For the rest of the evening, no one spoke much, and an awkward silence settled over the group. They ate the food Elias had hunted in silence before retiring for the night.
The following morning, they resumed their journey as Valeria was no longer in immediate danger. When she tried to get up from the cave floor, a sharp pain made her wince. Before she could protest, she was suddenly lifted into the air. She assumed it was Asher, but her eyes widened slightly when she realized it was Elias.
In the two weeks they'd been traveling together, Elias hadn't once interacted with her. His silence hadn't bothered her much—better than dealing with Asher, who always seemed to have an attitude with her. Still, Elias' gentleness was unexpected. He carried her in his arms as though she were fragile, unlike the rough, almost dismissive way Asher had handled her before.
"Thank you," she mumbled, glancing up at him. He didn't respond or even look at her. From what she understood, he was only mute, not deaf, so his lack of reaction puzzled her. Was it because of her noble blood? Did she remind him of the people who had hurt him and his mother?
"I… I'm sorry for what happened to you and your mother," she whispered hesitantly. He froze mid-step, his entire body tensing as he held her. Panic flashed through her mind. Had she said something wrong?
Quickly, she continued, her words spilling out in a rush. "Asher told me about it, but please don't be angry with him for sharing. He only did because I was curious, and I shouldn't have pried. I didn't mean to make you uncomfortable or bring back painful memories." She rambled on, her voice uncertain as Elias showed no reaction, his gaze fixed somewhere in the woods. The silence stretched, and a knot of regret tightened in her chest. She should've kept her mouth shut. Letting out a defeated sigh, she added softly, "Look, I'm really sorry. I'll stop talking now… just know that if I ever regain my power and influence, I'll fight for a better world—one where no one has to suffer like you did."
For the first time, Elias looked down at her, his brown eyes flickering with an emotion she couldn't quite place—pain, perhaps, or determination. He gave her a slight nod before continuing toward the carriage. Her heart swelled with a mixture of relief and hope. It was the first time he'd acknowledged anything she said, and she couldn't help but smile, wondering if she'd gained a new ally.
Once they reached the carriage, Elias carefully placed her inside and tucked a blanket around her. "Thank you," she said softly, and she could have sworn she saw the ghost of a smile on his lips before he turned away and closed the door.
Through the small window, she saw Asher mounting his horse, and the journey resumed. The warmth of the cave's fire was replaced by the chill of the winter air, and the carriage jolted uncomfortably, making her wince in pain. The next two days were a nightmare. Feverish and weak, she drifted in and out of sleep, waking only to find herself feeling worse each time.
At some point, the carriage door opened. She tried to open her eyes but couldn't summon the energy. A hand pressed against her forehead, followed by a sharp curse.
"Shit, she's burning up," Asher muttered. A canteen was pressed to her lips, and she eagerly drank the cool water. Moments later, she was lifted into Asher's arms, his urgency palpable as he called out, "Elias! Use the rabbit bones to make a broth and dampen a cloth with snow. We need to bring her fever down before we can move on."
She heard Elias' footsteps retreating as she weakly mumbled, "We don't need to delay... won't we reach the village by tomorrow?" Her voice was barely audible.
"Shut up," Asher snapped, holding her closer to his chest. "If we don't get your fever down now, you might not make it to tomorrow."
Normally, she would have rolled her eyes at his dramatics, but she was too weak to care. A damp cloth pressed against her forehead, and Elias returned with warm broth, carefully feeding her. She managed to eat half before exhaustion overtook her. Asher changed her bandages but this time she didn't protest since she had no energy for it and then fell asleep in his arms.
When she woke briefly in the night, she felt surprisingly warm, cocooned in several blankets. She had no idea they were Asher's and Elias' coats. For the men, braving the cold was insignificant compared to the dishonor of letting Valeria die while she was entrusted to their care.
When she woke the next morning, her fever had broken, and she felt slightly better. They resumed their journey, and by nightfall, they arrived at the small village.
As the carriage stopped, she insisted, "I can walk on my own now. I'm feeling better."
Neither Asher nor Elias listened. Without a word, Elias picked her up and carried her out of the carriage while Asher opened the door to a small cottage on the outskirts of the village.
"So, this is where we'll be staying?" she asked, looking around as Elias carried her to the bedroom. The cottage was simple, with only two rooms: a bedroom and a combined living room and kitchen.
"Where you'll be staying, not us," Asher corrected, dropping her bag unceremoniously near the door.
Her chest tightened at his words. She'd almost forgotten that their mission ended here—they were only meant to escort her to this place. She bit her lip, looking down to hide the pang of loneliness threatening to consume her. It wasn't as though she needed people around her all the time, but being completely alone in an unfamiliar place was a different story.
Asher noticed her troubled expression and sighed, running a hand through his hair. "Don't look at me like that. We'll check on you every two weeks to make sure you're still alive."
Elias gave her an encouraging thumbs-up, though it did little to comfort her. They really didn't know how to make someone feel better.