Chapter Thirty Eight

~ Rumors ~

        “So we currently have no sure destination?” Lay frowned. “How did you know that you have to look for someone in Volta then?”

        “It’s like an instinct.” Ahra answered ruefully. “Besides, we actually didn’t know that we were going to find someone in Volta. We were ready to leave for another city when I met Tao.”

        “What if there’s another host in Volta or maybe in Umido?” Tao asked. “Is there no way to make sure?”

        “There’s no way to be sure.” She said to Tao, smiling apologetically, before turning to Lay. “I’m just relying on fate. I met both Suho and Tao by incident. It’s also an incident that you and Tao already knew each other.”

        “Honestly, I had thought that since there are twelve hosts, there would be one in each city of the Three Kingdoms. But that theory is out because you and Tao are from the same city.” Suho pursed his lips in thought.

        “What?” Tao reacted. “We’re not from the same city. I’m really from Volta!”

        “Really?” Suho brightened. “Then my theory still stands?”

        “If that’s the case, then we should go straight to Suolo then?” Ahra asked, looking at the map Lay had laid on the table in the kitchen and tracing the path towards the said city.

        Lay bit his lip before saying, “I think we should head to Bufera instead. Suolo is where the royal family is situated in and we should probably have more of us before we face them.”

        “Well, you know your kingdom better.” Ahra shrugged.

        Suho nodded. “If we leave now and ride fast, we could reach Bufera tomorrow night. We’ll just camp later tonight.”

        “I’ll pack up what I can. Tao, I trust that you could fix your pack yourself so I’ll leave you to that.” Lay stood up, his mind already running through the things he has to do since they’ll be gone for a long time considering that they have to go off and save Serce. “I’ll go to my neighbor now. She could look after the house while I’m away.”

        “We’ll need two more horses.” Suho brought up just as Lay turned to leave.

        “I’ll take you to the local stable. They sell good horses there. Cheap, too.” Tao volunteered.

        There was a sound of a chair legs scraping the floor, then Lay heard Ahra calling after him. He stopped pushing the front door open and looked over his shoulder.

        Ahra took a deep breath before speaking. “I just wanted to apologize for coming here and having you leave your home. This -”

        “You don’t have to apologize.” Lay cut her off, gently. “I may have needed time to come in terms with having to come with you, but I fully understand that what we’ll be doing is important. I’m sure the others that we’ll meet along the way will feel the same way. You don’t have to say sorry to me. And you sure don’t have to say sorry to them. This isn’t your fault.”

        She gazed at him with her reflective eyes before nodding. “You’re right. Of course,”

        He grinned at that. “I’ll be off then. The sooner we finish preparing, the sooner we leave for Bufera.”

        ~~~

        It was already past noon when they left Guarire. As Suho had expected, Ahra had immediately sped off when they went past the last of the houses. The three males rode