“Have you talked to her since you came back?” I asked.
He gave a dry laugh. “Not properly. She avoids me, and I don’t blame her. I left without a word. I told myself I was protecting her, but… truth is, I was afraid. The Eclipse mark was changing, and I didn’t want it to touch her.”
“She’s been quiet since you returned.” I said softly. “She doesn’t even train with us.”
“She’s scared of what runs through our blood.” He said. “And she has reason to be.”
I looked at him then — really looked. The lines on his face, the faint scars across his hands, the exhaustion that went beyond just being tired.
“What aren’t you telling us?” I asked.
Eryx didn’t answer right away. He looked toward the forest instead. “Some truths are better shown than told. Soon, you’ll see why I came back. Why I had t
