Page 66 of Blood of the Fallen
Maki moved away first. He approached Ila, took her hands in his, and helped her stand. He wrapped her tightly in his arms, caressing her back up and down as she swallowed the last of her sobs. Novuk was the next one to step aside. He paced, staring at the ground, his brow furrowed in concentration.
After a moment, he lifted his head, nostrils flaring.
“They took the children,” he said, his voice certain. His hands tightened into fists. His thick arms trembled as he fought to restrain his anger.
Kall stretched to his full height, removing his hand from my shoulder. He cocked his head to one side as if listening carefully, then his face disfigured in anger. His green gaze met Novuk’s, the same despair mirrored in each other’s expressions.
Tenderly, I let go of my mother’s hand and rose to my feet. My heart started pounding as the awful knowledge seeped from Kall and Novuk straight into me.
The next thing I knew, I was running, crossing the camp to the other side.
“Nirliq!” I cried out when I reached the spot where I’d left her.
She was gone.
Falling to my knees, I dug sharp claws into the ground and clenched chunks of dirt into my fists. They crumbled as I squeezed them and roared at the sky.
Kall, Maki, and Novuk came running and stood around me. I didn’t have to speak. I knew they understood my pain.
“We’ll get them back,” Novuk said.
“Every single one of them,” Maki said.
“That is a promise,” Kall said.
CHAPTER 26
Afterhelpingeveryonewhowas alive, we buried the dead. There were rituals—I was told—but it wasn’t safe to perform them. We had to get out of there before the magistrates decided to come back with reinforcements.
Kall, Maki, and Novuk did the brunt of the work, digging holes, moving the bodies, and gathering rocks to place on top. There weren’t many others left to help. Most of the pack members were dead, and the children were gone.
The pack had been small already, with only fifty-one members. Now, there were only ten of us left. The pain of my mother’s death slashed through me anew.
As we stood gathered together at the edge of the camp, watching the destruction, Bethel stepped forward. Weakly, she lifted her arms and murmured something.
I frowned, with no idea of what she was doing.
As if guessing my confusion, Novuk leaned closer to speak in my ear. “It’s a curse and a blessing,” he said. “If our enemies cross through here, they’ll encounter bad luck in their trek, while our friends will pass without harm. Maybe they’ll even have good fortune.”
I nodded my understanding and watched as Bethel’s hands moved through the air like gentle birds, her bracelets tinkling a light melody.
Next to me, I sensed Kall looking at me sideways.
Sheela, we’re fated mates.
There was still that to discuss but now was not the time. I wondered about the additional bond that would form between us if I allowed it. Would it be much different from the one we already shared? Was I a fool for questioning it?
Iwaspart of this pack. There was no question about that. I wasn’t leaving this place. The simple thought of that felt wrong. I belonged here, so why fight a connection with Kall? I glanced in his direction and met his iridescent gaze. The green glimmer of his eyes was beautiful in the breaking light of dawn. I sensed no pressure from him—nothing demanding to have an answer to the question that hung between us. Through our tetrad bond, I felt only concern. He offered me a smile, gentle and genuine. I smiled back and reached for his hand. He startled a bit at the touch, as if he hadn’t been expecting it, but quickly welcomed it, interlacing his fingers with mine.
After Bethel finished her spell, we turned and walked away, some limping and cradling their injuries as we went. Heavy clouds of sadness hung over us as we made our way into witch territory. Bethel quickly got ahead, setting a steady pace that quickly left the slowest travelers behind. I suspected she’d had some of her magical honeycombs to help her regain her strength. We hung back, helping different people in turn, Ila and I borrowing moral strength from each other.
As the hours transpired, and we took small breaks to rest, everyone’s injuries quickly improved thanks to their enhanced healing abilities. The pace gradually increased until, by the end of the day, we were all able to keep up with Bethel’s eager speed.
She couldn’t wait to find her coven. Apprehension for their safety was eating her alive. If the Academy had gotten to them too…
I wouldn’t think of it.
A couple of hours after stopping to eat a meager meal of what little we’d been able to salvage from the destruction, Bethel came to an abrupt stop at the head of a trail that would lead to the Blackcrest mountains.
