Villain's Second Heart: Trapped in A Fantasy Novel (BL)-Chapter 114: January 3

Oberyn spent the night at Jan’s cottage. As loathe as he was to admit, he couldn’t find Ezra or Bree. They were likely still in the lower part of the region, and he was in the mountains. He’d have better luck finding Rav at this rate. Unfamiliar, snowy terrain, with sunset impending? No thanks.

Though cramped and cozy, Jan had a guest bedroom - more like a guest closet. Still, he’d take a warm bed, especially after the previous night and being woken up by a pack of rabid Heenas.

He hoped he could see Ezra again. Soon.

He tossed and turned in the bed. The peace of mind would have done him some good. If he could guarantee Ezra’s safety, he’d be a lot quicker to trust Jan, too. Especially after the question she’d asked about his wings.

Are your wings still fully intact?

He’d had a visceral reaction to that. Panicked. Alarmed. He hadn’t even answered, not at the time. She’d understood that her question had upset him and backed off.

But later, shortly before he went to lay down, he’d told her the truth. His wings were good, still functional, even though he’d taken some damage that was yet to fully recover. She’d seemed relieved to hear it. Was she worried about him?

The spot in the bed next to him felt so empty. He couldn’t believe it - how used to Ezra he’d gotten over the past weeks. It was his first time in a long time sleeping alone. Without the weight of Ezra’s arm over him, pulling him close.

A feeling of warmth and safety that he couldn’t get from anywhere else but in Ezra’s arms.

A longing that felt as much a biological need as water or food.

He didn’t get much sleep. Any time he fully dozed off, he jolted back awake, thinking about Ezra, Rav, and Bree - though he wasn’t too worried about Rav. The Ferin could handle himself.

When he finally woke up, he was relieved to find that Jan’s cottage had running water. It felt nice to take a shower. Once every two days usually sufficed for Nephilim, but Oberyn was a bit of an oddball - he liked to take one, sometimes two a day if he could. It was relaxing, and it kept him hydrated so he didn’t have to think about drinking as much.

Though even the water felt cold. So many of his showers came with a companion - Ezra. Alone, and not knowing where Ezra even was...it chilled the water no matter how hot he let it run.

Once he was ready for the day, Jan offered him a long, thick coat. He appreciated it. Just because he could stand colder temperatures than humans didn’t mean he liked them.

Bundled up, they walked outside, and Jan showed him the side of the house. There was a lot more snow than yesterday. It had really blizzarded last night.

"Eusevia isn’t a far walk up the mountain. We’ll be there by lunch," Jan said with a smile.

"She’s the totem lady?" Oberyn asked, nervous. As creepy as that thing was... yeesh. He wasn’t sure he wanted to meet her. The doll was the reason he barely trusted his own aunt, after all.

They started up a wide path that led deeper into the mountains. He saw scattered buildings nestled in the peaks all around them. He wondered if one of those houses belonged to Bree’s family.

Jan stepped forward. She reached to her left side and touched her hand to a circular device on her waist. As she did, a red light manifested in her hand, transmuting into the shape of an axe.

"If we run into any trouble, we use this first," she said, handing the axe to him. He nodded, looking down at it in his hands. It seemed to be made of glass - delicate and fragile, but in the shape of a mighty two-bladed axe, it boasted a strength that far outmatched its delicate structure.

"What’s this?" he asked.

"As strong as a regular axe, but it draws no blood. It drains the vitality of anyone it strikes, but it will never kill - only incapacitate."

He looked at the axe, nodding his head. "That’s pretty cool."

As they continued walking, his eye caught the device she’d used to generate the axe. "Can you make multiple?" he wondered.

Jan turned to him with a big grin. "As many as I want, but they only last a few good whacks."

She had an axe that could knock someone out but would never kill them. That wasn’t something an evil person would have.

Or at least, that’s how Oberyn tried to rationalize it. To give any reason he could to trust her.

Jan looked down into the snow, struggling to trudge through. The build-up of snow was slowing their progress.

"You’ve got a lot of questions, don’t you? You’re quiet."

She was right, there was a lot on his mind. Too much, maybe. Like he didn’t know what to prioritize. But after thinking about it, he realized there was a right answer here.

"I’m really glad I found you, Jan," he said, his voice lifting him up. "I’ve been feeling a little homesick, and today, I woke up and I felt like I was back home on the moon."

He loosened his shoulders. It was true. Maybe a little irrational or stupid, but he trusted her. She was family.

And without Ezra around, he needed something to cling to.

He looked to Jan and gave her a big smile as they continued their journey onward.

She turned to him and returned the affection. "I feel just the same, Oberyn."

He stepped closer to her and they started walking side by side. She pointed out their destination just around the bend.

As they crossed around the mountain, he saw a mess of wood. It looked like an entire forest had grown there overnight, but the trees were strange. Abnormally straight, and winding around each other like they were chasing something.

"What the—" Jan’s eyes widened. She generated another axe, but also grabbed a small rod from her belt. Oberyn eyed her second weapon. She hadn’t shown that one to him.

"There was a battle here," Jan declared. "Someone has attacked the Magician of Wood."