Chapter Six

—FORESTS IN AETHERIA—

Dante walked behind and let Madeleine and Anya take the lead. He watched her quietly. She wasn't the same person crippled with fear and pain from her nightmares. She knew how to hide her pain behind her smile.

She refused to face whatever it was that had happened to her. She had accepted the outcome but she was yet to accept the cause, whatever it was.

Madeleine suddenly stopped walking and turned around, her eyes narrowing at Dante. "You're staring at me," she said, her voice accusing.

Dante raised an eyebrow but didn't deny it. "I was just observing," he said, his tone neutral and devoid of feeling.

Madeleine's eyes flashed with annoyance. "Observing? You were watching me like I'm some kind of puzzle to be solved."

Dante shrugged. "Maybe I was. You're not very good at hiding your pain, love. You smile and pretend everything is fine, but it's not. Why do you do that?"

“What do you know?” Madeleine scoffed, irritated by his questioning.

“Enough. You seem to forget but I was there while you recovered from your nightmare,” Dante stated, with a tilt of his head.

Madeleine's expression turned guarded. "Well, what business is it of yours?"

Dante's eyes locked onto hers. "I'm making it my business. You refuse to face whatever it is that's hurting you. Why?"

Madeleine sighed, shaking her head. "You just go straight to the point, huh? No subtlety whatsoever."

Dante shrugged again. "I see no point in beating around the bush."

Madeleine's eyes sparkled with amusement. "Well, I suppose that's one way to get what you want. But since you're so interested in me, why don't you tell me something about yourself? How did you get a griffin, for instance?"

Dante's expression closed off, and he turned away from her. "That's none of your business."

Madeleine raised an eyebrow, following close behind him. "Oh, come on. You're not even going to introduce yourself properly? What are you, anyway? You're not a wolf, and you made it clear you're not human or fae."

Dante's eyes flashed with annoyance. "What I am is none of your concern. Let's just focus on getting you to safety, shall we?"

Madeleine's eyes narrowed. "You know, it's considered polite to introduce yourself properly. Especially when you're travelling with someone."

Dante shrugged, his expression unrepentant. "I don't care about being polite. I care about getting the job done. And the job, for now, is getting you to Valoria.”

Madeleine's eyes narrowed, her frustration growing. "Well, I care about being polite," she said, her voice firm. "And I care about knowing who I'm travelling with. You're not exactly forthcoming with information, are you?"

Dante shrugged, his expression unrepentant. "I am not your friend, princess, and I am not trying to be. I would have left you where I found you without feeling a shred of remorse. I'm here to get you to safety. That's it."

Madeleine's eyes flashed with anger, but she bit back her retort. Instead, she turned and walked away, her back straight and her head held high. "Let's just get moving, then," she said, her voice cool.

Dante watched her go, shaking his head in annoyance. She seemed capable of getting under his skin. He didn't care about her. He let her live and he was helping her because of Anya.

It didn't matter how intriguing he found her to be or how much he was drawn to her. In a couple of days, they would part ways in Valoria and she would be forgotten. Just another face in the masses.

The silence between them grew thicker. Madeleine couldn't help but steal glances at Dante, trying to read his expression. But his face was a mask, revealing nothing.

Anya, sensing the tension, went ahead, disappearing into the trees.

Madeleine sighed, feeling a pang of frustration.

As they walked, the trees grew closer together, and the canopy overhead grew thicker, casting long shadows on the forest floor. Madeleine heard the soft rustling of leaves and the chirping of birds, and suddenly, Anya appeared before them, perched on a fallen log in a small clearing.

"Time for a break, I think," Dante said, his voice low, as he nodded towards Anya.

Madeleine nodded, grateful for the break. She sat down beside Anya, who nuzzled her gently.

Dante disappeared into the forest, leaving Madeleine to wonder what he was doing. A few minutes later, he returned, his arms filled with wood and dry grass for kindling.

"I'll get a fire started," he said, the air around him seemingly coming to life.

Madeleine watched, fascinated, as Dante arranged the wood and kindling in the middle of the clearing. He raised his hands, and a spark of magic ignited the wood, which burst into flames.

Dante's hands moved in an intricate pattern, and suddenly, a small pot appeared beside the fire, filled with bubbling water. Ingredients began to materialize, floating in mid-air before dropping into the cauldron with a soft splash.

Madeleine's eyes widened in amazement. "What are you making?" she asked, curious.

"I'm making stew. It'll be ready soon," Dante replied, focusing on the task he was trying to accomplish.

Madeleine nodded, still watching in awe as Dante continued to conjure up ingredients and stir the stew with a wooden spoon that seemed to appear out of thin air.

She had never seen magic being used like this before, and she couldn't help but feel a sense of wonder and curiosity.

When the stew was done, Dante served a generous portion into a bowl and handed it to Madeleine. He also served a smaller portion to Anya, who had been watching the pot with interest.

Madeleine took a bite of the stew, savouring the flavours. "This is really good," she said, looking up at Dante.

Dante smiled but didn't respond. Instead, he stood by the fire, waiting.

Madeleine noticed that he wasn't eating. "Aren't you going to have some?" she asked.

Dante raised an eyebrow. "Why did you think I wouldn't?"

Madeleine shrugged. "You haven't eaten since we met, despite constantly providing food for me."

Dante's expression didn't change, but he sat down beside Madeleine, taking a bowl of stew for himself. He preferred to eat alone but he would make an exception.

The three of them ate in silence, finishing the stew. When they were done, Madeleine turned to Dante with a curious expression.

"How did you conjure up the ingredients for the stew?" she asked.

Dante shrugged. "It's not exactly conjuring," he said. "More like marking an object to make transporting it easier."

Madeleine's eyes widened in surprise. "Huh? So, you can just mark anything and bring it here?"

Dante nodded. "Something like that. It's a bit more complicated, but that's the basic idea. Bigger objects require more magic. It's nothing special. Most fae and mages can do it."

Madeleine's mind was racing with questions, but before she could ask any of them, Dante stood up, taking the used bowls and spoons and tossing them into the fire as added kindling.

As the sun began to set, casting a warm orange glow over the forest, Madeleine's eyes grew heavy with sleep. The warmth of the fire and the comfort of the meal had pulled her into a peaceful drowsiness.

Dante turned to watch her, a soft smile making its way onto his lips. He saw the moment when her eyes finally closed, and her breathing slowed into a gentle rhythm.

Anya, sensing Madeleine's relaxation, lay down beside her, nuzzling her gently, and falling asleep too.

As night fell, the forest became still. Dante placed a protective barrier around Madeleine and Anya as he sat watching them, his presence a silent guardian over them.