Everglow

Chapter 10

The road ahead looked rough for us, and I doubted that our journey would become any easier, especially considering the injuries we had already sustained in our brief boat journey to this place. The weather was too precarious for us to move ahead in the boat, especially with the injuries we had received. My stomach hurt immensely, though I would not let anybody know, not even Xand. I could feel a power rushing through my soul as I gently touched the earth around me, running my fingers through a mound of mud. I felt as if I was grounded here as if my soul was being replenished and nurtured by the very essence of the place. 

I considered our journey in silence with a sense of bitterness. They had sent the last person with necromancer blood here alongside me. I knew deep in my soul that I was connected to the very roots of the place, and if so then I was a necromancer too, at least in part. If that was the case, and they were so keen on killing off the remaining necromancers, then perhaps my trust in Xand, and in the fae had been entirely misplaced. For the first time since I met him, I found myself incapable of trusting him, and that thought hurt my heart considerably. I would not dwell upon it, however, and I would not let him know. Instead, I would protect myself, it was all I could ever do. And up until this point, I  had been fucking good at it. I laughed to myself bitterly as I threw the earth in my fingers down harshly, letting out a huff. 

"Well somebody is in a terrible mood once again. Perhaps the weremagi is starting to feel a little cornered here, and rightfully so. Clearly, you're not as dumb as you look. I'll say this to you now so we are perfectly open. I will not kill my own. I have this blood inside me and so do you. We will be persecuted like the Salem Witches. Mark my words, you can hate my guts but we will absolutely need one another," a low voice came from behind me. Milo circled where I rested on the floor next to the brook. He looked almost as suspicious as I felt, though knowing I wasn't alone in these feelings had my stomach aching. 

"I am not dumb, Milo, and I can certainly understand when I am in danger. Let me make myself clear too. I do not trust you, not even one iota and I never will. I am interested only in looking after myself and so the only reason you are not dead and buried is that I know when something isn't right. So I will not stand here and pretend that we are companions. I am self-serving and I want to fucking live, so I think you and I  better come to an agreement right now," I hissed softly at him, looking around as he pulled up a log next to the water and began pulling out an encasement charm from his bag. He smirked up at me as I sat down next to him grumpily. 

"I apologise for insulting your intelligence weremagi, you are clearly far more aware than you make out to be," he whispered softly as we both placed our hand on the tome and muttered the enchantment for it. A bubble blurred around us and covered us against the scenery so that if anybody looked for us they would not find us. I scoffed at his answer. 

"Nobody got anywhere by wearing all of their concerns and suspicions on their sleeve. You can think of me whatever you'd like, it makes no difference to the fact that neither one of us wants to die," I hummed at him, pulling the flagon of vodka from my bag with a laugh. He smiled up at me then, a bright smile that felt natural on his lips. At this moment, I felt the tension between us lift. We had both felt the pain of the Demonia of that I was certain. 

"Your aunt is a real bitch, by the way, no offence Wolfie, I've never meant a more conniving, egotistical witch in my whole life. I was certain you'd be just like her," He hummed as he took the vodka from me, taking a deep swig himself. I let out a chortle as I looked carefully at him, feeling a sense of familiarity in his face that I hadn't sensed before. 

"You should've tried being raised by her bud, is there any wonder I'm the way I am," I said with a laugh, as self-deprecating as it was, I knew it was also the truth. She had twisted my soul and made me into the horror show that I was. I would thank her for the strength, but she had denied me too much. Letting out a deep laugh, Milo ran a hand over the silver buzzcut he sported and smiled at me. I thought I had perhaps seen him back in my favourite bar, though I couldn't be certain.