"What does that mean?" she asked Kheal.
"This part of the valley needs to be walked by someone who mirrors a bit of your destiny,"
"And what is that?"
"I do not know. I have had many companions in the past, but never had I walked in and they were placed together with me. So, I must have been right in choosing you," Kheal said with a shrug.
"And why did you pick me?" Helen asked curiously.
"Because you look like me; I have always picked companions who look just like me so that they can pretend to be me in the capital if we get to the capital," she said and Helen frowned.
"And where are they now?" she asked and Kheal looked away.
"There is no way you would keep them alive if your mission fails. How then will you be sure that they will not expose your identity?" Helen smiled coldly.
"You sneer at my actions? I do what I must do to survive. I have a fate I must make sure to fulfil or die," Kheal said coldly.
"And what happens if you fail again? I become the sacrifice for your fate?" Helen asked and Kheal sat down on the cold ground and looked up at her tiredly. She knew Helen would not move an inch at this moment and talking was getting tiring.
"You and I share some kind of similarity in fates," she said and Helen scoffed in reply.
"It does not mean in all things, at least some things. Or else we would not be able to enter together,"
"And Si Sanga and Lizzy?" Helen asked through her teeth.
"Both hide their brilliance. Not out of choice, but it is their nature. I felt the odds of them being put together, was high,"
"That is quite an assumption. You only see us as stepping stones to your goal. You take such a risk with our lives," Helen sneered
"You would not work with me if you came out on the other side and your companions were missing, so no. I thought it through carefully. I would not do anything to make you angry and expose my identity in the capital," Kheal insisted. Helen looked at her with slightly less anger. She understood that she could not hope for one to treat her unconditionally well. She understood that they all had their goals and were trying to reach them. As long as they were useful to each other, they would do no harm. She knew this, but for some reason, she felt a connection to this unknown girl and hoped for more especially when she declared that they were now sisters.
"Helen, I would not kill you just because I failed. My previous companions, I paid them to come with me. You, on the other hand, are my sworn sister," Kheal said with a sigh.
"And this is of any importance?" she asked and Kheal nodded.
"My mother's clan hold these values to their heart. When I was leaving home, my mother told me to keep my friendships close and sisters closer," she said and Helen looked at her blankly. Kheal could tell those words did not get to her at all.
"Just know that I would not harm you or your companions," she said and Helen nodded. She did not take to heart her words, but she understood that she needed her right now and would not do anything to jeopardize that.
"I understand. After all, I need you to take me to Sorventii and you need me to get you to the mountain range," Helen said. Kheal could tell she was laying down boundaries.
"How about this, I will tell you why I need to go to the mountain range and you tell me why you need to go to Sorventii," Kheal suggested as she got up from the ground and wiped the dust off her blue cotton robes.
"And this is important why?"
"We are sworn sisters, Helen. We should at least know about each other. Besides, this valley is dangerous and we are walking it together. We must trust each other," she said and they started moving forward.
"I need to gain my inheritance on that mountain or I cannot go home. I am from Sorventii," she said and Helen glanced at her for a second, before sighing.
"I need to get to Sorventii to stop a marriage," she answered.
"Whose?" Kheal raised a brow.
"My husband's," Helen said and Kheal frowned.
"He dares to marry another when he is married to you?" she asked darkly.
"It matters not. For daring to covert what's mine, that girl will die," Helen said indifferently, yet Kheal could feel the blood rage sipping from her into the air.
"Blood rage. You really are from my bloodline," Kheal said and Helen raised a brow.