Third Arc (Fallen Heart) - 412. Two Rivers Flowing From The Same Black Spring I
The words sat there for a moment, like the final stone placed on a heavy grave. No one spoke after. The fire crackled once, but even it seemed to lower itself beneath the weight in the air.
Angel reached for the bracelet.
The metal was cool against his palm, like it had been waiting for him to touch it again. The small crack on its surface was barely visible under the low firelight, but he could still feel the pulse of dying magic inside. Faint, exhausted, but not entirely silent.
He stared at it for a while, letting the heaviness of everything they had just uncovered swirl around his mind.
The woman. Erebus. The strange familiarity in her broken voice. The power in his own blood that he still couldn't fully name.
'Two rivers flowing from the same black spring.'
That damn sentence echoed louder than anything else.
Finally, Angel slipped the bracelet into the inside pocket of his coat and stood up. His movements were quiet, but every step felt deliberate.
"Thank you," he said, his voice low, but firm. "For everything."
Silvan raised an eyebrow as he pushed himself slowly to his feet. "I suspect you'll hate me for pulling you deeper into this."
"I was already drowning long before tonight," Angel said with a small, almost bitter smile.
Silvan let out a soft chuckle. "That's not reassuring."
Angel reached into his coat again and pulled out a small, thick pouch—gold coins, heavy enough to buy a manor or two in most towns. He held it toward Silvan. "At least allow me to give you something for your trouble."
But Silvan's hand came up immediately. "No."
Angel's brow raised slightly. "You don't want it?"
"If you truly wish to repay me," Silvan said, voice calm but edged with something old and serious, "then don't insult me with coins." He shifted his weight on the cane slightly, looking directly into Angel's eyes. "Instead, give me something far rarer—your promise."
Angel's expression shifted—not surprised exactly, but curious. "A promise?"
"Yes. A favor." Silvan's tone was even, his face hard to read. "Not now. Not tonight. But one day, if I ever come to you and ask something of you—no matter how small or strange—I want your word that you'll consider it."
Angel's eyes narrowed slightly. He didn't answer right away, calculating as always. But then, after a long pause, he gave a single nod. "Fine. But if your request crosses certain lines—" he tilted his head slightly, voice lower, "—I reserve the right to refuse."
Silvan smiled thinly. "Fair enough."
Rose, still standing beside him, squeezed his hand gently but didn't speak. Her eyes, though, flickered between both men. She knew how rare it was for Angel to make such deals. He hated owing anything.
Silvan relaxed a little and looked between the two of them. "Is there anything else you need tonight? Food? Drink? I can have something prepared quickly. The kitchen is still warm."
Angel offered a small, polite shake of his head. "No, thank you. You've already given me more than enough."
"At least some tea, perhaps?" Silvan pressed gently. "It may help clear your mind."
Rose smiled kindly. "It's tempting, but we should keep moving."
Silvan exhaled, rubbing his temples as if the weight of the night was finally settling onto his bones.
The firelight cast long shadows beneath his eyes.
"Then at least allow me to take you to your chamber. You should rest, both of you. It's late. And I had assumed—" his eyes flicked briefly toward Rose, his voice lowering slightly, "—that you would stay the night."
Angel smiled faintly, but his answer was already carved in stone. "No. We leave tonight."
Silvan frowned deeply. "That's not wise."
"The roads are dangerous," he went on, his voice tighter, laced with concern rather than formality now. "The forests here aren't like your capital. You've seen the wards I've placed—this isn't a land to wander under moonlight."
Rose finally spoke, her voice soft but unshaken. "We'll manage."
Silvan hesitated, still not satisfied. "At least wait until first light. The paths will be easier to navigate. Safer."
Angel shook his head gently. "We've made preparations. This isn't a spontaneous decision."
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