The Gathering of the Hunt

CHAPTER EIGHT

⚠️⚠️Trigger warning for torture and rape later on in the chapter. Look for the ⚠️⚠️⚠️ to skip.

Talen had never seen the stars shine so brightly.

Maybe it was one of those nights, or maybe it had to do with the fact that he was finally free. He kept his steps light as they continued through the forest, only speaking when absolutely necessary, and calling out occasionally to warn Kaedon or another root lying in wait, hoping to trip up another unsuspecting victim.

He winced as his hands gave another painful throb. The burns that Aesira's skin had caused were deep. He could only imagine how badly Kaedon's hurt. He could feel the burns, even from the distance that they were spread across. If he wanted he could probably heal them. The blood called to him, whispering in his ear, begging him to do something.

He blocked them out. He couldn't trust himself enough to follow their gentle urges.

The last time that he did, his hands weren't the only parts of him bathed in blood.
He swore he felt his blood leap in response. The thrum of power flowed through his veins constantly, desperately trying to find an outlet.

His power was ruination. It sang of death and downfall, wanting to destroy the world. He shuddered to think of what he was capable of. His mother had once told him that his power would be the salvation of Aisilyria, a way of fighting to protect her people. Now he feared it would be the downfall of his country.

Talen had felt the way his blood had lept when Aesira had yelled at him earlier. Even though he knew that she hadn't meant all of it, he felt his magic's melody in his veins, and he had almost let it out.

He feared it. Maybe the Cardovins were right. Maybe magic was something that went against nature. Maybe it was an abomination. Perhaps he was an abomination.

Talen brushed a hand against his shoulder. "We should stop to rest. I know we planned to get to the harbour tonight, but we need to stop. She's losing too much blood."

"Okay. We'll stop when we reach the edge of the forest. I don't think they will be ready to stop us. They will have expected that legion to have already done their job. But we should shield where we stop just in case."
Kaedon nodded his thanks, before walking ahead. Aesira still lay limply in his arms, her face was pale.

Too pale.

He pushed down the rage inside. He didn't like that she had been made unconscious by Kaedon, but he knew that it had been the right call.

Maybe she would stand a chance, now.
They reached the forest edge without too much of a struggle, and before he knew, they had a fire going, and Aesira had been laid down before it. He sighed, before sitting beside Kaedon, watching the panic cloud his features.

"Will she be alright?"

Kaedon sighed softly, his shoulders slumping. "Yes? Maybe? Probably? I could give you a dozen answers right now, and none of them will be correct unless you let me work."

Talen chuckled lightly. "Fair enough."

There was a heavy chill in the air. He couldn't tell if it was from the rapidly cooling temperatures, or from the frosty way that Kaedon treated him. He sighed quietly.

A crack of a breaking branch behind them caused both Talen and Kaedon to shoot up, a sword in both their grips.

They scanned the woods together, hardly daring to breathe.

Talen cautiously stepped forward, so silently that it was almost unnerving. He peered further into the cover of the trees.
There was nothing there that he could see, but there had to be something there.