he thought of her.
“That Old Fart wasn’t happy seeing me being a better father to you than he ever was.” Wolfin said, seeing the woman obviously distressed.
The man washed his face once more and got out of the basin, grabbing one of the towels he left there the day before, when he thought about offering Serena a bath. Drying himself, he didn’t look at Serena, who still sat frozen in the water, incapable of saying anything.
Once he dressed up, Wolfin threw the towel aside and glanced at the woman, seeing her frozen in thought.
“Scorpi.” the man called out and she raised her head just as he kneeled next to her.
“What?” she barked, angry at everything she found out about her father.
Wolfin grabbed a block of soap and offered it to her. The woman took it, frowning, and the man chuckled, suddenly pushing her head under the water. When Serena managed to free herself from his hand and take a breath, she saw him walking off with the empty bowl, cackling.
“Wash your hair, Scorpi.” he laughed.
The woman wiped her face, irritated at his stunt, but decided that she really should wash out all the dirt and blood from her hair.
“You asshole.” she growled at the man.
Chapter 6. Dalilah
“Got any spare clothes I can use?” Serena’s voice sounded through the sound of water dripping down onto the rocks.
Wolfin turned to her and saw her pressing out her hair, surprising him with a long mane, pure silver in colour.
“Holy seven hells of Polonnas!” the man breathed out. “Where have you been hiding all that length? And since when are you carrying long hair?”
Serena froze, meeting his gaze and ignoring the fact she stood there completely naked in front of him:
“Since a man I looked up to said to me that only the strongest can grow their hair out.” she said. “I took an oath to cut my hair only when I will be defeated in a duel or on the battlefield.”
Wolfin blinked, surprised to hear this:
“And when was the last time you cut your hair?”
“A week before turning seven.” Serena smirked.
“Any longer, and you’ll have as long of a braid as Artemis Serdana herself!” Wolfin shook his head, walking over to his supplies to look for some fresh clothes. “How many duels have you had?”
“Uh…” Serena fell silent, obviously counting. “Shit… Don’t know. I used to have about seventeen duels…”
Wolfin chuckled, choosing for her a fresh set of pants and a shirt.
“Seventeen a week…” Serena continued, making the man freeze from shock. “For five years in the academy… then about thirteen each week while under commander…”
“Wait!” Wolfin turned to her, frowning. “And you’ve never lost?”
Serena walked up, taking the clothes from him:
“Not once.” she said with a smirk.
“But why do you hide all that hair in such intricate braids then?”
“There’s time to show off one’s strength, and times to conceal it from prying eyes, Wolfin.” Serena began to put on the pants. “You taught me that, remember?”
“You remember…”
“I remember everything you’ve taught me, Woofy.” the woman finally got the new shirt on, which was obviously too big for her. “Especially the tales of Artemis Serdana. And all those cautionary tales of never trusting men…”
“Is that what you think those were?”
“Weren’t they? She was killed by her own husband.” Serena began braiding her wet hair again.
“It not a tale of caution to never trust men, Scorpi. It’s a tale of how vulnerable we can be, putting our trust in the wrong people.”
He watched her collect her hair and make it seem like it’s no longer than her shoulders.
“Look, I know that you were telling me those stories, because you wanted me to know how dangerous it can be finding a man…” she said, tilting her head.
“Why do I get the feeling those stories made you deny all suitors?”
“Not all of them.” Serena’s face turned sour. “I was attacked at my own engagement party, remember?”
“I meant… before that. How many suitors have you denied?”
“Enough to make a very long list of duels that I’ve won.” the woman looked at the boulder, blocking the entrance. “How long is it until the sun is up?”
Wolfin took a moment to think, then sighed:
“Grab your things. Time for you to meet Dalilah.”
Serena frowned in surprise, not knowing that there was someone else around the caverns.
As soon as she was ready to leave, Wolfin set the boulder aside, freeing the dark passage leading out.
“How much do you trust me?” he suddenly asked Serena, who was looking into the dark with a frown.
“That’s a tricky question… Still hadn’t decided on that. Why?” Serena tilted her head, meeting Wolfin’s gaze.
The man chuckled and took a few steps back, entering the thick darkness that surrounded the tunnel. Serena saw his eyes turn from pitch black to very faint shimmering gold and lavender and remembered how she loved seeing those eyes checking in on her every night when she was little.
“Right…” the woman gritted her teeth in a moment’s hesitation. “One of the reasons you were my bodyguard was your unique mutation.”
“So… how much do you trust me?”
“Depends on what you are about to do.”
The man stepped back into the light and showed at the leather straps on his back that were part of an intricate set of belts and straps to hold all his various weapons that he carried.
“You grab onto the strap and follow me. I don’t want to take a torch for many reasons, one of them being Dalilah. She’s got a temper when it comes to fire.” he said.
“And the lights here?” Serena nodded to the torches.
“I’ll put them out, if you are ready to trust me in the dark.”
Serena took a few deep breaths, before nodding silently. Wolfin went over the cavern, putting out the torches and sconces one by one, until there was only one left – next to the exit. As he put it out, he was looking at Serena.
