning, she was gone. I don't know how I could have missed her."

Carissa squeezed Lyron's shoulder. "Elon will know where she's went."

He brightened. "Great! Then let's ask him."

Carissa shifted from one foot to the other, mud squishing beneath her shoes. "He's not here.

"Then... where is he?"

Carissa shrugged. He wouldn't have left her without a purpose. Perhaps he'd gone after Lila himself. "Where do they keep the horses, Lyron? If some are missing, we'll know Lila and Elon have taken them."

"Of course. They're this way." Lyron turned on his heel and began to weave around the tents and hovels. Pots and bowl had been set out to catch the rainwater and were filled to the brim. The smell of sweat, smoke, cooked meat, and baking bread filled the air.

Lyron slowed by a wooden building, bigger than all the rest of the structures save the stone house. Once he shoved the door open, Carissa was assaulted by the smell of manure and musty hay.

Dim light slipped between the wooden planks overhead, revealing a muddy walkway running between the horses' stalls. The horse's nickered and strained towards them, likely hoping for food. Carissa strode past them, the mud squelching beneath her boots. None of the stalls were empty, and in fact, two horses were crowded into a few of the stalls.

Lyron squinted in the dim of the stables. "Two of our horses from Zonah are missing. It seems you were right about Elon and Lila. Could they have left together?"

Carissa turned and left the stable in favor of the open air, where the smell was less suffocating. "Perhaps they simply wanted to speak in private. Or Lila was practicing her powers, so they had to venture from the camp."

From her peripheral vision, Carissa caught sight of someone approaching them. She turned and found Elon striding towards her.

He stopped two feet from her, and Carissa felt a sharp tugging in her chest, an urge to feel the intimacy she'd felt last night.

As if Elon sensed it, his lips lifted in a smirk. "Good morn, Carissa. Did you sleep well last night?"

She'd actually slept little—thanks to Elon. She thought about reminding him of that fact before remembering Lyron was present. "I didn't sleep as long as I usually do, but I'm well enough rested. Have you, by any chance, seen Lila?"

"Well. Not literally."

What was that supposed to mean? Carissa's gaze landed on his sword, and she paused. It was glossy. She swiped two fingers across the flat of the blade, and they came away wet. He'd cleaned his sword recently. "You've been fighting."

He nodded. "I didn't see Lila, but I saw to it that there weren't stray Yare wolves or men with ill intent following her."

Carissa folded her arms. "You just... let her leave?"

"I ensured she'd be safe, for the time being."

"The time being? Elon, if she has left, we can't protect her."

"I'm well aware, Carissa. And I don't like it anymore than you."

Helplessness drowned out her frustration. She hadn't even gotten to say farewell. "How long until she isn't safe?"

"Carissa... It just depends on her actions, what paths she chooses." Elon's jaw hardened. "To answer you question, three days at least, five at most."

Carissa clenched her hands until her nails cut into her palm. She longed to feel her fingers curve around the handle of a sword. "And there's nothing we can do—"

Elon shook his head. "I'm sorry, Carissa. I vow I ran through all potential futures. She was simply unwilling to stay with us. Even had we bound her and left her here or forced her to accompany us, there would have been a point at which she would have either been able to escape or at which we wouldn't have been able to protect her."

Carissa's chest ached, as if there were a heavy weight pinned against it. "I just wish I'd known she was leaving before she had."

Elon grasped her hand with his. "I know. But she saw that you were willing to give yourself up for her, and she's not likely going to forget that soon. It's a memory she will cherish, and it will strengthen her when the times comes."

When the time came? Carissa considered asking him, but swallowed the question. If Elon felt like being cryptic, he likely wouldn't answer. "Where do we travel next?

"Within the next few days, we should meet Lyron's caravan, and from there, we'll take the last fortress."

"And I take it we're leaving soon?"

Elon nodded. "As soon as Algernon awakens. Perhaps I ought to expedite his awakening process."

"Very well. I'll say my farewells and meet you at the tunnel entrance."

***

Carissa coughed and waved her hand as she entered the smoke-filled stone house. Among the masses of women and children, she couldn't see Elisa. "Elisa?"

"Here! I'll be with you in one moment." Elisa flapped her apron at the smoking fireplace before scurrying to Carissa's side. She wiped the back of her hand across her damp forehead, leaving a streak of gray ash. "Carissa, lovely to see you this morning." Her gaze landed on Carissa's bulging sack, then her sheathed weapon, and her smile fell. "Oh. You're leaving."

Carissa grimaced. "Yes. I'm sorry we couldn't rest here longer, but there's a border to be pushed back and Reapers to fight."

Elisa nodded, swiping her grimy hands against her apron. "I just regret we didn't have longer together. I'm hoping to marry Viltus soon, and I would have been honored to have you as one of my bridesmaids."

Carissa gripped Elisa's shoulder and squeezed. "I know. But Elon has told me that you planned to wed, and so I've found a gift for you."

Elisa smiled, unshed tears sparkling in her eyes. "You didn't have to do that, Carissa. Your friendship has always been more than enough for me."

"As yours has for me, but I would give it to you nonetheless." Carissa slipped off her pack and reached inside it until her fingers brushed rough woven cloth. She pulled the sack free, which wasn't much bigger than her palm. "Elon was thoughtful enough to grab some things while we were in Esmeray." She loosened the drawstrings, revealing the sack's contents: polished jewels and a chain of gold. "Elon and I thought you could either sell these later or use them for your rings."

Elisa's eyes widened and she touched one pale-yellow gem, which emanated a soft glow. "What's this one?"

"Elon worked on it himself and infused it with some of his gifting. He told me to tell you that it will keep the darkness away—and that you might need it in the future." Carissa shrugged. "He didn't bother elaborating, so I don't know the particulars." She tightened the drawstring and handed the sack to Elisa. "I hope your marriage to Viltus will bring you happiness and fulfillment."

Elisa's returning smile was broad, bringing a flush to her cheeks. "I thank you, Carissa. And yes. I suspect that we'll be very, very happy together."

***

Author's Note: I'm in the middle of my mission trip and trying not to die of exhaustion. 😂 They have us work a lot of hours. Anyhow, as a result, I'm probably not going to be super great of replying to comments this week, but I did manage to find the time to write a sneak peek! If you want to check that out, it'll be in my bio under "Wednesday (13th)."

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