Sun & Moon

Chapter 37 - Astrid

The touchdown back to the tigers is quiet and sombre.

The tension in the air is palpable. So much had transpired in a span of days with time never once taking a moment to let any one of us breathe except for the few pockets of air you get once in a while—a smile, a stolen kiss here and there, sipping hot tea with new friends.

But the one person who has yet to inhale is Bianca. She hardly spoke a word after we found Valentina and I sense another deep change happening in her.

Surprisingly, the tigers have settled into the town well in the time it took us to track Valentina down. Guru tells us that they cleared the newborns from the buildings easily because of the daylight. With the humans that were left, they have struck up an amicable agreement based on mutual trauma caused by the vampires to rebuild together; protection for protection. Protection against the vampires and protection against the discovery of the shape shifters.

I felt pride and new hope swelling in my heart upon hearing this and it reminded me that no matter the circumstances of my union with Rio, it has at least resulted in harmony for the tigers of this Bhutanese town.

Guru and the elders thank us for our help in getting them to leave Sanctuary, but decide to scrap the agreement made before with Rio and Midnight Shadow. They even find a way to thank me, I, who have barely done a thing, for the spark that led to their exodus and to chasing down Valentina as if she were to blame, or as if I had a substantial hand in it. But I guess everything comes down to the Sun Goddess's blessing.

I secretly confide in Rio that their judgments are misplaced, but he reminds me firmly that there is truth to their words.

"You are a blessing," he says. "You are my blessing, and hopefully that will keep my mind at ease about Demi's lack of intel at the moment."

"It's only been an hour," I tell him.

"A lot can happen in an hour."

Rio and I carry Valentina's body into the plane, which has been prepped for immediate take off. I watch as Guru stands with Ganzoring by the stairs leading up, going in for an embrace. We decided to bring Ganzorig along, a part which I finally had to play in. I persuaded him and Guru that the Lycans needed to see a tiger advocate for themselves in the hope that this work in their favor for a future alliance. I may be a tigress myself, but a part of me always belonged to the wolves and now half of me does belong to a Lycan.

As Rio and I shuffle the body towards the back where it can remain cold and frozen, one of the room compartments is already shut closed with Bianca having occupied its space for some isolation.

"Hey," Rio catches my attention when I feel the worry on my creased brow. "She'll be fine."

We proceed to get the rest of our luggage in as Alex mans the cockpit. Guru thanks us tearfully as he finally lets go of his son.

"I wish you well," he says. "For the sake of all that we know and hold dear."

The flight takes off in the crisp morning, clear blue skies up ahead, and we are one day closer to setting things right.

A thunderous grey storm greets us overnight. Rio makes his way to the cockpit to assist his Beta, leaving Ganzorig and I to ride through the turbulence.

He grips on his seat anxiously, eyes closed and mumbling a prayer to himself.

"Is this your first flight?" I ask.

"Yes," he quips, flickering his eyes open and watching the dark clouds outside.

"It'll get better," I remark, now that I have experienced two flights more than Ganzorig, though my heart jumps a little when the plane unexpectedly dips.