Chapter 29:

The journey back to the cave was even more unpleasant than the jaunt that preceded it. Eres was strong, but stepping through gnarled tree-roots and cursing at stray branches was taxing work, especially so when injured. She was of half a mind to simply burn the forest to the ground, save herself the trouble. It was only the imagined scolding of Leo and fear of torching her friends that stayed her hand. 

She muttered to herself as she viciously swatted an eye-level branch to the side. “Sure, fucking dragons too, why not.” The wetness left on her cheek was long gone, but she swore it lingered. Her hand came away dry when she rubbed the spot again, the frequent movement chafing her cheek. 

Why had that dragon scared the soul out of her? Why had it pulled itself from the depths of that lake, only to lick her cheek and disappear again? She couldn’t reason it out. Did she taste bad? Though fortuitous, the thought ticked her off. Her! Bad tasting! She sneered, kicking a stick from underfoot to the side. As if! She would be a Michelin meal! Not that she planned on being dinner, but if something chomped on her, she expected a five-star review. 

Eres cooled her temper. There was no point in thinking about that. She simply wanted to finish out this test, and sleep in her own bed. Sure, she liked camping—when she wasn’t being hunted by vicious beasts! 

If only Lana could swoop in to save her…as it stood, the only one doing any swooping would be Leo. Though, if his heroics were as good as his cooking, Eres was as good as doomed. She sighed. 

No point in worrying about it. She’d just let things play out, and relish the upcoming school break. She smiled, thinking about the Fritz’s mansion, memories of the bath dancing through her mind. How she longed for a dip…

Her concentration was shattered by the fierce stab of a nearby plant into the meat of her calf. She hissed, pulled away, and glared at the offender. It was a purple-green shrub, its leaves long and pointed, spreading out in multiple directions. The end of each leaf tapered to a blade. Not sharp enough to grievously wound, but more than functional in warding off would-be predators.

Her calf was poked, but it was her pride that was wounded. She grit her teeth, staring at the thing. 

“Oho…? Wanna stab me?” Her voice was crazed, deranged, as it oft was when ranting to herself. “Not even dragons dare do that!”

She crouched low, grabbed one of the plant’s leaves, and smirked. “See how you like it!”

Eres pulled the bladed tip to a neighboring leaf and pierced it through. She cackled as she stood, victorious. 

“Hah? Did a mere plant think it could defeat me? Naive!”

The shrub wavered in the wind silently. Eres knew it was lamenting its foolishness. “Beg on your knees, and you may yet earn your forgiveness, knave.”

Suddenly, the rustling steps through the surrounding brush caught Eres’s attention. She turned her head, meeting the gaze of someone she didn’t know. The girl stood a hand-length taller than her, shoulders lined with soft black hair, her glasses slipping down her nose as she and Eres blinked at each-other.

“What…” Her voice was low, befuddled. “What are you doing?”

Eres froze. How much had the girl seen? Had she heard the cringy lines Eres was spouting? Eres’s face flared red. 

Oh no. The girl was going to tell everyone how crazy she was later! Her reputation…

Wait! I can salvage this! Social anxiety be damned! Operation: Bullshit, go!

Eres let out a throaty chuckle, folding her arms. She smirked, meeting the girl’s eyes with casual disinterest. Her mind whirred, trying to come up with some reason to bully a plant and monologue. Wait, I’ve got it!

“Me? I’m teaching my foe a lesson.”

“Foe?” The girl blinked. She looked at the plant, eyebrow raised. “Your foe is a plant?”

Play it cool. She won’t know if I make something up.

Eres tried to put her hands in her pockets, remembered she was wearing a skirt, and swiftly moved her hands to her hips, as if that were what she was intending to do the entire time. She walked toward the bespectacled girl with a casual swagger. As she reached her side, Eres rolled her head over, their gazes meeting again. She had to turn her head a bit more, as her other eye was still closed from the scratch. 

“It wasn’t always a plant.”

“?!”

The girl’s mouth dropped open in surprise. Eres stepped into the tree-line, then walked off. 

“W-wait!” 

A hand gripped Eres’s sleeve, slipping her hand from her hip. Eres, sweating, looked back. “Yes?”

Had she caught on? Could Eres’s brilliant bluff have failed? 

Their eyes met once more. One disguised with nonchalance, the other brimming with wonder.

“You turned someone into a plant?”

Eres smiled and turned her head away. The confident look crumbled into panic, but she schooled her face back to apathy, and shrugged. She tried to walk off again, but the grip was firm, and her balance fragile. 

Why is she holding my shirt? Is she angry?!

“Please…please let me follow you!”

“Huh?”

The girl blinked tears from her eyes as she pouted, whirling Eres around to meet her pitiful gaze. 

“You’re cool! And pretty! And strong!”

Eres failed to hold back a smile. Who didn’t like to be complimented? Could it be? Was this her first adoring fan, the first person to recognize her greatness? If that were the case, Eres couldn’t break her image. 

Eres spoke in a cool, detached tone. “What is it you want from me?”

“Um,” The girl said, nervously twirling her hair, “Well…I was separated from my group, so I’ve just been…”

She caught the pitying look in Eres’s eyes, blushing as her sentence wavered. “Just been wandering around alone.”

Eres frowned. “Separated? Are you lost?”

The girl shook her head, her eyes lowering to the floor. Eres raised a brow. “Then what?”

Dirt crunched beneath her feet as the girl fidgeted. “I got thrown out.”

Eres blinked her eye, stunned. Thrown out? Who would toss their comrade to the wolves in a test like this? Especially when the wolves were literal?

“Why?”

“I…can’t use magic very well.”

Couldn’t use magic? The academy surely had programs for those magically disinclined, but Eres had yet to meet someone with an issue like that. She had to wonder—was it common to use magic, or were those around her simply monsters?

Eres felt it would be tactless to question the girl; her face was riddled with insecurity. Instead, she placed a hand on the girl’s shoulder, and gave a comforting smile.

“Everyone has their talents. Find yours.”

The girl’s eyes widened in surprise. She opened her mouth to speak, but froze, lips trembling, and looked at her feet. 

Eres pat her shoulder again, and turned to walk back to Leo. She’d kept him waiting long enough.

The girl looked up, panicked. “W-wait! Can I come with you?”

Aha~ A chance to finally be the cool older sister type! Eres turned dramatically, putting a hand to her waist, posing. Shame I don’t have a cigarette for this. She smiled and spoke with performative doubt. 

“Hmm? I don’t make a habit of traveling with nameless strangers.”

The girl slapped her own forehead, her glasses sliding down her nose again. “S-sorry! I’m Amira!”

“Eres. Good to meet you.”

With an exchanged smile, Eres led them away.