Not All Heroes Are Guiltless

Chapter 15

Chapter 15

Dungan’s POV

She’s snoring. I can’t help but laugh at the snort every fifth exhale. She didn’t even give me the chance to prepare the cabin when we arrived. It’s been several decades since anyone was here, so it needs a good cleaning. So, with great reluctance, I got up out of bed and away from her crushing grasp.

I never imagined she would transform so soon. Her wolfs heat must have pushed it faster through the process. The girl still has no concept of patience still. I chuckled to myself.

There is a good layer of dust on all the furniture. I go to set up a spell but look over at the sleeping form of my mate. She’s sensitive right now, and I should let her sleep.

I looked around the wooden stove and found the broom. After a good sweep and dusting of the furniture. I pull out the wash basin next to the stove. The princess hasn’t bathed in over a week now. Knocking the cobwebs away, I prepare for her to at least get the grime off her. I pick up the two buckets and walk out of the cabin.

AmStar had planted vegetables here years ago, and they all seemed to be doing well even with all the weeds and even a tree within their garden bed. I could use a few for a decent meal. The walk to the well isn’t far from the cabin. This side of the forest is always quiet and serene due to the old oak trees towering over you.

Dunnell used to climb the oaks to reach the top and taunt me at the bottom into following him up. I can still see the footholds on one of his favorite trees to climb almost as vividly as the memory of his father yelling at him for playing in a tree when he was supposed to be leaving to meet up with another clan for negotiations.

Before AmStar, Nell was prepared to become the next chief of the Grey clan. But when he learned his mate was the crowned princess of Redland. I had never seen his father so disappointed when he said he planned to follow his mate and not his father’s path. But it had to be accepted.

I’ve started filling the second bucket when the presence appears next to me. Spirits have always been drawn to me. RiAna is no exception. She keeps her familiar mocking tone towards me, “Delmar, I haven’t seen you in ages. You brought AmStar with you? How would Dunnell feel that you are sweet - “

“No RiAna. I brought AmAela, my mate.” I say, not wanting to look at my childhood acquaintance. She died far from this place, but she has been lingering at this well. Although a lonely well in the deep forest is torturous, others are not as lucky.

“Is she stronger than her?” she says with excitement, breaking her voice. I purse my lips together.

“I’m not sure, but I’ll help her.” I say, finally looking at the mangled figure sitting on the well.

She was once considered a beauty. Firey red hair and pale skin. Everyone always commented on her appearance and wanted to look like her. She was often envious of AmStar because she always wanted Nell to choose her as a mate. She was never kind to me, but she followed Nell around, and I had to tolerate her presence because she was the daughter of the Chief of the Red clan.

Even in spirit form, her hair is mated, and her face mangled and jagged. One of her arms is dislocated and hanging loosely on her side. Her clothes are tattered, and rags hide the hideous open wounds and mutilated body. Nobody deserved a death like hers, even someone like her.

I don’t even say goodbye. There is no use because she won’t have a memory of any of it, and the next time, she will just say the same thing and ask the same questions. Lost within her purgatory.

I make it back to the cabin, and the princess is still snoring happily. I smirk, but after pouring one of the buckets into the basin, I look up. I really don’t want to wake her, but I’d rather deal with that instead of my haunting past.

I place my hand flat on the surface of the water and let the energy flow through me. Manipulating the water to suck in the air around it brings the water level higher with just some bubbles across its surface.

My attention goes to my sleeping beauty, and she has begun to stir. I stand still and listen to her breathing return to her normal sleeping pattern. She had her senses dull for most of her life. Now, since her wolf abilities are no longer hindered, she will be sensitive to all flux until she has time to adjust to the changes.

Thankfully, she also hasn’t heard the news because I haven’t guided her toward towns. Hou Ndour has taken over all Redford’s main ports. The smaller villages and ports are without a ruling lord. Chaos is filling the area, and she’s running around, unable to reach a fraction of the power her mother possessed.

I need to cut wood for the stove and find something for her to eat he appetite might be similar to her mothers. When that woman woke up, she could kill and eat her own mate. I walk outside to start preparing for anything my little light warrior needs. My Delia. My nadar. My mate.