Page 17 of The Hellbeast's Betrayal

“I guess she didn’t like your Catoblepas meat, after all.”

Tyr grumbled at this before coming over to me, and I soon felt his hand rubbing soothing circles at my back.

“The meat is not to your liking, little one?” he asked ignoring Asher.

“It’s okay… I am just… Yahh…” I stopped speaking to throw up again, finishing my sentence when I was done. “…Not used to it… is there any…” I didn’t have to finish this request, as he brought his leather flask of water to the front of me, just like last time.

“Are you certain you are not sick?” he asked as I swilled my mouth out and spat, before drinking some down when I no longer had the gross taste in my mouth.

“I feel okay, better now it’s all up,” I told him.

“Your belly is empty,” he stated in a concerned tone, making me sigh. Of course, this would have been far easier if I just told them that I was pregnant. But I didn’t want anyone else to know before Jared, so I remained silent. Because really, what could be done about it anyway? This was morning sickness and not something that could be helped, even if I was in the mortal realm.

“I will be fine.”

“No, we will stop at the next village, for you need a proper bed and something else to eat,” he told me.

“But I need to get a message to…” I tried to argue.

“And we will, for if it eases your mind, it is on the way, so will not take us too far from your task,” Tyr said, taking the flask from me, one he must have refilled when out hunting.

However, I didn’t miss the look shared between him and Asher, as if there was something they weren’t telling me. A question I would have asked, if Tyr hadn’t declared,

“We need to leave if we are to make it before darkness falls.”

“Why, what happens then? And please don’t say zombies, I really hate zombies.” I figured this question was a lot more important than figuring out their secret glances.

“Don’t look to me, for not even I know what this means,” Asher replied when Tyr looked to him to translate.

“You know, the walking undead, has a taste for brains, kinda slow, hard to kill, and walks around like this… Bwwlaaa,” I said, holding my arms out in a typical zombie fashion, something both men cocked their heads at like dogs hearing a new sound for the first time.

“Do you think I should point out we are in the Underworld?” Asher muttered, making Tyr reply,

“I am not sure it would help, perhaps she suffers a fever?”

“She’s also not deaf. No, I don’t have a fever and yes, I am sure there are plenty of undead here. What I mean is rotting bodies that still roam around looking for food and don’t have much in the IQ department,” I replied with a hand on my hip.

“I believe she means the Vrykolakas,” Tyr offered, making me shiver at the thought.

“Vi… cola… kis?” I repeated in a fearful tone, butchering the name.

“Vry… kola… kasand yes, they are the walking undead, although they prefer blood over eating brains. They also don’t have problems with their arms bending and they don’t have trouble with their speech, so no burrr sounds,” Tyr replied, making me laugh.

“Well, they don’t sound pleasant,” I commented, making Tyr step up to me before tilting my head back, so I was left looking up at him, wide-eyed with surprise.

“Don’t worry, my little Bál Ásynja, I will protect you,” he said calling me that nickname again,Fire Goddess.

I blushed and Asher, who clearly didn’t like how flirty the God was being around me, kicked mud onto the fire and said with an abrupt tone,

“Then we should leave, should we not?”

It was enough to get me to take a much-needed step back, shaking my head as if ridding myself of the spell he was trying to put me under. Again, Tyr didn’t look like he appreciated the interruption, but said nothing more, holding out his arm for me to precede him like a gentleman.

Then he asked,

“Are you cold?”

I shook my head, telling him no, as I was surprisingly warm in just my dark-green tunic-style jacket, and matching trousers that fitted more like leggings. My thick leather boots that were over the knee helped with added warmth. However, nothing could replace my hiking boots, because they were the only shoes fit for walking miles in, my blisters were testament to that. As for my hair, this was still tied back from my face, thanks to Tyr’s long length of leather he had tied around it back before Asher joined us.

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