Read The Guardians of the Forest: Book Two Page 53
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When they arrived in her clearing, Camella had a wonderful fire roaring.
“How did you get it started?” Kiethara asked in surprise, making her jump.
“Do you mind not scaring me while I have a knife in my hand?” Camella snapped, turning around to brandish a knife and three dead birds at her.
Kiethara gagged and turned around. “Ugh. I don’t want to see that!”
“Well, you’re going to eat it!” Camella told her. “Navadar, do you mind skinning them for me?”
“Of course,” he said. Kiethara heard him walk forward.
“You didn’t answer my question,” Kiethara called over her shoulder.
“About what?”
“The fire.”
“You already know I can use magic,” Camella reminded her. “Just because I don’t use it often and can only do a little does not mean I’m helpless.”
“You two do understand that you can start a fire without magic?” Navadar interjected.
“Yes.”
“You might want to try it one day.”
“Perhaps,” Kiethara replied. She did not like the idea of not using her powers, but it may still be a useful skill to acquire. The image of the cursed necklace flashed before her eyes.
For the next few minutes the only sounds that could be heard were the sounds of them working. Kiethara occupied herself by letting a caterpillar crawl onto her hand, its small body contracting as it pushed itself up her arm.
“Dinner is served!” Camella announced happily. Kiethara turned around to see three tin plates full of food—bird, she suspected. It did not resemble a bird anymore, at least.
They all sat around the fire, busying themselves with chewing. She nibbled on her meat experimentally. It was good, she had to admit.
“You’re letting Camella stay here, right?” Navadar asked unexpectedly after they had finished eating.
“Yes,” Kiethara affirmed, surprised. Camella leaned back in the grass and pursed her lips suspiciously at him.
“Well I was wondering if, perhaps, I could stay here as well.”
Kiethara’s mouth fell open as she registered his words. A dozen emotions ran through her as it occurred to her what he was proposing.
“You could do that?” she asked breathlessly, her navy blue eyes sparking with excitement.
He smiled. “Yes.”
“What about your father?” she asked.
“We had a long talk again last night,” he said in a solemn voice. “He was acting funny the entire day, and then he came into the dining room and said: ‘Navadar, I don’t understand why, but I’ll understand if you do what you need to do.’ And then he walked out.”
“Huh?” Camella asked bluntly.
“I thought the same at first, but when I thought about it, I understood,” Navadar explained with a faraway smile.
“He wants you to be happy,” Kiethara suggested.
“Yes and no. He wants me to do what’s right, despite who I do it with. See, Kiethara, in my world, at this point I would have already married you and provided you a house, a home. He wants me to come and do that.”
Kiethara had no response besides a blush.
“So I’ve come to do that…in a way,” Navadar finished.
“Good! We need a man to do the work around here,” Camella said with a jesting smile, laying back and crossing her ankles.
Kiethara could not help it—she laughed at her friends attempt to lighten the mood. “Don’t listen to her.”
“But listen to this,” Kiethara warned, turning somber. “I want you both here, but it’s dangerous. Gandador can appear at any moment and he will kill you.”
“That’s a good point,” Navadar said. “Didn’t you say that the next time Gandador comes here will be his last?”
“Yes, but—”
“We’ve helped you before,” Camella added.
“Yes, but—”
“With a little strategizing, we could help you make that happen,” he told her.
“It’s too dangerous—”
“Not together, not if we really do this right! You don’t need to be alone,” Camella said softly, sitting up.
“I…”
“Let’s do it!” Camella said excitedly. She stuck her hand out. Navadar put his on top of it. “The only way we take him down is by being united!”
“All right,” Kiethara whispered, putting her hand in as well. “Let’s end this.”