CHAPTER EIGHT
1354 Words
The forest path was split where the old oak tree stood, with its twisted roots pushing through the earth like fingers gripping the ground. Phaeryl slowed down as she reached it, her boots crunching softly over fallen leaves.
Isla stopped beside her, and neither of them spoke.
The silence gave them time to recall everything that had just happened in the palace— the tunnel and the desperate rush through the forest.
Phaeryl finally exhaled. “Well… this is where we separate.”
Isla nodded, her lips pressed together with a slight dip at the corners. They had decided earlier that returning to their packs separately would draw less attention. Traveling together would only make them easier to track.
“You’ll head west?” Phaeryl asked,giving her the bag of valuables.
Isla adjusted the strap of the bag slung over her shoulder. “Yes. My packs’ territory is three days from here if I keep moving.” She glanced toward the northern trail. “And you?”
“Two days,” Phaeryl replied. “Maybe less.”
Isla studied her face for a moment.“You’re thinking of him again. Aren’t you?”
A small crease appeared between Phaeryl’s eyebrows. “I’m thinking about getting home and certainly far away from him”
Isla’s eyebrows crept upward while her lips formed a smirk
“Are you sure about that?” This was Isla’s way of pulling her legs. Phaeryl was more elated about how close they both got during their stay at Keld. Isla was the younger sister she never realized she wanted.
The faint warm sensation behind her eyes had been unusually quiet for most of the journey, but every now and then, it pulsed faintly.
“It’s nothing,” She affirmed , brushing the thought away.
Isla stepped forward and abruptly pulled Phaeryl into a brief hug.
“Take care of yourself, Be careful on your way, ” Phaeryl ‘s hand slowly patted her back.
“You too.”
They pulled apart, exchanging one last look before going toward their separate paths.
Phaeryl was as Isla disappeared down the western trail, her figure slowly swallowed by the trees.
And soon she was alone.
The journey home was quieter than she expected. She couldn’t push away the feeling of someone following her, turning back at intervals, hoping to catch the person by surprise. There was no one.
Every step deeper into familiar territory eased some of the tension in her chest. The forest smelled the same; the pine, damp soil, and smoke drifting from distant chimneys. Just like it was when she was leaving and will always be.
By the time the sun dipped low behind the trees, relief washed over her when the first wooden watchtower came into view.
Two guards stood at the entrance to the pack’s territory. They straightened the moment they recognized her.
“Phaeryl?”
“We thought you were still in the capital.”
“I was. I just returned.”
She noticed the obvious surprise on their faces, but neither of them questioned any further.
“Your parents are home,” one of them said. “They’ve been expecting you.”
She paused at what she had just heard.
“Expecting me?”
The guard nodded. “They have a guest.”
“Yeah, the wolf had a black cloak over him”
Him? There’s no way he’s here.
Phaeryl hesitated slightly before she increased her pace.
Her home stood near the center of the territory—a modest scenic manor surrounded by tall pine trees.
Her ears twitched on hearing different voices drifting from inside.
One of them made her stop mid-step.
Low. Calm. Familiar with a tinge of mischief. There was no way she was mistaken, but all of her wanted it to be all in her head.
“No,” she murmured.
Phaeryl pushed the door open to her father’s private lobby.
Her parents were seated at the wooden table in the center of the room.
And across from them was Xhanes.
He looked perfectly comfortable, leaning back in his chair with a glass in his hand while speaking with her father.
Her stomach twisted at the sight of her mother laughing softly at something he said.
“What—” Her voice cracked slightly. “What is he doing here?”Three pairs of eyes turned toward her. Her eyes darted towards Xhanes, who had a smug plastered on his face.
Her mother’s face lit up with relief. “Phaeryl! You’re finally home.”
“Aery” A faint smile appeared on his lips.
Phaeryl didn’t know when her lips twisted in disgust
“You—" What did you just call me? Please don’t do that”
That wasn’t the most important issue at the moment.
“How did you get here?”
He lifted his glass slightly. “I walked.”
“That’s not what I meant.”
“Sit down, Phaeryl.” Her father’s voice sounded firm as usual.
She slowly sat, sharing a glance between him and Xhanes in disbelief.
“You didn’t tell us that Xhanes is your mate. You didn’t even tell us you finally found your bond mark”
“It was a lot.” That was the only thing she could say as her gaze snapped to her mother.
Her mother nodded, though her expression carried a hint of concern.
“He explained everything.”
Phaeryl turned slowly back to Xhanes.He hadn’t moved.
Hadn’t even looked remotely nervous about being inside another pack’s territory. This was a confirmation that her guts were correct. The person she had bumped into at the tavern was indeed Xhanes, and he could freely leave Keld as he liked. It was a shame that the capital still think that they have him trapped
“You escaped the palace. How is that possible? ” she said slowly, trying to find a perfect explanation.
“Not quite the word ‘escape’, I would say ‘left’” She didn’t care if he escaped or left. She only cared about the little patience she had left for Xhanes.
As if reading her mind, her father spoke before she could question him further.
“The Ardegards have always had a strong alliance with our pack. The capital has begun tightening control over several packs. His people are essentially trapped.”
Phaeryl’s brows slightly twitched “And that’s why he’s here?”
“Yes,”
“He needs a place to stay temporarily while he figures out how to free them.”
Phaeryl’s gaze shot to Xhanes.
“You’re hiding… in my pack’s territory?”
“Temporarily,”
“And you’re fine with this?” She couldn’t stop herself from throwing the question at her parents
“He came here alone,” Her mother sighed “And whatever else he may be, he hasn’t harmed us.”
“Besides,” he added, “it would be foolish to turn away someone powerful enough to challenge the capital.”
This felt unreal. She was certain that this was all a staged joke.
“So let me get this straight,” she said slowly.
“You escaped the palace…”
“Left”
“Tracked me all the way here…”
“I’ll not say tracked. I just decided to stay at my strongest ally’s territory”
How didn’t I know that we had an alliance with Ardegards.
His smile widened slightly as if he had read her thoughts.
Phaeryl stared at him long and hard.
Before sinking deeper into the chair she was sitting on.
“This is a terrible idea,” she muffed incoherently
Xhanes chuckled quietly.
“Probably.”
Her father broke the somewhat silly interview between them.
“The capital is moving pieces behind the scenes,” he said. “If they’re trying to control the packs, then war may not be far behind.”
Phaeryl glanced at Xhanes.
“And you think you can stop it?”
His gaze met hers.
For once, there was no amusement there.
Only quiet determination.
“Oh I don’t even intend to try.”
- Writer
