His Forsaken Luna-Chapter 131: Snowstorms & other Magicks. (2)

The wolf inside me roared to life, and I felt the connection between us grow stronger, pulsing beneath my skin. Energy surged forward and like a wave crashed through me it flowed down my arms and to my fingertips.

The moment my skin touched his, I felt a connection that nearly knocked the breath out of me. His pain, his exhaustion, the fever—it all surged through me, and without any conscious thought, my hand burned against his skin.

The power flowed from me, into him. The colouring on his ribs began to reduce, as pain poured into my chest. The wound on his forehead also began to close slowly, the flesh knitting itself back together. But my power was draining away, dizziness crashing through me. The wound had partially closed but the skin over his ribs was completely normal.

His colouring had returned, his breathing evened out. I could feel the warmth of his fever dulling beneath my touch the strength of his body starting to return.

"Idalia, stop!" I registered Cohnal’s voice but it sounded distant.

The room around me seemed to spin, and my vision blurred. My body felt weak, as though the very energy that had healed him had been drained from me entirely.

I staggered back, my legs giving way beneath me, and I collapsed to the floor. The last thing I heard was the low growl of my wolf, warning me of the danger, before everything went black.

When my eyes fluttered open again, I stared at my surroundings, completely disoriented. Was the High Fae about to return through the doors... I frowned as my gaze landed on Soren. Any thoughts about the fae vanished and I remembered what happened.

I rose quickly into a seated position then clasped my head at the throbbing sensation. It was like I’d drank too much the night before, my head throbbed, and I felt utterly weak.

"Careful," Cohnal whispered from the side. He’d moved from where he’d been guarding the door before to be closer to my side. He was still leaning against the wall, legs sprawled out before him but his focus was on me. "You used... a lot of... energy."

I saw him glance behind me. I stretched my limbs, twisting my body and noticed some of the guards were already up, conversing with each other. A few were even playing cards. Somehow, after all the betrayals I felt a sense of kinship with Cohnal and could trust him—not completely—but he was the one careful with his words.

The Southern Beta was the one to warn me to stop before I passed out. He’d most likely reported his findings to Eryx but it didn’t matter. We’d already discussed the possibility I was part Fae and Chosen. I wasn’t too shocked now by what I’d accomplished, healing Soren enough that he was stable.

The crackling of the fire was the only sound I could focus on, the warmth of it barely reaching me as I lay back against the cabin’s walls. My body was spent, drained, my muscles aching and tight as if I had run for miles on end. My mind felt heavy, foggy, but I knew I couldn’t afford to fall back into sleep, not with the storm still raging outside. The warmth in the cabin was comforting, but it wasn’t enough to stave off the chill that had settled deep in my bones.

Soren’s fever had broken, his colour returning, but I could still feel the weight of what had happened. The magic that surged through me when I healed him—it was unlike anything I’d ever experienced. And it had left me hollow, weaker than I had been before, as though I had poured all my energy into saving him without a thought for what it would cost me.

A pain had started to throb on my left side along with my headache but I tried not to think about it too much, not while I could still hear the storm howling outside, pounding against the small cabin we had sought shelter in.

It was daytime yet it was dark and gloomy in the cabin except for the crackling fires. The storm had not relented. We were stuck here until it passed. I was restless at remaining so close to the town and near where the High Fae were but I reminded myself they probably wouldn’t leave in this weather as well—I hoped, prayed.

Hours dragged on and none of us could leave the cabin. I could feel the restless energy. The storm kept us here for another day. Any fresh food was gone and we fortunately had rations passed out. It was a struggle with many large Weres that were used to hunting for their meals if they wanted more. No one could hunt, not in this storm.

If my wolf hadn’t awakened I was sure my shrunken stomach would have aided in this situation and I could give Soren and Cohnal more of my food. But hunger had gnawed at my stomach like the first time I went hungry as a child. The downside to my powerful wolf, I mused to myself.

I’d played cards with Cohnal and Soren who woke up in the late afternoon, shocked by how good he felt. "The aconite must have passed through your system," I’d said casually. "Your wolf healed you in time."

Soren had stared at me in somewhat disbelief. "I thought I was going to die. I couldn’t sense much life from my wolf..." he murmured, trying to process that he was alive. His gaze flicked to me, his eyes softening. "I dreamt of you though... Like an angel you got rid of the pain."

"You were feverish..." I gestured at my ripped clothes. "I used icy cloths from my clothes to cool you down. You probably hallucinated to a degree."

Soren stared at me and looked at the drying rags piled up near the fire. He nodded but there was something in his eyes that remained as he looked at me, like he knew what I’d done. If he hadn’t betrayed me I might have shared what I did. But my trust for him was gone, especially after what Theo did.

Soren didn’t press further about it. "Thank you for looking after me." He held my gaze, those hazel eyes trying to convey how grateful he was then he blinked in surprise and dropped his gaze to the ground, his head bowing almost submissively.

I tilted my head to the side but no answers came to my silent questioning stare. Cohnal looked between us, those dark eyes hard to read. Maybe he thought I was a fool for saving Soren after all that he had done or maybe he thought I’d risked exposing myself for someone as unworthy as Soren. My wolf growled slightly at that in answer, but it was more of a low rumble, weak and quiet.

When night came again, the air was still and cold. We had to leave. We couldn’t stay in the cabin forever.

"We leave tonight," Alaric said, breaking the silence as he walked back into the room. His expression was serious, his jaw set with determination. "The road should be passable again, but we can’t afford to waste time."

I nodded, barely acknowledging the words. I was exhausted, my mind spinning with a thousand thoughts. We had to keep moving. But the idea of facing the journey ahead, of pushing through the exhaustion and the cold, seemed almost impossible.

It was late when we finally gathered everything and stepped outside, the snow now a thick veil over the land. The road was clear enough to continue, but the wind still howled, relentless, as if mocking us for even thinking of traveling further. I didn’t want to leave the cabin; I didn’t want to step out into that brutal storm again. But we had no choice.

The rocking motion of the carriage did little to help me rest. Soren had passed out but Cohnal remained alert almost with renewed determination even though he looked like he needed a week’s worth of rest. His arm had healed and all that was left of the wounds from his battle was dried blood he didn’t manage to wipe off.

After another hour or two passed, I tapped on the top of the carriage and climbed outside. I was exhausted but the pain in my ribs had transformed into feeling nauseous. The pain had subsided some but the carriage’s motions didn’t help. I sat up front with the guard leading the horses of the carriage.

The air outside was biting cold, but there was something almost peaceful about the stillness of the night. The moon hung low in the sky, casting an eerie light over the snow, and the shadows of trees reached like crooked fingers across the ground and carriage.

The cold alleviated the nausea and I breathed deeply even if it made me shiver. More time passed and I sighed in relief, my head falling back to my exhaustion as the pain and nausea vanished. It wasn’t very ’Princess-like’ but this was the road and I could finally get some shut eye.

’Idalia.’

I groaned at my brother’s voice. I’d once been jealous about other Weres that could mind link. I no longer wish for it. I cut a glare at Alaric who was riding next to the carriage, his horse plodding slowly through the snow.

I could hear the crunch of hooves and the rustle of his cloak in the wind. His face was shadowed by his cloak and he stared ahead, focusing on the road, acting like he hadn’t just disturbed me.

’You’re still holding up alright?’

I nodded slightly without turning to face him, my eyes now fixed on the road ahead. ’I’m fine.’ I just used some strange magick but that was a discussion for another time.

’Are you?’ Alaric asked, his tone soft but serious in the mind link. ’I saw the mark on your forehead... when you were a wolf. You need to be careful because it means you’re-"

Something sharp and shrill split the night air, cutting him off. A screech, followed by the sound of flapping wings—too fast, too close.

My heart stopped. I turned, and before I could react, the screeching noise was upon us. The wind grew fiercer, the screeching growing louder. The horses were panicking, the carriage rattling as it was pulled to the side of the road.

Alaric’s voice snapped through the air, urgent and commanding. "Hold on!"

The world spun as I tried to focus. But the screeching grew louder, deafening now. Something was coming for us.