The Siege of Shadows: Book one

Healing Waters (43)

After descending the mountain, I realized that In my desperation to flee the Wild Hunt, I had unwittingly brought one of their horses with me. It stood now on this side of the thorn wall, the remnants of the cursed Hunt trailing behind in its wild eyes and restless energy. But maybe—just maybe—this could be our salvation.

The creature snorted and pawed at the ground, its eyes wide and white-rimmed with fear. Unlike the kelpies we had ridden before, this was an ordinary horse—at least, as ordinary as anything tied to the Hunt could be.

"Easy," I murmured, gripping the reins tighter. My voice trembled, but the horse didn't bolt. It could sense my fear as much as I could sense its unease.

I turned to Kael, slumped against a jagged boulder, his once-commanding presence reduced to a pale shadow. Blood seeped through his armor, his breaths shallow and erratic.

"Kael," I whispered, crouching beside him. His crimson eyes flickered open, but the light in them was faint.

"You're a stubborn bastard, you know that?" My voice cracked, and his lips twitched in what might have been a smile—or a grimace.

With a deep breath, I hooked my arms under his and heaved him onto the horse's back. The effort left my muscles trembling, but there was no time to rest. Swinging up behind him, I wrapped one arm around his waist, holding him steady.

"Hold on," I muttered, though I doubted he could hear me.

The horse surged forward, its hooves pounding the earth as we descended into the valley. The landscape blurred around us—jagged rocks gave way to dense woods, the air thick with the scent of damp earth and moss. Kael's body jolted with every step, his weight a deadened anchor against me.

"Just a little farther," I whispered, though the words were as much for me as for him.
Time seemed to fold in on itself, and before I knew it, we reached the valley.

But our path was blocked. Thick vines and brambles stretched across the way, a wall of nature too stubborn to yield.

I cursed under my breath, sliding off the horse. My legs shook as I reached for my sword, the metal scraping free with a metallic hiss. The blade glinted as I swung it with desperation, hacking through the tangled growth.

The thorns tore at my arms, drawing blood, but I didn't stop. Each swing sent another vine falling to the ground, until finally, the way was clear. The river lay just beyond, its waters rushing with a silvery brilliance under the faint light of the moon.

The river. It had to work. It was all I had left to hope for.

We reached the river's edge minutes later, the thunderous sound of rushing water drowning out all other noise. The current was strong, whitecaps churning against jagged stones.

I dismounted, sliding off the horse and steadying Kael as best I could. His armor was slick with blood, his head lolling against my shoulder.

Pulling Kael from the horse was harder than I expected. He was dead weight in my arms, his body slack and unresponsive. I nearly stumbled under the strain but managed to drag him down to the river's edge.

The water was cold—sharp and biting against my skin as I knelt, pulling him into the shallows. His armor felt like an anchor, dragging us down, but I didn't care. The river's magic, if it truly existed, had to work.

"Kael," I whispered, my voice cracking as I cradled his head above the water. "Please... wake up. You have to wake up."

The current swirled around us, cool and persistent, as though it, too, was urging him to return. I pressed my hands against his side, against the wound that refused to close. Blood mixed with the water, the crimson strands dissipating like smoke.