Something Wild (Child of the Winter Moon Book 1)

60: Farewell, Old Friend

Aiden fell to his knees once the ice that had encased him shattered. And immediately noticed Ciri wasn't where he had pushed her. He looked around and realized that Vesemir and Juray were missing as well. Nearby, Eskel was on a knee, a hand to his ear. He shook his head before standing. Aiden approached him and his father figure turned to him.

"Are you hurt?" Eskel asked.

"I'm fine. But you are."

"I'm fine, ears are just ringing for some reason." He looked around and frowned. The other Witchers had ice at their feet and Geralt was kicking a chunk of it that was still around a foot. But Juray, Vesemir, and Ciri were missing.

"Eskel?" He turned his head toward Aiden. "Where's Mum, Ciri, and Vesemir?"

"I don't know."

Geralt immediately went in search of Ciri. They had all heard the unworldly scream, although Aiden had no idea what it had been.

Juray was slowly making her way back to the others, Ciri having asked to be alone. Pain shot through her body with each step and she was finding it hard to breathe. Geralt found her first.

"Juray!" He placed a hand on her back and she winced. "What happened? Where's Ciri?"

Juray numbly motioned behind her. "She needs you. I... I need to tell the others."

"Tell them what? You can barely walk. What happened?"

"I'm fine. Ciri needs her parents more than I need you."

A look of worry came across Geralt's face.

"I need to find my son." Juray pushed off him and continued the direction she was going, Geralt looking after her before looking back the way she came to see Yennifer standing at the far end of the courtyard they were in with her hands over her mouth. Juray wasn't truly sure how she was able to walk, as each step was painful and she'd lost her Swallow potions when Caranthir had kicked her.

"Juray!" Lambert rushed to her. "What happened?" He gently held her upright, genuinely concerned for her upon seeing her condition. They might have always been at one another's throats, but she was his sister and he'd kill to protect her. "And don't tell me you're fine. You look like Eredin beat the shit out of you."

"It was Caranthir actually." She winced. "Where are the others?"

"Thawing out. Come on. Aiden is pretty much in panic mode because you, Ciri, and Vesemir were missing."

Juray stopped, fresh tears forming in her eyes.

"Please tell me all this wasn't in vain. Please tell me they didn't take Ciri."

Juray shook her head. "They didn't," she said, her voice small. "Vesemir--,"

"Mum!" Aiden interrupted upon seeing her, running towards her. Lambert saw the relieved look on Eskel's face that immediately turned to concern. "You're alive!"

"And so are you."

Eskel could see the tears in Juray's eyes. "What happened? Where are Ciri and Vesemir?"

"Ciri's fine. She lost control of the Power, but she is fine. She's alive." She looked between Eskel and Lambert. The last time Eskel had seen that look on Juray's face, she was eight years old and had just received the news that James had been killed. He knew that something had happened to Vesemir. "Vesemir is gone. He died preventing the Hunt from taking Ciri." The tears fell then and Eskel pulled her into his arms as her sobs renewed. "I couldn't get to him. I couldn't save him."