Chapter 15
Kyla sank onto her bed, completely exhausted. Today was the last day of training. Starting tomorrow, Devon would be here again, and he wasn't allowed to see that Dantalion was helping her. Kyla rolled onto her side and stared at the window. She had left the curtains open all day. Just seeing it made her hate her. How could one being kill so many others? She understood if it was for self-defense, but only because some of you didn't want to serve Devon...
Exhausted, she closed her eyes and kept them closed when she heard the door open. Azamir came with dinner. She had to admit that she had grown accustomed to the dragon meat and also enjoyed his stubbornness and care. It reminded her of home. Her mother had always cared for her when she was ill, or had insisted with the same stubbornness on not forgetting meals when she devoted herself to something else. Because whatever Kyla started, she did with all her heart and always finished. The thought of her family hurt. How did they fare? what did they do Did they know their daughter was no longer in their world? Or had time stood still? Kyla didn't know.
She sat up with a sigh as Azamir placed the food on her bed and joined her. Those were the only moments when they could talk undisturbed. "Kyla good?" Azamir asked with a worried look on his face.
Kyla managed a weak smile. "Yes, it's fine." She had explained to him that he should no longer address her as mistress. Because that's not what friends do.
Azamir still looked skeptical and his hand carefully placed on her forehead. Kyla enjoyed the coldness of his body. "Kyla not good!"
"Yes, Azamir. I'm doing well. I'm just a little sweaty from training. Dantalion was stricter today than all days combined.”
The little one lowered his hand. "Do not lie!"
Kyla laughed. In the time since they met and became friends, Azamir had undergone an incredible transformation. There was hardly anything left of the cowed, frightened being. Instead, he now performed with a determination Kyla was proud of. He would need her if she left here again.
After the meal was finished, Azamir told her that he would make more ointments. So he disappeared with the tray, leaving her alone in the room.
Kyla settled back onto the bed and wondered what to do next. Should she keep training? Kyla dismissed the thought and stood up. She would go to the library and try to learn those characters. She had to start somewhere.
She grabbed her sword belt and put it back on. She then sheathed the blade and left her room.
Arriving in the hallway, she stood at the fork and glanced to the right. Azamir had told her never to go that way, but Kyla told herself that she wasn't as vulnerable as she was when she started. Curiosity won out and she dismissed the thought of the library. Kyla was excited to learn what secrets were still hidden here.
The hallway darkened the further she walked down it. She thought she heard noises behind her, but when she turned around, all she could see was darkness. Her left hand rested on the hilt of her sword, ready to draw if necessary. For a moment she hesitated, but then she went on determinedly. She wanted to know why nobody was allowed to go here. In the past she had liked to disregard rules and the more she was forbidden to do something, the more appealing it was for her to disregard this prohibition.
"Mom would be pretty mad if she knew what I was doing here," she whispered to herself and had to smile. Kyla didn't know how, but her mother had figured it out every time she'd broken the rules. And there was a lot of trouble. At some point her parents stopped forbidding her to do anything. Instead, they asked not to do it. And Kyla had gladly complied with those requests.
When Kyla heard a noise in front of her, she jumped to the side. Pressing her back against the cold stone wall, she melted into the darkness.
A moment later, shuffling footsteps were heard moving away from her. She exhaled in relief, realizing she had been holding her breath. But where did that come from? Kyla hadn't heard a door and the darkness made it difficult for her to see anything.
"Some light wouldn't be bad at all!", she cursed softly and shortly afterwards a delicate, small flame appeared in front of her. Kyla blinked. Once. Twice. The flame was still there. "Cool…"