I stayed quiet for a while, then leaned toward the dwarf riding beside me.

  “Hey…” I asked softly. “How old is she?”

  The dwarf looked at me, then at Liara, then back at me.

  “If you want to live, don’t ask,” he grunted. “Better not think about it at all.”

  I nodded…

  and a few seconds later rode up alongside her.

  “So how old are you?” I asked directly.

  Liara turned her head.

  Looked at me.

  Then laughed—lightly, sincerely.

  “What, kid, weren’t you taught any manners?” she said. “You can’t just go and ask a lady her age.”

  She smirked again, clearly enjoying my confusion.

  I frowned.

  “Then how am I supposed to ask?”

  She sighed and shook her head.

  “Fine,” she said condescendingly. “I’m one hundred and twenty.”

  “WHAT?!”

  I nearly fell off Noxus.

  “You—you’re—” I stumbled. “You look… well… young!”

  She straightened in the saddle and said with clear pride:

  “I’m an elf.”

  “And I’m a human,” I muttered.

  She looked down at me.

  “Exactly. A little human,” she said. “And without armor.

  And without a sword.

  And without a staff.”

  She looked me over from head to toe.

  “We’re not exactly going on a school outing.”

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  “I don’t need them,” I replied.

  She squinted.

  “That’s what everyone says. Until the first collapse.”

  I shrugged.

  “If there’s a collapse, I’ll just make sure there isn’t one.”

  She was silent for a few seconds, then snorted.

  “Overconfident.”

  “Experienced,” I corrected.

  “Small,” she immediately added.

  I sighed.

  “Are you always like this?”

  “Only with people half my age who think they’re legends,” she replied. “And you don’t even have a weapon.”

  “I do have a weapon,” I said.

  “Where?”

  “Me.”

  She looked at me. Then turned away.

  “I hate it when children say smart things,” she muttered.

  We rode on.

  The road stretched toward the mountains, dust rising under hooves, the group slowly spreading out. The dwarves were discussing something, the elves talking over the route.

  Liara turned to me again.

  “Listen, hero,” she said. “If it gets dangerous, you stay close to me. Got it?”

  “So you can protect me?” I asked.

  She smirked.

  “No. So I can see what you’re doing—and stop you in time.”

  I thought for a moment.

  “Honestly?”

  “Honestly.”

  “Then that’s fair.”

  She looked at me again, without mockery this time.

  “You’re strange,” she said.

  “So are you,” I replied.

  She suddenly smiled.

  Not wide.

  Not teasing.

  Just… genuinely.

  “Alright,” she said. “Let’s go, Zenhald.”

  It was the first time she’d said my name.

  The road to the caves continued.

  We rode on.

  The path wound between hills, the mountains slowly drawing closer. We were quiet for a while, then I finally asked:

  “And… what did you do before?”

  Liara didn’t even turn her head.

  “A lot,” she said calmly. “I was a swordswoman. Then a commander.

  Saved elven settlements from slavery.

  Cut down slaver caravans.

  Once…” she paused slightly, “I was the one who killed the last dragon. At least, that’s what we thought back then.”

  She smirked.

  “Fun times.”

  I stayed silent.

  She glanced at me from the corner of her eye.

  “And you?” she asked with a grin. “What have you managed to do in your eleven years?”

  I thought. Elves. Books. Dorwood. The demon army. The city. The caves. The Academy. Mira. Expelled. Dangerous. The river. The field.

  I sighed.

  “Well…” I drawled. “Honestly… nothing special.”

  She laughed.

  “See?” she said. “My victory.”

  “Fine,” I muttered. “You win.”

  And then she suddenly reached out…

  and started stroking my head.

  Slowly. Calmly.

  As if it were the most natural thing in the world.

  I didn’t know why…

  but I liked it.

  “And you still call yourself an adult?” she asked with a smile.

  I said nothing.

  Then Noxus’s voice rang out:

  “HEY.”

  I flinched.

  “What do you think you’re doing?” he protested. “Hands off.

  You’re not allowed to tame my owner!”

  He snorted and added:

  “What, Zen, you’re just going to let her pet your head like that?

  Zeeeen…

  You liiike it…”

  “Noxus!” I snapped, jolting back to my senses.

  I knocked her hand away.

  Liara just laughed.

  “Oh,” she said. “Why are you so puffed up, Zenhald?”

  She leaned closer.

  “You liked it. Admit it.”

  “I didn’t,” I muttered, looking away.

  “You’re lying,” she said calmly.

  Noxus snorted.

  “I saw everything,” he declared. “And felt it.

  Shame.”

  I covered my face with my hand.

  “I hate you both.”

  Liara smiled—without mockery this time, softer.

  “Don’t worry,” she said. “That’s normal.”

  “What is?”

  “Not being as grown-up as you think you are.”

  We rode on.

  And for some reason, I could still feel the warmth on my head—

  right where she had been stroking it.