THE UNFATED

CHAPTER 16: THEBARRENS

The canopy had mostly let out, and the trees had become considerably farther apart and not so thick. It was two days since they left Mira’s home, and everyone was almost always sullen and quiet—Kyle more so than even before. Cassandra had tried bringing up a discussion about ancient magic, but everyone just stared at her, unsure of how to treat all the information given to them until Bianca had awkwardly changed the topic.

Cornelius had made a makeshift cart, and he walked alone ahead of the group. He had been quiet for two days straight, and Thalia’s gut screamed at her that something was not right about his behavior but could not call him out just for his silence.

The sky was becoming more visible and clearer, but Thalia’s mind was the total opposite. Mira’s words clung to her like a spider web, and she could feel all her other thoughts being engulfed by only the witch’s words: He is also a part of ancient magic.

She was not sure how she felt about Kyle being a part of something dangerous to all wolves. A part of her was sure that she had to be wary of him. She had heard tales as a child about the strength and almost godly abilities of first- and second-generation wolves. But Kyle had never done anything out of the ordinary, so maybe Mira was mistaken. She clung to the thought although it sounded absurd even to her.

But then, a very sensitive and almost childlike part deep inside her worried for him. She had seen the surprise and denial on his face as he read from the annals of first blood. Before Mira’s revelation, he had been quiet and detached, and she had understood that it was just the way he was, but now, she felt it. Thalia always felt his gaze following her from behind, assessing silently and carefully as if trying to convey something to her. She desperately wanted to talk to him but always held back. She did not trust herself to handle the matter with the tact it demanded.

Every time she accidentally met Kyle’s gaze, she inwardly quivered. She was not yet sure of what made her quiver, but whatever it was, she was not yet ready to face it—she doubted she ever would be.

Lost in self-confusion, Thalia tripped on Raphael’s cart and barely stopped herself from hitting the ground.

She inwardly cursed. The last thing she needed at the moment was indulging Cornelius at all—even having an argument was unwise.

The full moon was approaching; she could feel it from the way her wolf became unsettled whenever she got close to its mate, and she hated every part of it. As if they did not already have enough problems, her emotions had also decided to rebel against her. Mustering all her self-control, she calmly adjusted her creased sweater and turned her back against him, although she was dying of frustration and curiosity as to why he had stopped.

“Thalia,”

Cornelius called her for the first time. His voice was cold, curt, and he clenched his fists and his body tensed as he said her name.

Thalia stopped abruptly mid-step, and as she turned to face him, she hated herself for how her heart fluttered.

Without waiting to be called, the others also rushed to join them. Only then did Thalia finally let out a long breath. She was thankful for the mixture of scents that finally pulled her attention from Cornelius’ smoky and somewhat tangy raw scent that she had started picking up on more than she would have liked since they left Mira’s.

“What is it now?” Casten, who had remained kneeling next to Raphael, asked repeatedly in a confused tone.

Raphael looked like he was in a peaceful slumber. More than once, Casten had pulled back his hand just a few inches from him. The urge to nudge him awake was almost maddening, but he had suppressed it.

Over the two days, Raphael had regained color, and the wound had completely disappeared; not even a scar remained, and his breathing was even and measured. Casten was sure that he was almost waking up—he could feel it.

“The Barrens,” Cornelius replied with a smirk. His gaze was trained ahead of him, and for the first time, Thalia did not see hatred or distaste in his eyes—she saw anticipation. She frowned uncertainly. What would he be anticipating in that forsaken place?

“Don’t you see that this is an illusion?” Cornelius said excitedly. He still did not look at them. His eyes were still trained on the thin trees in front of him.

Cassandra frowned and glared at him.

“If it was, I would have known,” she said flatly. She felt too drained to argue.

Cornelius finally turned to face them. He intended to shout at them but, thinking better of it, he inhaled deeply and said more calmly:

“We were supposed to reach the Barrens yesterday.”

They all stared at him cluelessly, and Thalia remarked with a shrug:

“And it’s today, and we are not yet in the Barrens.”

Cornelius passed a hand frustratedly through his jet-black hair and glared at Thalia. She stared back at him challengingly. She had not meant to provoke him, but she could never give those steel-grey eyes the satisfaction of seeing her back down. So, she stood her ground and tried not to stare at the well-toned chest that was rising and falling rhythmically.

“We are already in the Barrens, but someone created this illusion before we arrived,” he stressed every letter with the strength he was imagining putting on Thalia at the moment.

If only he could get his arms on her at the moment—what would he do? His mind had recently begun giving him conflicting ideas...

“If it is an—”

Cassandra meant to protest, but Cornelius cut her off.

“Someone way stronger than you created this illusion,” he shouted, and Bianca unconsciously backed away. Even when the Alpha’s anger was not directed at her, she could not stop herself from flinching.

“If I cannot even sense it, there is no way in hell I can dissolve it,” Cassandra confessed in a resigned tone. Her shoulders were slumped, and looking at her, Kyle thought she deserved that cart more than Raphael at the moment.

He was silently observing the face-off between Thalia and Cornelius. Knowing that they were mates did not change how he felt about their interactions, and he just hoped that his face would not betray his feelings.

Carefully stepping forward, he said in a flat tone:

“Cornelius is right. We are already in the Barrens.”

Hearing this, everyone turned their gaze at him, but he turned away sharply; he did not want to look into Thalia’s eyes—he was afraid of what he would see there.