Chapter 37. Like an Arrow

CYRAN

Veesa consents for me to take my bow and arrows after hours of trial. I’m grateful as my fingers trace the familiar line of bowstring and caress the soft quilts of my arrows. The only thing I truly relate with.

I make sure Saelyna does not see me steal off towards the woods. This time, I stay on the outcrop, and I don’t cross the water. Since the day I killed that wolf-thing with my dagger, I’ve had some sort of reaction to the sight of those woods, and I can’t bring myself to go in there.

I stretch out my fingers and wave my arms around a little before searching for a target. On this side of the river, there are free trees, none of them are good targets and all are down by the slopes.

I don’t dawdle. I hunt around for branches and find two suitable boughs down by the river. Next, I dig out a space in the ground and then plant in the first one. Then I find some jutes long enough to tie the other branch to the first. The result is a wobbly stake, shaky a