Chapter 42
----------------------------------------------------------------- Translator: Diva Chapter: 42 Chapter Title: Forgotten Field -----------------------------------------------------------------
Over the past few days, I had been watching that woman with eyes aflame, and now I caught sight of her silently slipping out between the tents.
Talia, her eyes narrowed as she fixed her gaze on the figure, soon began to cautiously tail her.
The woman moved with such natural grace that she drew no attention from anyone. Her steps were so quiet and nimble that, had Talia not been accustomed to the distinctive movements of those trained by the Taren family, she would have lost her in an instant.
In the blink of an eye, the woman darted across the campsite and vanished into the row of long supply wagons.
Talia paused for a moment before creeping up behind a massive wagon and peering into the narrow gap between it and the next one. But the woman had already disappeared.
Her face etched with panic, Talia whipped her head around, then squeezed into the space between the huge wagons. Just then, something bumped against her foot with a soft thud.
'This is...'
Bending down, Talia spotted a small glass vial lying under the wheel and furrowed her brow.
As she picked it up to examine it closely, she felt a few drops of slimy liquid from the bottle's mouth slick against her fingers.
She startled and flung the vial away. Bringing her hand close to her face and sniffing, a pungent floral scent mixed with a fishy, animalistic stench assaulted her nose. The revolting smell made her head spin and dry heaves rise unbidden. Grimacing, she wiped the strange liquid off on her handkerchief. But the odd odor lingered stubbornly.
'This is the worst.'
She tossed the soiled handkerchief to the ground and straightened up, only to notice a dark shadow looming over her head.
Talia jerked her head up and screamed, collapsing to the ground. Barkas was looking down at her with a cold expression.
"What are you doing in a place like this?"
Talia stared up at him in a daze before scrambling to her feet.
How long had he been watching me?
Even though she hadn't done anything wrong yet, her heart pounded. Pretending to be calm, Talia spat out a sharp retort.
"You scared the hell out of me! What are you doing sneaking up like a damn rat?!"
"You still haven't answered my question."
Ignoring her sharp tongue, Barkas unfolded his arms crossed over his chest and took a step closer.
Talia faltered back, then quickly raised her chin defiantly.
"Why should I answer you? What business is it of yours what I do or where I go?!"
She turned to flee, but Barkas blocked her path with his long legs.
Trapped between the wagon and his lean frame, Talia looked up at him with uneasy eyes.
"Wh-what are you doing?"
"Do you know what kind of filthy mess I'll have to witness if I let you wander off alone again?"
Talia flinched at his cutting tone.
Barkas stared piercingly down at her before letting out a faint sigh and nodding toward the path ahead.
"I'll escort you back to your tent, so lead the way."
"N-no need. I can go by myself..."
"Is there some reason I can't escort you?"
Talia unconsciously gripped the knife handle tucked in her pocket. It was a foolish move, practically announcing she was hiding something.
Seeing his eyes narrow, Talia shoved roughly at his chest with both hands.
"None of your business! Get out of my way!"
Though she pushed with all her might, he didn't budge an inch. Despite his slender build, the man was as solid as iron.
Hiding her fear, Talia thrust her chin up with feigned boldness.
"I said move."
Barkas gazed down at her steadily before slowly stepping back.
Talia seized the opening and wriggled through the narrow gap between him and the wagon. But as she hurried to escape, a strong hand seized her arm and firmly spun her around.
Before she could cry out, his hand slipped into her gown pocket and pulled out the knife with its honed blade.
Talia looked up at him, her face drained of color. With elegant movements, Barkas lightly ran his thumb along the blade, then fixed her with an emotionless stare.
She could have brushed it off as just for self-defense. But facing those sharp eyes that seemed to peer straight into her soul, her reason shattered.
Like a child deprived of her only toy, she lunged at him fiercely.
"Give it back!"
He raised the hand holding the knife high.
Talia stood on tiptoe, yanking at his uniform and stretching desperately.
"Hand it over! I said give it back!"
Barkas looked down at her with a hardened expression as she thrashed about in a frenzy, then tossed the knife away.
Talia bent down in a scramble to grab it. But before her fingers could close around it, a gold-sheathed boot kicked it far away.
She stared blankly as the knife slid under the wagon, then crouched to crawl after it. But before she could touch the ground, long, firm arms wrapped around her waist and yanked her upright.
Talia twisted her face in fury and glared at him murderously. But Barkas looked just as irritated.
"I won't even ask what you planned to do with that."
He leaned in close to her face, enunciating each word like he was chewing them out. His low voice was as sharp as a drawn blade.
"From now on, you'll have a constant watch on you. So scrap every one of those idiotic schemes rattling around in that tiny head of yours."
Who the hell are you to talk to me like that?
Who the hell are you to take what's mine?
Who the hell are you?
To become another woman's man.
To leave forever.
You made me want to kill that woman, and now you're stopping me from doing anything.
A jumble of thoughts choked her throat.
She wanted to spew curses, but feared that opening her mouth would unleash a wail like a ten-year-old girl. So she clamped her jaw shut.
Barkas watched her silently before straightening up and gesturing for her to go ahead.
Talia shot him a venomous glare filled with hatred, then strode quickly out from between the wagons. His words about constant surveillance didn't seem like an empty threat; Barkas followed like a shadow.
The presence she had once longed for unbearably now felt utterly repulsive. He was nowhere to be found when she wished for him at her side, yet showed up the moment she steeled herself for the biggest decision of her life to get in the way.
'To protect Aila...'
No. Perhaps it was to protect Gares.
He wouldn't fully understand why she carried a knife in her pocket. He paid no mind to her half-brother who beat her at every chance, but ground his teeth at her half-sister who silently endured it all—he couldn't possibly guess that reason.
She turned her head to gaze at the campsite where darkness was beginning to settle.
Aila was probably enjoying herself right now, surrounded by those who loved her, savoring the happy future ahead.
Recalling that flushed face made her already churning insides boil over. That loathsome woman. Everything about her was revolting—the way she flashed pitiful eyes only at Talia despite having it all, her tragic expressions. All of it.
I really want to kill her.
Chewing on her chapped lips with such thoughts, Talia felt Barkas, who had been quietly following, suddenly yank her back and shove her roughly aside.
She looked up at him with wide, startled eyes.
For a split second, she wondered if this man had read her mind, her heart sinking. But he wasn't looking at her.
Following his gaze to the sky, Talia gasped sharply. Something the size of a house was plummeting down at terrifying speed. Before she could identify it, a thunderous crash erupted, kicking up a cloud of dust.
"It's a monster!"
Shouts rang out, followed by screams tearing through the air from all directions.