The Dark Fey Chronicles Throne of Glass

Chapter 7

Three days after leaving Rose Court, we reached the Borel Forest. I had worried that we may cross paths with a Hunter or even Diana but Erik assured me we were not taking any direct paths or trails. In fact, if I was being honest, I hoped we ran into either. I was itching for a good fight and Diana would serve as a good punching bad until someone pulled me off of her. Erik didn't understand why I was so angry and I couldn't tell him the honest truth with out upsetting him in someway. I was angry that Diana didn't come for me when she had the chance. If I told that to Erik, he would point out that he had known about me and still didn't do anything about it until Liv defied his orders and came for me anyway. And I understood that. He is King. He put the safety of his family first. I wouldn't have wanted anything less from him. However I didn't hold Diana to that high a standard. She should have come for me. She should have come for me and told me what the hell was going on and how the power of the Moonbloods came to be. I still wasn't sure what a Moonblood was. I hadn't had time to figure it out before all hell broke loose. So I just simply told him I wanted answers. That was all.
We were traveling through the wilderness. When I asked Erik how he knew his way through most of Canada, he told me that Derek, his father, had taken him on hiking trips as soon as he was able to Shift. They roamed the woods for weeks on end before returning home. What did your mother say?"
Erik laughed. She would be relieved to have a few days to herself but was ready for us to return after about three days
I smiled to myself as we rounded a small fallen tree. A river came into view and Erik seemed more alert. I stopped beside him, listing to the world around me. Nothing seemed out of place. The evergreen forest was alive with chirping and cawing birds of all sorts, I could hear frogs and crickets chirping around me. Everything was wet and fresh and green. I breathed in through my nose deeply. Care to get cleaned up?
I turned to face Erik, the mud making wet sounds at my paws. Here? My eyes scanned the tree lines, wondering if we were far away enough from Quebec yet.
"Why not?" Erik asked me.
I spun back around to see Erik standing there before me, naked, in his human form.
What are you doing?
My eyes darted around the forest. "It's fine," he assured me. "We have nothing with us and we can shift at a moments notice. Come." I watched as Erik waded backwards into the River. I hesitated, glancing around once more. "Lexi!"
I sighed, closed my eyes and let the Shift fall away. "This is crazy!" I told him as I scurried over to him. Erik's arms went around me, his body molding around mine.
"There is a hot spring, just over there," he told me as he guided me to a small hole in the side of the mountain. Erik allowed me to go first. I sighed, looking around once more. "What if someone sees-"
Erik pressed forward. "We have been on the run for three days, Love. We need rest."
I sighed. I knew he was right of course. But it just didn't seem right.
"Let's get cleaned up," he told me. "Your body needs to rest." I sighed, my sore muscles were screaming with fatigue. I nodded and allowed Erik to guid me into the hallowed out cavern by the steep waterfall. It was actually warm and dry inside. In the back of the cave, there were several wooden boxes, stacks of canned food, folded blankets, flashlights, fire wood, burning materials and bags full of cloths.
Erik walked over the to the boxes and started going through them.
I wrapped my arms around me as I shuddered and tip toed to the edge of the small hot spring. Steam danced across the flat, smooth, unbroken surface of the hot water. The room suddenly flooded with light and I turned to see Erik standing by the boxes by the far wall. The cave was much larger then I would have first thought.
"One of your father's hidden bunkers?" I asked him and Erik smiled. "You father was a smart man."
Erik laughed and opened another box and pulled out some blankets. "One of them. I didn't think we were already this deep into the woods. I knew where this cave was but I figured we still had at least a few more days to go."
I watched as Erik pulled out a box containing a phone and a portable charger. Erik set it up and then grabbed some shampoo and body wash from another. I watched him walk toward me and set the items down beside me. "Get cleaned up. I will set the bed up-"
I gripped his wrist. "Come relax for a bit,"
I urged him. Erik smiled, leaning down to press his lips to mine. "I will join you shortly."
Erik didn't give me a chance to protest. He turned away quickly and disappeared around the corner and out of sight. I herd him rummaging through some boxes. I reached out to him mentally but his thoughts were... stiff. Closed off. Reserved.
I sighed and sat down on the edge of the hot spring, sliding my legs into the steaming water. The scratches and irritations on my legs seared and I closed my eyes as the pain scorched up my body as I slid into the water, a soft, relaxed moan passing my lips. Sucking in a breath, I slipped beneath surface of the water. The heat on my face was so relaxing as I let myself float, feeling weightless and relaxed. As a result I soon I grew tired. So I washed up quickly and turned to grab a towel. Erik was still looking through the boxes so I just wrapped myself up in the towel leaving my long, raven hair hand over one shoulder. Erik had a small gas plate on and some soup was heating on the hot plate. Erik turned to face me. He was dressed in a pair of boxers now, his face tired. He handed me a steaming cup of soup. "There are some cloths there for you." He nodded to the blow up mattress on the other side of the cave. I sighed and walked to put them on. They were slightly to big, but the sweatpants had a drawstring so it was able to make it work. The sweatshirt was thick and worne but extremely warm. Dressed, I turned to face Erik but he was gone. I herd him splash down into the water and I sighed. I suppose I deserved this. I had purposely been difficult and because of that... because of Aros and because of the Hunters... more people were dead because of me. Ever since Liv had the vision of me in that Pound cell, the lives of the Modori had been effected in ways no would could have anticipated. Erik had lost many people. And we should have herd from Liv by now.
I herd Erik heave himself from the water so I sipped up most of the soup and then walked to the bed, climbing under the covers. When Erik joined me, he turned the gas light off, leaving only a candle or two burning. "We could stay here a few days, if you want." His voice was low, defeated.
"I'm sorry," I whispered.
I herd him sigh and the bed dipped down as Erik rolled up against me, his arm going around my waist. "You have nothing to apologize for-"
I shook my headed "Since I arrived at Rose Court your life has been a mess-"
Erik's hands caught my shoulders and made me face him. "My life is complete-"
I couldn't stop it. Tears streaked my cheeks. "Your people are dead." How could he even look at me right now? I didn't get it. Erik pulled me up and over, making me straddle him.
"Sometimes to rule is to tell the ones loyal to us 'go die for me.'"
I sighed. I understood of course that his duty came first. But sometimes, his blood came first too. Diana was still blood. She was still family. Nakoma said she had her people tracking Aros in Norway. If we made it there in time, we could get there while Nakoma and her people keep him locked up. I looked down at Erik.
"No, we need to keep moving at first light," I told him. "We need to get to Norway."
Erik nodded. "Once I activate that phone, Liv will know. She will send us the things we need."
I nodded and Erik pulled me forward. "Now relax." His voice was hard again. I sighed and cuddled against him, closing my eyes I hoped that we could make it safely to Norway. I sighed. "We only have a few hours before dawn-"
Erik pressed his lips to my jaw. "We can relax a few day here my Love."
I shook my head. "Why?" I asked him,not seeing any reason why we should delay leaving. "We are leaving at day break."
Erik sighed. "Lexi, we have been on the move for the better part of the last three days," he said as if to remind me. "We need rest. Besides, we can't go anywhere until we hear from Liv."
I sighed. "What happens when we hear from Liv?" I asked him.
Erik smiled. "She will send two emails to that phone, one of which is a copy of my ID, social security and everything else I need to give to my lawyer who will meet us in Norway."
I raised an eyebrow. "How are we getting to Norway?" I asked him.
Erik sighed and turned to look at the phone on the charging dock. "Nakoma will use the pinged location to send us a portal. It drains her each time she uses her magic to do make a new Portal."
I frowned. "Well then she shouldn't be doing it!" I said. Erik shook his head.
"We don't have a choice, Love," Erik told me. I leaned away ready to argue but realized the more I thought about it, the more I realized that Aros or the Hunters were always a few steps behind us. Erik was right for staying out of sight for a few days. We had food, water and shelter here. And we could hunt if we wanted to. I sighed and looked up at his tired face. I was so damn selfish. Erik needed rest. Mentally. Physically. He needed time to heal.
"So we don't know how long we will be here?" I asked him. Erik shook his head.
"Nakoma will send for us as soon as she can," he reminded me. "Now, would you like anything else to eat or are you ready for bed?" I sighed and huddled down in my sheets. Erik smiled and climbed into bed beside me, his warm body pressed to mine. I sighed in content as I breathed him in, my eyes sliding closed as my heartbeat slowed, matching his to the beat. I breathed in again, the scent of pine and winter still clung to his skin, causing me to drift, drift off into the warmth of this safe pocket of darkness...