Threads of Fate

Chapter 39 ~ Coming Back

Tissaia clutched her dagger tightly, her eyes darting around her surroundings in search of any signs of more travelers, or Azael, Talarion, and Vael's return. There had been no sign of the three males in the long minutes that had passed, and judging by the pensive looks on Kaius and Kahari's faces, they were growing just as worried as she.

A dead branch snapped and Tissaia threw a shield around herself while she twisted towards the sound. Kaius followed suit and Kahari brandished her conductive staff, its cluster of green crystals radiating light. The female eased a heartbeat later. "It's Vael!" She exclaimed, just as the massive bear came crashing into view.

Vael shifted into himself and landed on all fours before them. Kahari let out a gasp at the sight of his blood streaked face. His hand was clasped around the shaft of an arrow still piercing his side. Tissaia slid from her mount immediately and hurried over to him.

"Lochren scouts," the male bit out as she pried the arrow loose and tossed it away. His curly head hung low while she summoned her healing magic and set to work on the wound. "There were two of them, dead now."

"Did you see Talarion or Azael?" Kaius asked.

"No, but I..." he broke off with a sharp grunt, glancing sideways at Tissaia.

Kahari dismounted and joined them. "Let me finish," the female murmured. Tissaia pursed her lips but withdrew.

Kahari crouched beside Vael and briefly covered the dome of her staff with her hands, touching her knuckles to her lips as she murmured something. Then she touched two fingers to Vael's wound and a soft light, the same shade as a pale green apple, surrounded it.

She had placed her other hand and her staff on the ground, the tips of her fingers barely nestled within the grass. Tissaia cocked her head and her lips parted in surprise. The blades of grass were growing, winding around Kahari's fingers and up her forearm as she continued to feed healing magic into Vael's injury.

"I heard some screaming," Vael continued, when it was clear his pain had eased. "It only sounded like one male's voice, but I don't know how many they might've faced."

"If they were fighting Lochren warriors, it was their enemy screaming, not either of them," Tissaia answered. "We should keep moving. Take one of their horses."

She returned to her own and unfastened Azael's stallion from where he'd been secured to her own horse. Vael had followed her and took the reins with a grateful nod. Tissaia remounted and rode over to Kaius. The male was carefully observing their surroundings, one hand gripping the hilt of the dagger sheathed to his hip.

"Let's put a little more distance between ourselves and anyone who might've accompanied those scouts," Kaius said, noting her presence. "Talarion and Azael will find us before long, I'm sure." Tissaia offered no response, guessing he didn't really want one. As soon as Vael was mounted, they set off at a brisk trot.

•༻☽☾༺•

The hours dragged without a sign of either two males until darkness was upon them once more. Kaius had allowed Vael to take the lead a few hours beforehand and raised no protest when the male announced they'd reached an ideal spot to make camp.

He had done his share of gathering firewood and ate his ration of food begrudgingly, but when the others began to ready their sleeping areas, he couldn't bring himself to follow suit. Instead he volunteered to take watch and had kept his senses strained for any sign of movement ever since.

Kaius rubbed a hand up and down his arm with a sigh. Azael and Talarion should have caught up to them by now, surely. Had something happened to them? He glanced at the sky, gauging the position of the moon overhead. It was already past his watch.