The Rules of Blood

Volume Two ; Chapter 104 (320) - Velakia, Better Late Than Dead

They have made good progress since leaving Levir Pasa, walking deeper and deeper into the Domain of Blood Xeladar, and putting more and more distance between them and the Domain of Blood Seraph.

They were so far from it that the ground and grass below their feet began to change colors into more normal ones.

Even the sky was clearer, the sun now barely behind a thin veil of smoke.

And further from the Domain of Blood Seraph they went, the happier the people they passed were.

Even the sights were more beautiful, more whole, more alive. Valleys filled with poppies, a beautiful fiery red, soon to die out against the autumn cold.

But soon they will reach it.

The end of their journey.

Yet now, on the eighty-second day of their travels, the man she loved couldn’t help but just

look around, lost in thought.

“What’s wrong?” she whispered. “You keep looking behind as if you’re expecting something.”

“Nothing,” Blanc replied, unsure even of his words. “Must be imagining things.”

“Are you certain? You can tell me anything,” Velakia pushed.

“Yeah,” Blanc smiled, facing her. “I know I can.”

“Blanc…” Velakia frowned, clearly annoyed.

He looked at her, and by the look in her eyes, he knew he would be the first one to give up.

So he looked back once more before grabbing her hand and slowing their pace down, putting a bit of distance between them and the other three.

“It’s weird,” Blanc whispered. “I have had this feeling for a while now, yet, no matter how hard I focus on my Marks, I do not hear or see anything out of the ordinary.”

“What feeling?” Velakia tilted her head, curious.

“I think… we are being followed,” Blanc sighed.

“Followed?” Velakia looked back as well. “By who?”

“Hopefully, one of Lord Ali’s men, making sure we are doing what we said we were doing,” Blanc muttered. “But I’m not sure if there actually is anybody.”

“Well, all we see for miles is a flat plain, so I guess we would see anyone coming,” Velakia replied. “So it might just be your imagination.”

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“I sure hope so,” Blanc chuckled, looking forward past the shoulders of Sera, Tahreni, and Lendros.

But now that he told her, she started somewhat questioning it too.

“Should we hurry up then?” Velakia wondered.

“Do you believe me?” Blanc asked, surprised.

“My people are always either at sea, or in it,” Velakia began. “And one of the first things we learn is to listen to our instincts, our bodies, especially when doubt or paranoia start to creep in. Of course, it might just be nothing, but, as we found out, it is better to be late than dead.”

“But I do not wish to delay this further,” Blanc replied. “It has been almost three months. And do not get me wrong, they were three good months, especially with you, but… I think it might be time to go home.”

“No need to explain yourself to me,” Velakia smiled sadly, “I am homesick as well, despite all the good times we’ve had together.”

“Are you talking about the nights spent together or in general?” Blanc chuckled.

“Bastard,” she slapped him over the head. “I still question which part of the body works best, because your brain seems to fail sometimes.”

“Still,” Blanc scratched at the back of his head. “What do you think we should do?”

“Do you think Sera might be able to keep up for eight days?” Velakia asked, serious again.

“All of us, except Sera, have at least a hundred beasts harvested, and we were starting to lose reason after more than a week,” Blanc sighed. “Sera will definitely not be able to hold on for that long, and I’m definitely not risking finding out what or who she chooses to attack if she loses control.”

“That’s true,” Velakia muttered, unable to argue against Blanc’s point. “Especially if she finds you as her target.”

“My own sister…” Blanc shivered, the thought of it being too much even for him.

“Then what would you suggest?” Velakia laughed, looking at how disgusted he looked.

“I still hope I’m just being paranoid, but just in case, I think we should take a break only when necessary and pick up the pace,” Blanc muttered.

That wouldn’t be too bad even if there was nobody following them.

Although other times, she would have pushed Blanc’s words aside as worrying over nothing.

Paranoia that might have been created by the approaching end of their journey. But he was the second one who mentioned feeling off.

She pushed Lendros’s worries aside as if nothing more than homesickness, or just annoyed with the new pace. But perhaps there really was something.

One might be an illusion, a coincidence, but when two people mention the same thing in the span of a few days, it might just be a reality.

The problem, however, was that Lendros said that he was feeling something off a day before they crossed into the Domain of Noble Blood Xeladar.

Was it someone else who was trailing them?

Or maybe Lord Ali had men inside the Domain of Blood Seraph, making sure no army approached their Domain, and taking notice of their approach.

Or maybe, they were just simply going mad.

Either way, there was no reason to refuse.

So she nodded in agreement. “I think it is a wise idea.”

Blanc sighed, biting at the inner part of his lower lip, “Very well. Then, let us keep the same pace for today, rest for tonight, and pick up the pace in the morning. How does that sound?”

“Like a good plan,” Velakia grinned. “How about we think of more such good ideas tonight, hm?”

Blanc chuckled, “Took the words right out of my mouth.”

“Then let me go tell Lendros and Tahreni about the new plan, while you explain the things you told me to Sera,” Velakia moved forward, trying to catch up with the rest of the group.

“Aye, aye,” Blanc sighed, taking a look behind them once more.