3

~Akara

Shivering, I push the front door open with my shoulder, struggling not to make any noise and I move my stuff out to the carriage outside.

I said my goodbyes to my family last night, who seemed reluctant at my idea to go to the Azure Province by myself, considering the last time I was there I got kidnapped. But I know I need to go, even if this early hour in the morning is somewhat painful. Marek doesn't know I'm alive, and I have a digging need within me to find him, and let him know what happened to me.

Even if I'm still not exactly sure what's going on myself...

"Akara..."

I jump, looking out toward the entrance of the driveway, where a figure approaches, a hood pulled over their head. I don't need to see their face to know exactly who is approaching.

"Nakoa! What are you doing here?" I question, rushing over to her. She pulled her hood away, revealing her bright red hair and wary eyes. I thought perhaps that she would have been imprisoned, or even killed by her. So seeing her standing here in front of me, alive, is an immense relief.

She stumbles forward, grasping either side of my arms. "You're alive...How is that possible?"

Breathing in deeply, I start to explain the story, right from when Marek saved me from Vaia's clutches, till now, now that my memory has returned.

Nakoa stays silently through the entire story, chewing on her nails incessantly. I even tell her about Evolet, and what her final words to me were. Strangely, Nakoa doesn't seem surprised at my admission, and doesn't even question it. I wouldn't be surprised if her and Evolet have had the same experience, and witnessed the same things.

"Is Tai okay?" I ask softly, bracing myself for the answer.

"He's alive. Marek got him out, but he has fled, Vaia having ransacked his father's estate," she explains, breath hitched. I can't blame her for being so anxious. She clearly was forced out of her home, and barely escaped, by the sounds of it.

Relief has me wavering in my spot. Tai is alive...And saved my Marek, no less.

I wrap my coat around myself more, wishing the sun would hurry and come up. "Is Evolet..."

"Yes, she is dead," Nakoa says in a rushed voice, tensing. My heart falters, seeing the sadness that flood Nakoa's eyes, even as she tries to compose herself like she is not. "I went looking for her body to bury it."

Nakoa and I have never had a close relationship in the manor, and yet I can't help myself, reaching out to embrace her. She let's me, resting her chin on my shoulder as he breath's become uneven. She's cold beneath my touch, having walked through the early hours of morning for a while to get here.

"She was like a sister to you, I can't imagine what you're going through," I murmur quietly. Focusing on her grief makes it easier to push mine away. I hardly knew Evolet...I shouldn't be as sad as I am.

"Me? You're the one who may be transitioning to a Tani," Nakoa exclaims, seeming to remember what she is doing her as she pulls away, brushing a stray tear away with her gloved fingers. "You should be resting, not...what are you doing?"

She looks toward the carriage, and the few belongings to scrounge up from my family's home that are stuffed into it.

"I'm going to the Azure Province, to find Marek," I tell her, popping the door open. "He was always trying to help me, Nakoa. He was never my enemy."

I expect her to be betrayed, but she merely nods.

"I believe you." She shudders, clearly freezing standing out here with no sun. "I was coming to see your family, to inform them of your death. It felt like the right thing to do."

I can't help but be grateful she didn't come a few days ago...

"Come with me, to the Azure Province," I exclaim suddenly.

Nakoa's eyes widen. I'm not sure why that came out, but suddenly going to the Azure Province by myself seems awfully daunting. And Nakoa is the only piece of my past that I can hold onto which may give me a chance of reconnecting with everyone I've lost touch with...Mainly Tai and Zavian.

"Are you certain?" she asks softly. She seems so willing, when for a moment, it seemed like she might turn me down, because it seems like such a big ask. But maybe she is as empty as I am right now, considering she came all the way to the Emerald Province for the purpose of telling my parents I was gone...

"Yes. I'm going to need all the help I can get to find Marek."

"You should be concentrating on yourself before anyone else..." She looks over me with a cautious eye, as if I’m about to transform into a mindless beast right in front of her.

From the little I know about the river, it’s a slow process.

"I feel fine," I say, brushing my palm up against the side of my head. "My memory is still fuzzy, but you can fill me in once on the way."

She nods grimly. "Alright. Let's go then."

She clambers into the carriage, and I follow, closing the small door behind us. It’s going to be an entire day's journey, and I’m already exhausted. My energy levels have depleted since drinking from the river.

“Do you know where we are going to stay?” Nakoa asks as we get onto the road.

“I know a place. It’s a little inn,” I murmur, resting my head against the window.

It might be unreasonable for me to think there would be a chance for me to run into Marek at the Blue Glass Inn, but the nostalgia might be helpful. Not to mention I would like to see Fran, even if there is a chance she isn’t working there anymore. Although, it is where I first met Jessa…

We ride in silence for a while, Nakoa not speaking under the sun has risen, dousing the floor of our carriage with watery sunlight.

“Tai will want to see you, to know you’re okay,” she says tentatively.

“I’ll see him eventually,” I respond curtly. “But I need to see Marek first, he will know what to do, how to go forward from this.”

I do intend on seeing Tai again. I know I still love him, even if my suspicions about what he is hiding in the basement are making me doubt the integrity of my feelings.

“So you’re trusting him again?”

“I owe him one,” I sigh. For my parents, for saving me. He even saved Tai.

We don’t speak for another few hours, Nakoa dozing off at some point until midday. I can’t sleep, too much on my mind. What am I going to say when I see Marek again? Is he going to act like Nakoa is right now, thinking I’m about to transform into a Tani?

I focus on her as she stifles a yawn. “If I start turning into some crazed Tani creature, promise me you’ll kill me.”

She just nods tightly.  “ I will.”

“How do you feel about Tai?” I can’t help myself in asking. Nakoa was a Noble for his father for years, she must know something I don’t.

“I like him,” she affirms, although it takes her a moment to admit it. There has to be some moments in the past that have made her doubt her  “Evolet never did, but she doesn’t…Didn’t like anyone. Why?”

I decide I shouldn’t bring it up. Tai needs to be the one to explain what’s happening in the basement to me, or I need to see for myself, if that part of the estate hasn’t been trashed by Vaia.

“No reason. I’m going to get some sleep.” I nestle into the corner of the carriage, wishing the carriage wasn’t undulating like this, my stomach churning.

"I'm not going to push you back to him, if you're not ready," Nakoa assures me.  "I'm not even going to ask what happened between you two."

I smile, my eyes fluttering closed. "Thank you, Nakoa."

Soon, I will see Marek again, and everything will slot into place.