Blood Vow by Zarah Hemlock

Author:Zarah Hemlock [Hemlock, Zarah]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2023-10-20T16:00:00+00:00

As demanded, Thorin and I get up at sunrise, not bothering to change out of the clothes we wore yesterday and slept in last night. I braid her curly hair into two cute little braids down the sides of her head, and she pulls mine into a tight bun on top of my head. It's the only thing that keeps us from looking like we've been sleeping with barn animals.

I could barely sleep last night; my body buzzed with anxiety, knowing that today would be the day I got my brother back. Poor Thorin—who can sleep through anything—stayed up most of the night with me. It took hours of reassurance that Ziggy would be proud of who I’ve become and would never judge me for the last thirteen years.

It takes us half an hour to finally meander into the main tent. At the very back I see a new man standing with his back to us. The first thing I notice is the two crossed swords strapped to his back. His shoulders are broad—probably even more so in his leathers—and he is definitely tall. Like Ophir's, the man's head is shaved on the sides and long on top. His sage hair is pulled into a messy bun towards the back of his head and shines in the light that leaks into the tent.

I'm about ten feet away when the man turns around, and my breath catches. Ziggy stands there looking so different, yet the same. He is much taller now and has built up a lot of muscle. His hair is darker than I remember it being, and his face is much more structured: a square jaw, a strong nose—slightly upturned—and there are now three long scars over his right eye that travel down to his nose. You can see where his sleeves are rolled up, displaying his golden skin, which is now heavily tattooed. But his emerald eyes are a dead giveaway. I try to will my feet forward, but when I go to move them, I stumble and fall.

He looks confused at why a random elf is tripping over herself in his barracks. He looks to Lydia, looking for an explanation. I watch a soft smile bloom across her face, a small chink in her hard expression. He looks even more confused by her reaction.

My feet remain planted, terrified that he won't recognize me, or worse, he won't care.

Ziggy continues analyzing me for what feels like an eternity, his expressions giving away his myriad of thoughts. But it's when his eyes soften and his face pales do I know he's finally figured it out.

As he sprints toward me, the world around us falls away. Instead, visions of our childhood play; every smile, every laugh, every comforting moment. Hide and seek, stories before bed, sneaking out at nightfall to watch the fireflies set the sky ablaze—true happiness.

Ziggy collapses to his knees in front of me. With trembling hands, he reaches for me. The moment his palms cup my face, my body is wracked with a sob, hot tears rolling down my cheeks in a stream of relief.

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