Chapter 73: Fractured Bonds

“Ah—!”

Claire let out a sharp yelp, bolting upright in bed, her heart pounding like a war drum in her chest.

Her head buzzed, and only as the dizziness ebbed slightly did she realize she lay safe on a wooden plank bed, covered by a rough but thick quilt.

“Where…… is this?”

The girl forced calm, first swiftly checking her clothes— intact, not a single wrinkle differing from before her blackout.

She exhaled silently, her tense shoulders easing, then finally spared a moment to survey her surroundings; a faint musty wood scent wafted into her nostrils—

“Is this that station room?

The duke’s convoy hadn’t lingered long nearby, just a brief halt before pressing on, yet Claire still deduced her location from the room’s layout.

“You’re awake?”

Claire flinched all over at the slightly hoarse voice.

A flaxen-haired youth pushed through the door, cradling a hefty tin pot.

Claire’s gaze followed his motions instinctively, landing on the bedside brazier still flickering faint crimson embers.

“How do you feel?

Anywhere hurting?”

Nolan asked.

The air hung thick with a scorched, herbal tang, acrid, like a tiny needle scraping her nasal lining relentlessly.

“You are…… uh…… uh…… Ah— choo!”

She’d barely opened her mouth when an uncontrollable sneeze burst forth, stunning her senseless.

“Er……”

Nolan blinked, seeming a touch helpless.

“Wait a sec.”

He hurried to the bed, slowly pouring water from the tin pot into the brazier.

Sizzle—

A soft hiss rose, white smoke thick with medicinal herbs billowing up; the lingering red glow snuffed out, leaving sodden black coals.

“Ah— much better now.”

Claire rubbed her still-itching nose vigorously, complaining through a stuffy nose.

“That smell earlier was so weird.”

“I thought it fine,”

Nolan set the empty pot aside, explaining.

“Just common calming herbs burned— stations stock them plenty.”

“What is it,”

Claire muttered low, straining to piece memory fragments.

She recalled only fleeing desperately through the woods, then vertigo striking, world spinning, before utter black void.

She snapped her head up, sharp gaze spearing Nolan.

“Did you save me?”

“More or less…… yeah.”

Nolan’s reply came vague, claiming no credit yet not denying.

Only then did Claire dimly recall clashing verbally with this youth before blacking out.

But she stole a glance at Nolan’s expression— his eyes held only calm and faint weariness, no malice.

Stranger still, the bed beneath seemed to carry an extremely faint, cloyingly sweet familiarity that unwittingly loosened her taut nerves a fraction.

She pondered a moment, then asked.

“Look, that red-cloaked stalker chasing me— where’d they go?

Did you see?”

“Chaser?”

Nolan shook his head naturally.

“Didn’t spot anyone else.

When I arrived, you were just collapsed alone.”

“Really?”

Claire furrowed her brow suspiciously, staring hard into his eyes for cracks, but they met hers frank; besides, Nolan’s build differed too much from the cloaked mystery.

She shook her head, flinging off the quilt, snatching her wand from the bedside.

“Fine, whatever……

Thanks anyway.

Gotta go.”

She hopped down briskly, striding to the door, hand on the latch— when her peripheral caught Nolan’s face flickering odd hesitation.

“Uh…… one thing.”

Nolan rubbed his nose, tone laced with reluctance.

“Someone outside looking for you……”

“For me?

Who?”

Claire paused, a bad premonition flickering through.

“A woman, around thirty, wearing…… yeah, a witch’s pointed hat……”

Nolan hadn’t finished when Claire’s face sank, turning ugly.

Like a startled cat, she tiptoed, easing the door to the barest slit—

Bang!

One glimpse, and she slammed it shut like scalded, a dull thud echoing.

“The window!

Where’s the window!”

She whirled, voice hushed but panicked clear, eyes darting the room for escape routes.

Yet Nolan’s next calm words crushed her slim hopes outright.

“She’s probably…… yeah……

I think she knows you’re here.”

“You sold me out?!”

The girl whipped around, eyes round as saucers, brimming incredulous outrage.

“I don’t even fully know who you are— what selling out?”

Nolan countered helpless, tone tinged innocent.

“Rather, if I hadn’t stalled her outside, that fuming witch would’ve probably bashed the door down by now.”

Claire froze mid-motion, mouth agape soundless; long moments later, she buzzed low.

“Just her alone?”

“Seems a few, but that witch leads.”

Nolan hedged, omitting the scarred, fierce armored warrior he’d glimpsed.

He pondered, then tried lightening the air.

“Uh?

Heard you’re a runaway?

Actually, I barely talked her into waiting out there a bit……

We agreed— I’d try convincing you.”

“Convince me?”

Claire fell quiet a beat, then long after lifted her eyes, brows knit in evident wariness and resistance.

“Convince me of what?”

Nolan eyed her bristled-all-over stance, thought a moment, picking the bluntest entry.

“Er…… like…… why?

Gotta have a reason, right?”

“Yeah!

I ran away— so what?

Not allowed?”

Claire snapped peevish, tone stiff.

“That’s no reason.”

Nolan said.

Claire’s mind whirled chaotic, gaze flitting lost about the room, until like a deflated ball her shoulders slumped, drawing a long sigh.

“Fine……

It’s because……

That thing we absolutely had to do, had to face— but everyone, they’re all just dodging, pretending it never happened……

No matter how I begged, no one ever truly heard me out……”

Claire’s voice filled with impotence as she spoke.

“Then, that woman Sera Bron— she’s my teacher.

By original plan, she headed to the kingdom on business, taking me along……

Supposedly for study travel.

But over this, we had a huge fight.

I got so mad, just wanted……

Wanted to scare them a bit, so I snuck out alone.”

“I think……

I get a little……”

Nolan watched the still-young girl before him; her words scattered, leaving him foggy, but the boy grasped the core.

“So, you mean— to scare them, that’s why you bolted solo?”

He confirmed tentatively.

“Kinda.”

Claire mumbled low, toe scuffing ground absently.

A beat, then as if unable to hold back longer,

She spilled the deeper root.

“Because of my sister……”

“Sister?”

Nolan latched onto the word, brow creasing faintly.

“Mm.”

Claire nodded.

She’d resolved firm: no spilling family woes to outsiders.

But days of pent-up grievance and suppression now surged like breached flood, crumbling her defenses.

She desperately needed an outlet.

She stole a glance at the seemingly harmless boy before her……

He seemed decent, right?

Saved me first, then kept Sera at the door— sharing a tiny bit, probably fine……

So thinking, Claire steeled her mind.

“Right, my sister.”

Her voice dropped, eyes fixed on her shoe tips.

“Before……

No clue what happened— she just vanished, all mysterious.

The adults spout pretty lies, but they all hem and haw, never telling me truth.

They claim full search for sister, but I see clear— not one’s truly trying!”

“I……

I just want to find sister.

Originally……

Teacher kept comforting me; I thought she got me, stood with me.

But……

That night, right nearby, I begged her again— begged another way……

She told me……”

The girl had striven for detached, feigned-calm tone till here, but her voice choked abrupt, eyes welling fast, tears swirling.

This sudden hitch left Nolan flustered, voice softening cautious.

“She……

Said what?”

“Teacher said……”

Claire sniffled hard, fighting tears down.

“After so long, sister’s likely dead already.

Said even if alive, fallen to black mages— end might be worse than death……”

She reached here, snapping her head up, teary-blurred eyes locking Nolan’s.

“Then……

Then she pulls out a potion vial— said it helps forget pain……

Told me, maybe forgetting’s the best medicine.”

Claire swiped her eyes fierce with her hand’s back, tone surging agitated.

“I was furious then!

How could she say that?

She’s my teacher!

Then……

We fought huge, and after, I snuck out alone.”

Anyway, I’ll never forget sister.