The Afterlife Academy Saga

Chapter 31

31

Was I dead?

No, I had thoughts. If I'd died, I'd be nothing. Nobody. But I was still me. Ylva of the West, daughter of Helga. Proud daughter and fierce Wind Child. Valkyrie in training and wolf owner.

I fought against my heavy eyelids, forcing the world to return to me. I didn't know where I was, but I was somewhere. Was I still in the Veil?

Shapes shimmered in the corners of my vision, slowly forming into objects and items I recognised. A wooden table, a rusted chest, three bottles of wine, a set of keys. Up above, dark ceilings and underneath, a dirty stone floor.

This was definitely not Flavia's room. But then... Where was I?

I pushed myself up, every muscle in my body straining and groaning in protest. The gashes on my palms pulsed angrily, festering with puss and blood. At least the chains were gone, but it was a meagre victory.

"Ah. You're awake."

The hairs on my back jumped up as they reacted to the very same voice. The thief.

Panicked, I jumped up and raised my balled fists towards the sound. The wounds tore open, the blood seeping out to drip on the grubby floor.

Now that the fog of the Veil was lifted from my mind, my fighting spirit returned. If I was back in the real world, I could use my body to fight and protect myself. I would make this bastard pay, even if that was the last thing I did.

With his dusk following on the heel, the thin man walked towards me. With a grimace, he looked me up and down. "You're a scrappy one."

"Who are you?" I growled, overriding my fear with anger. This was the only way I wouldn't crumble in defeat again. "What do you want?"

"The same thing as everyone else," he replied cryptically, shuffling away to light a candle. He shielded the fickle flame with the palm of his hand, the reddish hue dancing against his skin. His eyes flashed as he turned back to me. "I want life."

"Give me my wolf back," I hissed, fighting against the stinging shooting up and down my arms. If there was one thing to remind me I was alive, it was the torturous pain.

"I don't think so. I need him."

"What for? He's just a pup and he's mine." My heart clenched, a storm brewing in my chest. If he didn't have his dusk with him, I could've just charged at him and hoped for the best. But with the wolf's red eyes on me, I had no chance of coming out on top.

The man shrugged, clearly not threatened by my presence. "None of your business."

"Why did you bring me here? What do you want from me?" The questions barrelled out of my mouth, spilling into the space between the man and me.

"Curiosity." He rummaged through a set of drawers, even daring to turn his back to me. If it hadn't been for his wolf, that was when I'd have attacked him. Bastard.

Unfortunately for me, the dusk hadn't taken his red eyes off of me since he came into the living quarters and found me on the floor.

I eyed the door and the distance to it. Maybe I could make a run for it? With the wind in my back, I was fast. I could outrun this limping man.

Slowly, I shuffled towards the exit and earned a low growl from the wolf. Maybe not then...

"Sit, Ylva." The man gestured to one of the dingy chairs at the table as he occupied the opposing one.

"What?"

"I said, sit," he said, his tone clear he wasn't taking no for an answer.

Reluctantly, but carefully, I nudged the chair and sat down. If this was another trick or game, I was fully prepared for it. He wouldn't fool me, not when all my senses were heightened.

"So." He fished a dirty cloth from his pocket and grabbed a canteen from his other. Without much care, he doused the fabric in a thick liquid and held it out to me. "Put it on your hands."

Did he think I was an i***t?

I crossed my arms firmly. "No."

He rolled his eyes, sighing loudly. Fast as the wind, his hand shot across the table and grabbed hold of one of my wrists. Before I could protest, he shoved the cloth on the wounds in my palm and held it there despite my struggles.

Pain flared up from the ragged edges, the stinging pain like thousands needles stabbing into my arm. The liquid was cold and sour, yet somehow soothing and warm. It crept into the gashes, seeping into my flesh and spreading through my muscles.

A soft lull followed, dulling the teething agony from the poisoned chain.

Surprised, I looked up from my hands at the man. What did he put on the rag? Was he actually trying to manage my pain? What was going on?

"Hold still," he growled, reaching for his bottle and pouring more of the strange medicine on the cloth.

With every passing second, it silenced more of the pain warring through me and cleared my head from the all-consuming hum of discomfort.

Taken aback, I stared at the thief. Despite the crow feet on his temple and the grey strokes in his hair, I couldn't put an age on him. He moved like an old man, but his stormy grey eyes held the vigour of a young man. Like the night sky before a heavy rain, they were the only beautiful feature of his face. His nose crooked and his lips too thin, he was far from handsome.

But none of his looks or the items around me gave me clues about his identity. He didn't look like someone deserving of being named in a legend, so maybe he wasn't a Valkyrie? But he had a dusk wolf... And they were only paired with Afterlife Assistants.

So many questions and no answers.

I looked at him, trying to read his face. Almost expressionless, he wound bandages around my wrist and tended to my hands. His touch was surprisingly gentle for someone that didn't seem all that caring or bothered.

Some of the anger flooded away as the pain lifted. With a clearer mind, I managed to keep the venom out of my tone as I spoke again. "Thank you."

"You'll have to keep the wounds clean," he grunted.

"Okay."

"I'm surprised you're still alive."

Wow. Reassuring.

"Why?" I asked, staring at my hands. I had no idea what he put on the bandages, but they were soothing and refreshing. So why was this old man stealing dusk wolves, but treating the people who came after him? That made no sense.

"Lick's poison is extremely potent, isn't it, boy?" he said, the first flicker of affection shining through his voice as he scratched the wolf curled around his chair.

"That was dusk wolf poison?" I asked, surprised he managed to tap it. No matter how much Azur trusted me or Mamma, she never let us touch her fangs. Most dusk never bestowed that trust on their owner.

Ignoring me, he fed Lick a piece of bread from another one of his pockets and patted him between his ears. The enormous beast growled happily, his tail flicking from left to right.

Nothing about them looked evil, but I couldn't be fooled. He was still holding my wolf captive and inflicting excruciating pain on him.

The thief rose from his seat, tapped his thigh, and wolf and man moved in unison across the room. Perfectly in sync, their bond was undeniable. I'd never seen a pairing this connected, certainly not when dusks never imprinted on men. But this one clearly had and I wanted to know why.

The old man cracked the door open, introducing a glint of sun into the scruffy living quarters. The rustle of trees and the sound of crickets lifted the dark.

He looked back at me. "Are you coming or what?"

"Where?" I asked, weighing my options.

Without dignifying a reply, he turned and disappeared into the forest with Lick on his heels.

This was my chance. I could run and find my way back to the Academy. As long as I had the wind in my hair and the sun on my face, I could find my way home.

But I might never find him again. And I couldn't leave Hyde behind.

I ignored my instinct to flee and rushed after the man, desperate to bring my wolf back safely. I wouldn't leave without Hyde or I'd die trying.

"Hold up!" I shouted, chasing the thief. I didn't know where he was going or what he'd do to me, but I just had to take the risk. And whatever consequences it had...