Criminal

Idril was silent once again as we headed even farther north. Maybe I had her all wrong, maybe she doesn't enjoy conversation. Then why had she yelled at me for staying silent that first day? Most women are so easy to understand, why must she be so difficult?

A cold wind nipped at my face and any skin I had left exposed. I shiver rocked my body and I heard Idril's teeth chattering. The sun had sank behind the trees and the moon lacked any warming rays. There was an inn just ahead, it was illuminated with a warming glow because if the fire inside. I can't wait to warm my aching fingers and frozen nose wrapped in countless blankets sitting near the cozy fire, Idril by my side. Or not by my side, it doesn't matter... Or it might because I'm under Corinth's order not to let her go.

"We're almost there." I called through the strong gusts of wind.just thinking of the warmth and shelter from the icy wind made the hike ten times longer. Once we finally made it inside I handed the innkeeper some money and asked for a room.

"You need to get some meat on your girls bones." She chuckled. "She'll freeze to death if you go too far north." She caught wind of my lackluster mood and handed me the keys to our room.

Idril and I moved the blankets from the bed over to the fire, id rather sleep on the floor and be warm than the freeze to death in the bed. The fire was just as warm as I had hoped once my body and heart had thawed I was in a much better mood. Until something came back to me. Right before I passed out Idril had been clutched in Corinth's arms. What had her so upset? Part of it may have been for me, but there is no way she was in hysterics over just me. I have only known her for a few days.

"Idril?" I called, she hummed and looked up to me. Then I noticed the color swirling in her eyes, they seemed to stay a honey color for the most part. She must have some magik left in her system, causing her eyes to change colors to her moods. If I remember honey meant she was calm.

"I do not wish to upset you, but why were you so distraught right before I lost consciousness?" Her eyes turned grey with worry. What was she worried about?

"You looked hurt, and dead, I couldn't bear to see you hurt because of..." She stopped herself, her eyes turned purple. "That monster."

"You're lying." I said blatantly. "Your eyes are purple." She looked confused.

"My... Eyes?" She tilted her head to the side.

"The magik left over in your body changes your eye color based on how you're feeling. I heard its the side effect of your gift." I explained. "So, I know you're lying... I just don't know why." She frowned.

"I can't tell you, I just can't. I don't want to go back! I don't!" She broke down in hysterics. I held her to my chest and patted her head.

"You won't have to go back if you don't want to. It's okay. I was just curious you don't have to tell me of you don't want to." I murmured reassuringly. What is she so terrified of? This girl is impossible to figure out I don't get.

"It wanted me, that thing wanted me." She moaned into my shirt.

"How do you know?" There's no way she could understand what it said.

"The way it looked at me right before you killed it. It wanted me, it was going to kill me." She wailed and twisted my shirt in her fists.

"Shh." I patted her head. If it had really wanted her, that means the king wanted her. But what for? She is not a criminal, there's no way, she was terrified when she found out that I was. She can't be th girl it was looking for... She can't, I don't want to see her taken by something like that monster. I wouldn't be able to watch her leave... In the claws of a monster...

"What's wrong, Elessar?" She asked, with a strength in her voice that made it seem as if she hadn't shed a tear.

"Nothing, I'm just trying to figure out why it wants you. It said it was sent by the king." I muttered, still partially submerged in thought.

"That's what your weird hissing was!" She exclaimed. "It looked like you two were just seeing who could hiss with more anger. How did you do that?" It seems as if she was desperate to change subjects.

"Well, it's my gift. The same way your magik is able to sing to other people's magik, I can talk to monsters, or control them if they are weak enough." She nodded, but looked confused.

"Corinth says I can only do that strange magik singing to you." She murmured.

"We can never be sure about that unless you tested it." She looked excited to experiment. "You are never trying that with anyone else, got it?"

"But why not?" She whined then smirked. "You would get jealous!"

"No I wouldn't, there's nothing to be jealous about!" I shouted defensively.

"Awe," she giggled. "You're trying to hide how it made you feel."

"I am not!" My defensive tone gave me away, and laughed at me.

"Oh really so what if I bite this fruit..." She took a bite of one of the magik plants Corinth sent us with and her eyes glowed even brighter. "And I... I don't know, touched you."

"No! No no no no!" I laughed and backed away, digging my heels into the ground and crab walking away from her. She giggled and crawled towards me. My head bumped the wall and I knew I was trapped. She put her hands on my clothed knees, so I felt nothing. I tried to wiggle out from her reach put she hust laughed and pinned me down by shutting on my stomach and holding my shoulders down. My breath hitched, I need to be prepared for this artificial lust that will take over all my senses. She leaned in, inches from my face and stopped. Our noses were almost touching we both had stopped breathing, watching the other for any small movement. She nervously licked her lips and my eyes flickered between her eyes and lips.

Then our lips met, I will never admit it but she hadn't moved, I kissed her. It was strange, I've kissed many women this was different. She was gentle, hesitant. I raised my hand to cup her face and deepened the kiss. I pulled back and stared, unsure of where to proceed.

My magik was silent. It hadn't tugged or pulled at all, it was completely still.