I loved the sound of that. The idea of us. Of him in my life. Yes. And then reality reared its ugly head, reminding me of our somewhat precarious circumstances. I kissed him again, then sat up and gently pulled the zipper back up on his combat suit, while he slowly did the same to mine. “I look forward to everything you’ve just described, and more,” I said. “But, I have to admit, I’m a little worried that we might not get out of this place. It’s a possibility, and, although I know it’s a small possibility, it’s there nonetheless. And I’d hate to—”
He didn’t let me finish. He sat up and kissed me, tightening his arms around my waist—his breath ragged and downright volcanic. “Yes,” he smiled, “it’s a possibility. I know. I’ve thought about it, too. But we will fight this, Avril, and we’ll do our best to get out. I’ll be with you every step of the way. In many ways, you make me stronger, and I’ll burn this whole place down if that’s what it takes for us to gain our freedom and be together, undisturbed. However, should we fail… should we find ourselves stuck here on Neraka, somehow…”
He paused for a moment so he could trail his fingers down my cheek and simply contemplate every inch of my flushed face. His gaze then found mine again, and the determination gleaming in his jade eyes filled me with newfound energy. “Should that come to pass, Avril, this hole in the ground is definitely not where I intend to make love to you for the first time.”
Oh, wow.
I didn’t see that coming. And I had no idea what to say. What the hell can I say, other than “Take me, I’m yours!”, anyway? I mean, if this doesn’t score him the title of “soulmate”, nothing will.
A sigh left my chest. A breath I’d been holding in for a while, judging by how it felt as I let it out. I put my arms around him, pulled him close enough for our hearts to echo against one another, and kissed him, ever so softly. I put every single thought I had into it—my lips tender against his, saying things I couldn’t even formulate into words anymore.
With cheeks burning and hearts fluttering, we stayed like that for a while, simply kissing and getting used to one another, while the morning slowly settled outside. “What can I say, Dorchadas? I look forward to a candlelight dinner with you.” I chuckled between kisses on both his cheeks, making him smile in that rare and dazzling way of his. “Just make sure you don’t make it excruciatingly long, with five different types of blood and whatever. I doubt I’ll have that much patience left in me by then.”
“Well, I was thinking just the main course, and Pyrope with you for dessert,” he replied, unable to take his eyes off me.
Someone please throw me a rope, or something. Or don’t. I’m falling too deep and too fast to catch it, anyway.
It took us some time to find the strength to stand apart for long enough to gear up and go outside. To face the world that awaited, with its unforgiving wilderness, its bloodthirsty fiends, and its soul-eating overlords. We were strong, though. And we stood tall and proud, with the fresh memory of our sizzling morning, when we’d promised each other that, no matter what came next, we would face it together.
As the Adlets came out of their sleeping spots to greet us, along with the rest of our team, I knew for a fact that, yes—whatever happened next, Heron and I were going to make it, one way or another. We’d only just found each other, after all. We had plenty of dates to go on, and not a single daemon or Exiled Mara would ruin that for us.
“Well, someone had a good night’s sleep.” Scarlett’s insinuating tone and brazen grin were the cold shower I’d desperately needed, though. She made me groan, then laugh, as she quickly figured out that Heron and I were certainly at a different stage in our relationship.
“Oh, it’s going to be a long freaking ride into the northern mountains,” I scoffed, rolling my eyes, then leaned into Heron’s side, as if to further cement our new status. He didn’t seem to mind it one bit. On the contrary, he beamed with adorable pride.
“I don’t know, Avril.” Heron smirked, measuring Patrik and Scarlett from head to toe. “I think we’ve got a classic case of pot meets kettle here, because I’m more than happy to sing about the Druid and the vampire sitting in a tree, all the way to the Dhaxanians.”
And that unraveled me completely. I doubled over with laughter. Scarlett was flushed and Patrik was the color of a ruby, and so were Heron and I, in the end. Four creatures who’d never thought they’d find love in a world like Neraka, and yet here we were.
Scarlett
So, you two are an item now?” I asked Avril, while we readied our horses for the long journey ahead. Some of the young Adlets had prepped some dried herbs and water bladders for us to have, in case we ran low on supplies for swamp witch spells.
They’d even given us enough dried food and mushrooms to last our non-vampire team members a couple of days, at least. Avril looked at me, smiling. Her pale cheeks took on a pinkish hue—a rare sight on her.
“Well, yes,” she replied, then stole a glance at Heron, who was busy loading his horse with a few extra furs. The mountains were going to be exceptionally cold, according to Colton. “Neither of us expected it, to be honest. Maybe, if we hadn’t come to Neraka, it wouldn’t have happened at all. Maybe it would’ve remained one of those many missed opportunities that life is sometimes about.”
“I guess the tension, the high stakes and all, brought you two closer together,” I said, still buzzing from the night I’d spent submerged in dreams and wrapped in Patrik’s strong arms. “I get it. I think it’s the same with Patrik and me, in a way.”
“Honestly, I’m surprised you managed to crack that shell.” Avril chuckled. “The poor guy’s been through quite a lot, and when I first met him, I didn’t think he’d even consider rebuilding his life like this, not where relationships are concerned, anyway.”
“I wouldn’t have blamed him, really,” I replied with a shrug. “Imagine putting up with a monster like Azazel for all those years, tortured in what probably felt like someone else’s body, just so you’d spare the life of your lover, to end up losing her, right at the very end. I, too, am surprised that he noticed me.”
Avril scoffed, shaking her head slowly. “What’s not to notice? Are you nuts? Scarlett, he’d have to be an absolute moron not to fall head over heels for you, and, judging by that dopey look on his face,” she muttered, giving Patrik a brief sideways glance, “he’s past the point of no return.”
I followed her gaze and found Patrik’s eyes fixed on me, the steely blue softened by the change in the dynamic between us. He’d fallen for me, as deep and as hard as I’d fallen for him, and it felt perfect. “I guess we lift each other up, and, given our circumstances, it makes all the difference ahead of what’s coming,” I murmured.
“I know. Heron and I have this incredible synergy,” Avril replied. “He’s exceptionally good at anticipating my moves. Less than a week working together, and he can already tell what I’m about to do next, especially in combat situations. That, somehow, also transpires in our personal interactions. And he is nothing like the guy he tries to portray. At all.”
“Oh, that I can believe, for sure.” I giggled. “Mr. High And Mighty has a massive soft spot, doesn’t he?”
“He’s fixated on being all traditional and old school about us dating. Like, candlelit dinner, walk on the beach, the works, before we get more serious,” Avril said, blushing to a more pronounced shade of pink.
“Aw. I will, of course, use this for any potential comeback if he tries another joke about Patrik and me, you know that, right?” I replied, raising an eyebrow.
Avril laughed, then pulled her hood over her head. We were all ready to leave the cover of the trees. “I wouldn’t blame you. He often has it coming. Besides, we’re pretty much family, all of us together. You know he won’t hesitate to poke you, now that you and Patrik have pretty much confirmed that you’re an item, too.”
“Let him try.” I grinned. “Worst case scenario is that I can always slap him, really fast, my kind of fast, before he even manag
es to think of a reaction.”
We both doubled over, our cheeks flushed and our eyes glimmering with newfound joy. Given our current climate, all this was much needed, especially for morale. Both Avril and I had that extra kick in our heels, that added reason to fight back even harder against creatures that wanted us miserable and, eventually, dead.
“Everyone ready to go?” Patrik asked, bringing his indigo horse closer to mine.
“Pretty much,” I replied with a nod and a soft smile. He looked at me as if I was the most important thing in his life, and that alone filled me with incredible amounts of energy. Bring on an army of daemons. I can take them all on right about now.
Hundurr sat quietly to the side, watching us, his red eyes glimmering with—I wasn’t sure what, exactly. Curiosity, maybe longing. But longing for what?
“I’ve spoken to our pack members,” Colton said, approaching us. “We won’t come with you up north. The bigger the group, the easier it will be for daemons to notice. And you don’t want to bring daemons up to the Dhaxanians’ mountain. But take these.”
He handed me three sticks of what looked like dark red wax with golden and white striations, and a string fuse. “What are they?” I asked, turning the sticks over a few times.
“Flares. Each is a burning signal,” Colton replied. “Light one and toss it up. It’ll take off and explode into a visible flare. We’ll come running then, wherever you are. We’re fast in wolf form, and we can cover two hundred miles, easily, in one day. Even more, if we feed first. Once lit, the signal will burn for a long time, you’ll see.”
“We’ve been using these flares for centuries, to keep track of our packs,” Isom added. “The wax is a proprietary blend we use, from hives deep in the orchards on the western hills. They’re highly flammable, too, so you might want to keep them away from fire. They really expand and burn like crazy. Once they’re lit, you can’t put them out, and you certainly can’t control them.”
“Use them wisely,” Colton said. “If you’re farther away, give us some time to reach you. Nevertheless, you have my word: once you light one up in the sky, we will come, and we will always find you. In the meantime, we’ll rally the other packs. Whether you need to get to the swamp witch, or you need to protect her, you’ll need as many creatures to help you as possible. Count on us.”
“Thank you, Colton. Thank you all,” I replied, and bowed curtly before them.
Colton smiled, then shifted his focus to Hundurr. “My friend, what will you do? Do you want to stay with us? Your children would love to have you around.”
Hundurr seemed to think about it, looking at Saya and Embry, who’d flanked Isom on the edge of the Adlet pack gathering. He got up, trotted over to them, and lovingly licked their faces. The young Adlets hugged and stroked him as he rubbed his massive head against theirs. He then came over and settled by my side. I was surprised by his decision, and even felt bad for the kids.
“Are you sure?” I asked him, but he didn’t even yelp or nod. “They’re your children, Hundurr.”
“I’m not sure that matters,” Colton replied, wearing a sad smile. “You see, you saved his life. He’s bound by very old traditions here, to keep you safe until you no longer need him. I think that, given the mission you’re on, Hundurr thinks he’ll be of more use to you than to us.”
Saya let out an audible sigh. “And we’ve learned to live without him. The pack keeps us safe. We’d love to have him back, but I think you need our father more than we do, right now.”
“Just make sure you do your best to bring him back to us,” Embry added.
They weren’t happy, of course, but they showed exceptional maturity for their age. They did have a point, too. We needed Hundurr more than ever, especially for what awaited ahead. These were dark and treacherous times, and, if Hundurr wanted to stay by my side, it would be foolish to refuse.
I smiled at the pit wolf, then reached out and scratched the back of his ear. “Thank you, Hundurr,” I murmured. “I can’t express how thankful I am to have you join us.”
“Okay, cool, so the pit wolf stays,” Heron chimed in, more jovial than usual. I blamed Avril for that, and stifled a smirk. “Now, let’s go. I want to see what the Dhaxanians are all about. They’ve been described as such icy badasses, I really hope I won’t be disappointed.”
“Oh, don’t you worry, young Mara,” Colton scoffed, “you’ll find out what the Dhaxanians are made of soon enough.”
“Once again, thank you all,” Patrik then said, and shook Colton and Isom’s hands. We waved goodbye to the others, then got on our indigo horses.
Dion and Alles were still quite groggy, prompting Heron to trot his horse over and smack them both on the shoulder. “You two! You’re our guides. Snap out of it!” He chuckled as the young Imen scowled at him.
“Just because you’re one of the good Maras doesn’t mean we will hesitate to make your trip miserable, if you provoke us,” Dion replied, and, judging by the smirk on his face, he was only half joking.
“I’d love to see you try,” Heron shot back, wiggling his eyebrows at them. “You won’t be sleeping for days if you do, though.”
“Oh, puh-lease!” Avril interjected, rolling her eyes as she brought her horse closer to the Imen. “Why don’t you pick on someone your own size, if you intend to act like a bully?”
Patrik and I tried hard not to laugh, watching the exchange, while Hundurr’s gaze darted between Heron and Avril, as if trying to figure out if they were serious or just playing. The Adlets didn’t bother to hide their amusement, as we bid them farewell, and Dion and Alles led us out of the patch of woods.
“Who’s here for me to pick on, who’s my size?” Heron replied, grinning, as we headed north and left the Adlet pack behind.
“Are you sure you want to open that can of worms, this early in the morning?” Avril asked, pursing her lips and narrowing her eyes at him.
Heron thought about it for a couple of seconds, then guided his indigo horse closer to hers, enough so he could reach out and pull her in for a short kiss. “No.”
As soon as we passed the last trees of that forest patch, we pulled our masks and goggles on, as the sun kept going in and out of the thick, rain-riddled clouds.
We had a long way ahead of us, but we could all see our destination already. The Athelathan Mountains rose proudly in the north, and we had at least three hundred miles’ worth of Lagerith Plains sill left to cross in order to get there. The snowy peaks of Athelathan were hidden in heavy, charcoal-colored clouds—the sign of one hell of a blizzard forming at the top.
Whatever waited for us there, we could handle it. I stole a glance at Patrik and beckoned my horse to go faster. One by one, we picked up speed and dashed across the plains, our indigo horses relishing the race through the tall grass.
Soon enough, a heavy rain set in, and I breathed a sigh of relief, knowing that the chances of us running into rogue daemons had just dropped substantially. With a little bit of luck, we had a smooth ride ahead.
We certainly need the break.
Avril
We headed northeast, toward the Athelathan Mountains—two giants flanked by sharp ridges made of white marble and gray limestone, riddled with wide plateaus of pine forests. Our horses went fast, but the closer we got to the mountains, the lower the temperatures became, making it more difficult for the animals to keep up their natural speed.
The tall grass of the Lagerith Plains scattered away, revealing the hard, nearly frozen ground beneath. The land surrounding the mountains was cold and unforgiving, home to dark green shrubs and stumpy trees that thrived only in such harsh climates.
The sun was out early, hidden behind thick layers of snow clouds. Thunder rumbled above. We were already soaked by the earlier rain, and we were now looking at a curtain of icy sleet coming down from the mountains.
The peaks were covered in snow and ice, setting off the occasional avalanche as the masses of frozen water collapsed onto the trees below. This was a cold
and unforgiving land, its weather so extreme that it wasn’t hard to imagine daemons keeping their distance from it. The cold was sneaking deep into my bones, locking my joints and making my teeth clatter—and I had a naturally low body temperature to begin with.
“This is a lot colder than I’d expected,” Scarlett said, then looked up at the mountaintops, pointing at a pair of glimmering lights—so far away and well-hidden above the top forest plateau that I almost didn’t see them. “Does that look like a city to you?”
I narrowed my eyes, trying to get a better look, but that specific area was under heavy snowfall. Barely anything could be seen from this distance, and we didn’t have Harper’s sentry eyes to help us. “It might. I can’t really tell, with the blizzards unfolding up there.”
“Yeah, we’re looking at very hostile conditions here,” Patrik replied, then took some of the furs he’d packed and passed a couple over to Scarlett. Heron gave me some of his, while Dion and Alles handled their own.
I looked down at my horse—the poor creature was already shivering. “What do we do?” I asked. “I’m not sure the horses can take the trip.”
Scarlett and Patrik looked at each other, then at the Imen, and back to me, offering me their conclusion in the form of a nod. “We could continue up on foot,” Scarlett said, “and the Imen can stay here with the horses.”
“What? No, we can help!” Dion objected. “We’re not staying down here. We’re not kids!”
“This isn’t about us treating you like children,” I replied. “The truth is, the weather up this mountain is extreme, and I doubt you or the horses would survive. Whatever swamp witch magic we have, we can split in two. You guys can hold on to half, and keep yourselves and the horses safe and warm down here.”