The Last Sídhe

4 - An Hainn

It was, as always, a relief when the sun rose. I could use the flames from the campfire as often as I wished, but nothing could replace the cold, empty space that night left inside me. There was a certain eternal warmth the sun emanated, and I gathered it like a starving man as the grey light of dawn crept across the sky.

I eventually grabbed my walking stick and stood, wrapping a few dim flames around my fingers. The sun wasn't quite up yet; I was even weaker than normal. But there was a certain unease twisting in my gut that told me it was time to go. I hobbled to Aeden, who was curled up some distance away in the form of a wolf. Apparently, he didn't need fire to stay warm when he had a coat of fur.

"Oi," I said. "Wake up."

A corner of his snout twitched, but he didn't move. After a moment, I braced my shoulder against a tree, lifted my stick, and prodded his hind leg. I flinched as his muscles tensed, keeping a safe distance. Even if I knew what he really was, waking a wolf sent off instinctive alarms. Not to mention that he looked a wee bit too similar to the shadowed hound that lingered in the back of my mind.

Aeden's eyes screwed tighter shut before blinking open, revealing a flash of green-laced gold. He rolled over, ears flicking sideways, jaws parting in a massive yawn. I folded my arms as he stretched his legs out straight before him, fighting the distant urge to smile. Even if he was an eejit, he made a cute wolf.

"Wake up." I pulled my stick back and limped to the side, letting out a low hiss as my leg flashed white with pain.

Aeden's figure blurred; in a moment, he was back in his human form. He rolled onto one side, blinking up at me. "Are you okay?"

I scowled at him. "What do you think?"

"I think you're extra cranky in the morning," he grumbled, rubbing his eyes. He raked his fingers through his long, messy curls, shaking free a rather impressive amount of dirt and leaves.

"Try sleeping on the ground with your leg throbbing all night." I reached back, running my fingers over my braid to make sure that it wasn't in the same sorry state as Aeden's hair. It wasn't.

He let out a soft sigh and looked away, his shoulders slumping a little. The sight of the circles gouged under his eyes, combined with what he'd told me the previous night, sent a dull pang of guilt through my chest. He seemed just as tired as I felt.

"Sorry," I mumbled, trying to soothe the frustration knotted in my chest. He wasn't wrong: I often felt snippier after the sun's long, aching absence, and my leg wasn't helping. "That wasn't fair to you."

Aeden looked up, weariness heavy in his gaze. Then a smile flickered across his face, so ridiculously bright I was forced to squint. He bounced to his feet, all energy and eagerness once more. "It's fine. And you're right—we need to get going. The Rene isn't too far from here."

Before I could reply, he'd shifted back into a stallion. I sighed and picked my bag from the ground, absently reaching up to touch my necklace. Close or not, this was going to hurt.

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We travelled for a few hours at a time, only pausing when I yelped out that I needed a break. My leg wasn't infected when I checked on it, but it sure as hell wasn't doing better: it almost hurt more than the time I had broken my wrist climbing a tree. It certainly looked worse. A mess of scabs and dry blood hid just how deep the cuts were, but the swelling made it clear that healing would take a long time.

Still, I didn't fancy the idea of another Tremluí ensuring my other leg matched. The few times we did stop, the same unease I'd felt that morning prickled through me. Once, a distant howl echoed through the forest—one that was different than that of a mere wolf. Aeden and I had both jumped, exchanging a look. We kept going.