The road grew darker as they traveled, and the others slowly spread out across the path. Elira walked beside Varrek, listening to the quiet rhythm of his footsteps. The forest around them whispered beneath the evening wind, and the fading sunlight painted long shadows across the road.
"You're unusually quiet," Varrek said.
"So are you," Elira replied.
"I'm usually quiet."
Elira smiled. "You're usually pretending to be mysterious."
Varrek looked at her, surprised. Then he laughed. It was a small sound, but Elira had rarely heard it. For a moment, the danger surrounding them seemed distant. There were no cursed threads, no disappearing names, and no terrifying voices hiding beneath the earth. There were only two people walking together beneath the darkening sky.
"You should laugh more," Elira said.
"And you should worry less."
"I'll try."
"You won't."
She glanced at him with amusement. "You know me too well."
Varrek's expression softened. "I've had to."
Their eyes met, and neither of them spoke. Something unspoken passed between them, quiet and fragile. Elira suddenly became aware of how close he was. She could hear his breathing beneath the sound of the wind.
Then a cold breeze swept across the road, and Elira shivered.
Without saying anything, Varrek removed his cloak and placed it around her shoulders.
"You'll need this," he said.
Elira held the cloak around herself. "What about you?"
"I'll survive."
She looked at him. "You always say that."
"Because it's true."
Elira smiled faintly, but worry remained in her eyes. "Promise me something."
Varrek looked at her. "What?"
"If something happens to me, don't let the curse erase my name."
His expression immediately became serious.
"Nothing will erase your name."
"How can you be certain?"
He stepped closer. His voice became quieter.
"Because I'll remember it."
Elira's heart skipped.
Before she could answer, Miro shouted from farther along the road.
"Are you two coming, or are you planning to get married on the road?"
Elira's face immediately warmed.
"We are NOT getting married!"
Miro burst into laughter.
Kaelra glanced back at them and shook her head. "Children."
Varrek turned away, hiding a smile.
Elira pulled his cloak tighter around herself as they continued walking. Despite everything waiting beyond the forest, she suddenly felt a little less afraid.
The curse could erase memories. It could steal names. It could turn love into fear.
But perhaps that was exactly why she needed to remember what it could never understand.
People chose one another.
And somewhere along the dangerous road, without either of them realizing exactly when it happened, Varrek had begun choosing her.