Rainmaker

7

We haven't spoken much since the storm, but Kade's presence has been steady, and I've leaned on that more than I'd like to admit.

"Are we close?" I ask, breaking the silence as we walk through a dense cluster of trees. Kade had mentioned an old shelter—a place that might give us time to rest and figure out our next steps.

"Not far now," Kade replies, though his voice is distant. He's still on edge. I can feel it in the way he walks, in the tension in his shoulders.

I'm about to ask what's bothering him when I feel a familiar chill in the air, like the one before the witches appeared last time. My stomach twists, and I reach out to touch Kade's arm, stopping him in his tracks.

"Kade..." I whisper, my heart racing. "Do you feel that?"

He stiffens beside me, his eyes narrowing as he scans the trees. "Stay close," he says, his voice tight. "They have returned."

I don't need to ask who he means. The dark witches are back. And this time, I'm not sure I'm ready to face them.

The air crackles with energy, dark and heavy, and I can hear the faintest whispers carried on the wind. Before I can react, they emerge from the shadows—two of them this time.

Kade steps in front of me, drawing his blade. "You won't touch her."

The witches laugh, a cold, chilling sound that sends a shiver down my spine. "You can't protect her forever, Rainmaker's dog. She doesn't belong to you."

Just as the witches step closer, something shifts in the air. A quick and sudden flash of light blazes between us, and one of the witches screams, stumbling back as a burst of energy knocks her off balance.

I blink, stunned, and before I can understand what's happening, a figure steps out of the trees—tall, confident, and cloaked in deep green. His eyes are sharp, his dark hair tousled, and he moves with effortless grace like he's always in control of the world around him.

"Looks like I arrived just in time," the stranger says, his voice smooth, with just the hint of a smile tugging at the corner of his lips.

The witches scowl, their dark magic crackling in the air around them, but the young man raises his hand, and with a flick of his wrist, he sends another burst of energy toward them.

"Who are you?" one of the witches hisses, her eyes narrowing.

"Doesn't matter," the stranger says coolly, his gaze shifting to me briefly before turning back to the witches. "What matters is that you leave. Now."

For a moment, the witches hesitate, their eyes flicking between the stranger and Kade, who still stands protectively in front of me, his blade at the ready. They know they are outmatched. The arrival of the stranger has tipped the balance in our favor.

Without another word, they vanish into the shadows, leaving us alone in the clearing.

The following silence is heavy, and I realize I've been holding my breath.

"You okay?" the stranger asks his attention now entirely on me, his eyes warm and assessing.

I nod, though I'm still too stunned to speak. Who is this guy?

Kade steps forward, his blade still in hand, his posture tense. "Who are you?" he demands, his voice sharp. "And why are you helping us?"

The young man grins, seemingly unfazed by Kade's hostility. "Name's Lucas. And as for why I'm helping—well, let's say I don't have much love for dark witches."