Chapter 30: You Let Her Die!
Maeve
"Get away from me!"
I was running, frantic, tripping and stumbling through the dense greenbelt that lay between the castle ground and the village below. There was noise all around me; screaming, shouting, the eerie high-pitched howl of wolves.
I could hear him behind me, his breath catching in his throat as he cursed aloud, begging me to stop.
"You're running right into it, Maeve. You need to stop for a minute. We need to come up with a plan to get to the port-"
"I'm not going anywhere with you!" My face was tight from my dried tears as I spoke.
"Look around!" he bellowed as he clutched me by the shoulder, pulling me to a stop. I could tell by the tone of his voice that he was in incredible pain. One arm was dangling at his side, bent and bleeding profusely from a terrible, protruding fracture in his forearm. I should help him, heal him.
No. I wouldn’t. He was as good as dead to me.
But he was right; fire was blazing in the village. We could see the amber light through the trees and the smoke beginning to drift into the canopy of leaves over our heads.
I turned to him as his hand left my shoulder. He cradled his arm again, his chest heaving with effort.
"Who the f*ck are you?" I said, unable to hide the heartbreak in my voice.
He shook his head, sweat dripping off his jaw as he bent forward, leaning into a tree for support. "I'm really hurt, Maeve.
I can't shift like this. I thought we had more time."
"More time for what, Troy? If that’s even your real name-"
"It is."
"What is happening right now? What happened to Gemma?" My voice cracked as I said her name. I hadn't processed it yet. Everything that had happened within the last half hour was a total blur, only little fragments of memory floating around in my mind. But Gemma's screams were clear. They were still ringing in my ears.
"Alpha Damian of Poldesse is invading. He's taking over Drogomor."
"Why? Is that why you're here?”
"No. At least, I didn't know this was his plan. I thought-" he swayed, pitching forward. I felt my body moving to help him without my permission, but I righted myself, my fingers curling into fists. "Romero he-Damian used me. I was a decoy to keep you and Ernest distracted while he made his move."
"What does this have to do with me? I'm not the Luna yet-"
He looked up at me, his eyes shining with unimaginable pain, "Damian wants you for something I don’t understand. Romero was in on it, he tried to explain it to me but I thought he was just a mad old fool, I-"
the air around us and I jumped,
later... I can't think straight. I
to walk forward again, grinding my teeth as my skin prickled
my ship. You’re not safe in Valoria. All of Damian's men will be looking for
I said, turning around to face him once more. "She was right there. She was
have taken you to Damian, and I am
decision to make." I swallowed a sob, blinking back a fresh batch of
to go, Maeve. We can’t talk about
you? Let you take me to your ship? Where
to
"I don’t-”
will keep you safe, Maeve. I will reunite you
Ernest? He's my
second, then he looked away, hurt lining his face. "Ernest wants to be on his own. He doesn't need
"What does he—"
mate," he said. "I have no way of describing
"Neither would you!"
know. I know what it feels like
through my system. I swallowed it down, praying it didn't show on my face
continued, lowering his gaze before struggling to push himself off
a lot
looked at him, my gaze leaving his face and settling on the blood-soaked sleeve of his shirt. He was
I bit down even
his face
I met in the market was gone. The man who teased me, who tossed me in the grass and ran
from the fourth-story window were slow to heal. The minuscule amount of blood I had given him might have been
broken. His ankle would continue to swell. He wouldn’t
of the kiss, his face tilted up to the sky as he breathed in, closing
touch me again," I whispered, my
***
was in chaos as we pushed through the smoke. I was supporting Troy, his good arm wrapped around my shoulder and his broken arm tied to his chest in a sling I had
only embers now. The old stone buildings were being licked by flames, and their thatch roofs blackened
way down the
the covered
would inherit ruin, not a
us. A figure limped out of the smoke, her long gray hair
He was barely conscious at this point, his head
what was once their home through the smoke, flames totally engulfing it.
to the river, now," Troy said hoarsely,
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
The Novel will be updated daily. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone!