Chapter 122: So called Meal
Serian’s whole face lit up when she talked about them. It wasn’t the competitive fire from the race or the cautious look she got during a fight. This was something real, something warm.
"My older sister, Vexia, she’s the smart one," she said, her voice full of a pride that was impossible to fake. "A scholar, a master of ancient runes and histories. She could probably tell you the entire history of this world just from looking at the dirt."
She shook her head, a small, fond smile on her face. "She’s also the one who’s always telling me to think before I act."
"And then there’s Elisa," she continued, her gaze turning a little softer, a little more distant. "She’s the strong one. A true warrior. She could probably beat you and me both without breaking a sweat." A shadow passed over her face for a second. "They’re my home. The only one I have left."
Nox listened, and for a split second, he tried to picture it. Family. Sisters. A home. He tried to pull up a memory of his own parents, of a mother’s face or a father’s voice.
But all he got was static. Just blurry, faceless shapes and a big, empty feeling in his chest that tasted like cold metal.
’Crap.’ The feeling was uncomfortable, a hollow ache he wasn’t used to. He pushed it down, hard. This wasn’t the time to get all sentimental.
He cleared his throat, trying to sound casual, trying to be the guy who didn’t care. "So, a bookworm and a bruiser. Sounds like a fun time at parties."
Serian’s smile faltered, her sharp eyes catching the sudden wall he’d put up. "They are... more than that."
"Yeah, whatever," he mumbled, looking away. He needed to change the subject, fast. "So these mountains. How far are we talking? ’Cause my feet are starting to get tired of all this walking."