Heart of a rogue

Chapter 33

I woke to a strange tickling sensation on my nose. Groggily, I tried to brush it away, only to have the persistent itch return a moment later. Blinking my eyes open, I was greeted by the sight of a leafy plant waving just inches from my face, held by none other than Leo, who was grinning like a mischievous child.

"Good morning, Sleeping Beauty," he teased, his eyes twinkling with amusement. "You know, you really need to do something about that snoring. I could hear you all the way from the spiritworld."

I shot him a half-hearted glare, still too sleepy to fully commit to it. "I do not snore," I retorted, swatting at him with the back of my hand. He easily dodged the slap, laughing as he did.

"Oh, but you do," he insisted, leaning in closer with that infuriatingly charming smile of his. "It's like a bear growling in its sleep."

"I'll show you a bear," I muttered, pushing myself up from the bedroll and lunging at him. He sidestepped my attack, but not before I managed to land a playful punch to his shoulder.

We wrestled for a moment, a tangle of limbs and laughter, the tension from the previous days temporarily forgotten. Leo finally pinned me down with a triumphant grin, his weight pressing me gently into the soft earth beneath us.

"Alright, alright," I conceded, breathless from our playfight. "You win. Now, what are you doing here, bothering innocent women in their sleep?"

He released me and sat back, his expression shifting from playful to serious in an instant. "It's time," he said quietly. "I found Agatha."

The words hung in the air, heavy with the promise of what was to come. I felt my heart skip a beat, the reality of the situation crashing back down on me. "So, this is it," I whispered, sitting up and pushing a strand of hair out of my face. "We're really going to do this."

Leo nodded. "Ariadne and Erzulie will join us in the fight. But... Abaddon refused to help."

His father's name hung between us like a dark cloud. I knew how much that must have stung, how deeply Leo craved his father's approval, even after everything.

I reached out and touched his hand, a small gesture of comfort. "It doesn't matter," I said firmly. "My companions are ready, and a few wolves from the pack have also agreed to fight alongside us. We have enough."

Leo squeezed my hand, a grateful smile tugging at his lips. "We're going to need all the help we can get."

I nodded, the gravity of what lay ahead settling over me like a weight. This was no longer a matter of simply surviving; this was war. And it was time to end it, once and for all.

"I'll gather everyone," I said, standing up and brushing the dirt from my clothes. "Let's finish this.''

I stepped outside. The sun was just beginning to rise, casting a soft, golden light over the trees and illuminating the mist that clung to the ground. The world felt still, as if it were holding its breath in anticipation of what was to come.

I could feel the tension thrumming through my veins, the energy building as the reality of the situation settled over me. Today would change everything. We were either going to win this battle and lift the curse or lose everything we had left.

I took a deep breath, letting the cool air fill my lungs as I prepared myself. This was no time for hesitation or doubt. My companions were scattered around the camp, some of them still asleep, others already awake and tending to their morning routines. But they needed to know it was time.

Closing my eyes, I reached deep within myself, calling on the familiar power that lurked just beneath the surface. It responded eagerly, a surge of energy that rippled through my body, making my skin tingle and my muscles tighten. In an instant, I shifted.