Not All Heroes Are Guiltless

Chapter 23

Chapter 23

My mate was waiting for me in the dark on the edge of the foggy meadow. He said nothing, but I did catch his quick scan up and down to see if I was hurt. I felt my wolf feel joy and pride at the fact our mate was worried. But he turned around and headed deeper into the forest. No questions and only an aversion of my eyes to show he doesn’t want me to speak about it.

We reached camp, and he’s already created me a mattress of soft moss to sleep on. I plop down on the soft moss and cross my legs. Still energetic and restless I proceed to try again with my mantra but instead I choose to not think of the sea and the wall in hope I can move away but now I am almost certain the mountain has something to do with my own power.

I’m greeted with a warm tongue on my face. I scratch behind her ears and can feel the bliss between us. I pulled her close to me because so much was confirmed. She is a fractured part of me, and we will never be the same. I focus on her and can feel her emotions, too. It's almost like she never aged. She’s still a young eight-year-old with no understanding why she was in so much pain. She must have protected me until the collar kept me from her.

Together, we watch the clouds move under us. The moon’s light helped give an ethereal glow to the world around us. I kept the white wolf close to me and cuddled with her with no need for words between us.

He stirs me when morning breaks, and he whispers, “You haven’t slept.”

“Neither did you. I learned my lesson last time and didn’t linger in that place. You didn’t have to watch over me. I found a safe place that makes me feel at home. And it’s a place I feel…” My mind drifts when feeling the exhaustion hits me full force. He looks at me, and I can almost see the hint of concern. It’s refreshing to see his slight nuances and flicks of emotions through his gestures. “I guess… I kind of wished they would tell me I’m their champion like Delia, and I will be the acolyte to return Redland to its former glory. But they were honest, brutally so. Their kin haven’t needed intervention, and now it’s too late to save the last remnants. We are those remnants, and the gods aren’t any help. Yet they were glad you kept your promises.”

“I have made them no promises.” He snickers while sitting down next to me. He keeps his head down and crosses his hands around his knees, almost like he’s trying to listen.

“An ageless lady admitted a few believe their treatment of you has been unfair and unjust. All because it’s not your fault for how you came into this world and they should never have blamed you and also because they accused you of being an omen.” I say, and he shows no emotion.

“It wasn’t just my parentage they-“He says shyly. And the anger underneath is nearly boiling over. He has been wounded by their opinions of him. He won’t talk about it, though.

“I know. They said you had a hard decision to make before you could comprehend the consequences, but I think they trust you. Of course, they have really no reason now to distrust you.” I say, and he nods with understanding. “She told me my scars were from an attack at a young age by the same demon Delia couldn’t brave. That triggered my fractured self and why my wolf and I were separated. I don’t think I will get everything I lost, but they said if I keep training with you, I might be able to get a few things to return.”

He lays down on the moss and pulls me down on top of him. All my fears seem to wash away while I’m in his arms. He murmurs again into my neck, “You need sleep.”

“You need sleep, too. I’m positive you have been watching me all night after waiting for me all day.” I say as he nestles my drained body farther into a nook in his arms.

“Six days. You have been gone for six days.” He says, and I stare at him, confused.

Quickly, I survey myself and acknowledge that I’m not hungry, and it really didn’t feel any different from when time passed. Revelation hits me in my stupor state, “Time moves slowly in that realm then. I felt like maybe ten minutes had passed. Is that why their kin lived so long? Ancient bloodlines are from the realm where a few minutes there is a full week in this world? I wonder if all the ancient families are descendants from gods.”

He just nods slowly and strokes my arm. I can almost sense he’s enjoyment cuddling with me. I lean into him and kiss him, and all my senses are haywire. As an electric current, it seems to say we should stay together.

They sun rises higher, and we enjoy each other’s touch until he rustles me softly with a whisper, “Sorry Nadar. We need to move, and I’m not carrying you unless you are riding on me.”