I shook my head and cradled Helen’s tortured body in my lap. “Why? It can’t be true! Please, tell it isn’t true... I can’t lose you...not when I just lost Soren. I can’t lose you again!”
Helen smiled wryly. “Listen to , before my energy fades completely. Years ago, I thought I did sothing that was righteous and important. I did everything I could to stop an unwanted future. Yet... everything in my prophecy ca true...”
“It’s okay, it’s all in the past now! Don’t waste your energy,” I whispered.
“Please... for many years, I wondered what would have been different if I’d never acted. But there’s no going back in life.”
I sniffled and leaned down, kissing her forehead. I still couldn’t believe she’d sacrificed herself with a powerful potion like that! She’d just co back into my life and now she was leaving.
“Ever since then, I’ve been waiting for this day, Mila. To be able to et you, and bring all this to an end. Those were the only purposes I had left in life and I accomplished both in one day. It is a good day.”
“You’re dying... How is that good?”
“Because I’ve lived my life and accomplished my goals. I started this, and now I’ve ended it. I’ve fulfilled my purpose and now I am going to be reunited with my beloved sister. Don’t weep for , Mila, be happy for .”
Whatever words I wanted to say died on my lips. I kept shaking my head over and over again. This couldn’t be happening!
Helen’s lips strained to smile. “My dear, sweet Mila. You are strong and you have to be strong for your child.”
“I don’t know how,” I whispered. “Aunt Helen, you can’t leave alone.”
“You’ll figure it out, Mila, on your own. I promise.” Helen winced slightly and closed her eyes. “Now, there is just one more thing I need to do.
In a whisper, Helen chanted sothing so low I couldn’t hear it.
Suddenly, my fingers tingled and I felt as if a refreshing gust swept through my body, lifting a thin layer of fog from my brain and invisible weights off my limbs. Whatever had been blocking the rest of my power was gone. All my witch ability and strength coursed through at full force.
I gasped, feeling the last traces of the Blackfire poison leaving my body.
Tears leaked from the corners of my eyes and I leaned down, hugging Helen. My face was right against hers.
Helen turned toward and kissed my cheek. “Goodbye, my dear niece... may the Goddess look after you.” She spoke in a content, peaceful tone.
I felt her life leave her in a final gasp. The sheath of protection, which I’d tossed on the ground, seed to also exhaust all its power and vanished into ashes at the sa ti.
“No!” I cried, sobbing as more tears poured from my eyes. I looked up at the roof of the cave, imagining the night sky and kneeling on my knees.
“Goddess above, please hear my prayer. Your light shall guide us and your rcy shall be praised... Amina hasteth corro sinat, amina hasteth corro sinat.”
Again and again, I chanted, “Amina hasteth corro sinat, amina hasteth corro sinat...”
I felt my newly unblocked energy draining from , but I didn’t care. I just needed to do sothing, anything, in order to hold on to a faint hint of hope.
“Amina hasteth corro sinat, amina hasteth corro sinat...”
What was the point of having magic if I couldn’t use it to save the ones I loved?
Ignoring Helen’s warnings, I poured my magical energy into Helen and Soren and the cave around .
I knew it was useless, but I continued, and it was like all my energy was sucked into the endless bowels of the earth. My baby was strong and it would understand. My mother’s instinct told it would be fine.
My body finally beca exhausted. The whole world spun around in a blur, and I started to lose my senses. I thought it was better to just pass out this way rather than stay awake and face the cruel agony of reality.
“Amina hasteth corro sinat, amina hasteth corro sinat...”
As the spell drained my strength, the world started to fade away from . Ti started to blur. I didn’t know how long it had been. I wasn’t even sure whether I was awake or unconscious.
And I didn’t care.
“Amina hasteth corro sinat, amina hasteth corro sinat...” was all I could rember saying whenever I regained consciousness.
Until I felt the tiniest, smallest tug deep inside my womb.
Was it the baby?
I felt the tug again and put a hand over my stomach. It must have been the baby.
“That’s right, Mila, you’ve got to eat... The baby needs food.”
My voice was hoarse and raw. I licked my dry lips. They cracked and I tasted coppery blood. I needed water...
It was already bright outside. I’d spent an entire night in the cave already.
I glanced down at Helen’s body and stopped chanting. It wasn’t doing anything, anyway.
Grrrrrggg.
...and I also need food. I hadn’t realized how starving I was.
Then I felt another gentle tug. The little one finally started to protest against my reckless actions and demanded its mother’s proper attention.
I couldn’t think about Helen and Soren right now. I needed to focus on what was most important, and right now, that was taking care of my baby.
Reaching for the nearest cave wall, I pulled myself into a standing position. My legs shook a little.
I looped an arm around my stomach.
“You’re alright, little one,” I said. Talking to the baby helped keep my focus. “I won’t die yet. Your father might be gone but I’m not going to let anything happen to you... I’d never survive losing you too.”
Outside the cave, it was quiet. It appeared the Alpha King had given up on trying to find us. I couldn’t hear any more explosions and the fires were gone or had been put out. After a quick peek, I decided that there was nothing around but the forest.
Ducking into the bushes, I stayed hidden as I collected so berries. I stuffed them into my mouth, licking the juice off my fingers as I kept searching for water.
Luckily, there was a stream nearby. Dropping on my knees, I scooped water into my palms and sucked it down. I refilled my palms and drank again and again, washing down the remaining berries and satiating my thirst.
After about half an hour, my legs stopped trembling and I felt life and energy return to my body. I couldn’t feel any more tugs, so the little life inside must be satisfied now that it had gotten so nutrition.
Above , golden sunshine seeped through layers of leaves and landed on the green grass, making the forest look colorful and vibrant. It brought a brief mont of peacefulness. But soon, I started to wonder what I was supposed to do next.
Payne and Thomas were on their way to Poni and there was no way for to get in touch with them. Even if I could, I should probably stay away for their own sake.
The king would surely keep his blood oath and leave Poni pack alone. As for ....it would be best for him to believe that I was dead and burned to ashes.
In fact, Helen and Soren were...I shook my head and stopped my own thoughts before I was overwheld by anguish again.
I sighed and stood up, letting my leg carry back to the cave.
Helen and Soren were lying still on the ground. I swallowed into my tight throat and forced back the tears, but I also knew I couldn’t just leave the two of them lying there forever.
Soren was perfectly still and hadn’t moved at all. He didn’t look dead. The color hadn’t left his cheeks. He could have been sleeping.
I looked at his face and moved so of his hair out of the way. I half expected to see him wince the way he did when I tickled him.
He remained motionless and tears stung my eyes. How could I let him go?
I forced my head to turn to Helen.
Bending down, I scooped Helen’s fragile, broken body into my arms. She was so light, like her bones and muscles had already blown away in the wind. Carrying her was easy.
I took her out of the cave and looked for the most peaceful, beautiful place I could find to lay her to rest.
On the other side of the cave was a small adow. The grass was lush and green and there were little white and purple wildflowers in bloom.
A soft breeze rippled through the grass and rustled leaves in the trees that surrounded the adow. The sun shone down warmly, making the adow glow with an ethereal halo.
It was a perfect place.
I laid Helen down at the base of a large willow tree. Its branches swayed in the breeze, reaching out like they were ready to carry Helen ho.
It took a while, but I dug a hole in the soft ground and buried Helen under the willow.
“Aunt Helen, I’m so sorry that I can’t bring you back to Miltern, your ho. I hope you like this adow.” I said, sitting on my knees beside the fresh grave, laying so flowers on the upturned dirt.
I stayed by the side of her grave all afternoon until the warmth of the day faded and my stomach tugged again. Sighing, I pressed my hand to my belly and placed my other hand on Helen’s grave.
“I’ve got to go. I need to feed the baby. Also, Soren is still waiting for ...”
I found so stones to mark the place. If I ever got the chance to co back here, I’d know where to pay my respects.
Before it got too dark, I went out into the forest again and found so edible mushrooms and so more berries. When passing the stream, I also got so more water and headed back to the cave for the night.
However, I froze and my heart leaped into my throat as soon as I saw the entrance of the cave.
To keep Soren and my hideout safe, I’d grown roots over the cave. Down the center of my protective wall, there was a giant split in the roots. Soone had gotten in!
Quietly, I slinked toward the cave.
I heard snarling and heavy breathing coming from inside the cave. No longer caring what danger might be ahead of , I shifted and charged into the cave without thinking, and ca face to face with a giant bear!
The bear sniffed at Soren’s body, its big, wet, black nose poking at his arms and his clothes.
Imdiately, my wolf responded aggressively. How dare another animal approach our mate?
“Awoooo!” my wolf howled.
The bear growled and whipped around, staring right in the eyes.
I snarled and pawed the ground, showing my sharp teeth.
The bear stared back for several monts. If he even made one move close to Soren, I would shred him into pieces!
Suddenly, the bear whimpered and lumbered out of the cave, running deeper into the forest.
I shifted back. My knees trembled and my heart hamred as I went to check on my mate.
Heart still racing, I ran to Soren. I dropped to my knees and patted him down to make sure the bear hadn’t damaged him. Of course, I knew he had passed... in reality, whatever the bear had done wouldn’t make a difference. But I just couldn’t allow anything to happen to him.
Peeling back the tatters of Soren’s ripped shirt, I was surprised to see the dried blood around his wounds but the crossbow bolt holes were completely healed.
Then I noticed so new scratches on his arms from the bear and the cuts were bleeding!
Tears escaped the corners of my eyes and I gasped. I ran to what supplies I had and found so gauze. Running back to Soren, I started to clean his wounds.
Sniffling, I wiped my tears with the back of my hand.
“I’m sorry... this is all my fault,” I whimpered. “Had I not gone to the palace... had I not been so stubborn... none of this would have happened. And now, I can’t even keep your body safe...”
Tears stread down my cheeks and clung to my chin. They dripped onto Soren’s face. I folded the gauze over and wiped my tears off of him too.
“Wait...” I froze and looked at Soren’s arms again.
He was bleeding blood! Fresh blood! His body felt like it was getting warr, not colder!
How was that possible? How was any of this possible?
My stomach tugged again and a swell of hope rose in like the rising tide. I tried to shove it back down, too afraid to hope.
Was this really happening? Was I imagining things? Had I lost my mind after losing Soren and Helen? Maybe I was just going insane...
My heart raced and I started breathing faster, hyperventilating.
“Goddess, Great Goddess, please help us...please let him return to us!”
My hand trembled as I brought it over his nose and mouth, feeling for his breath...
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