Page 1 of Nyanine's Divide

Chapter 1

Willa

Humming to myself as I walk through the forest, I gather the ingredients I need to make my favorite soup for dinner. I haven’t made it since Jeff arrived on the planet, and I’m hoping that he will like it as much as I do. He doesn’t seem to dislike many foods, so it shouldn’t be a problem. A grin stretches my lips at the thoughts of Jeff, my fingertips brushing the mark across my sternum. What would I do without that man?

He literally dropped into my life out of nowhere and became my happily ever after. He’s been everything I ever wanted and then some. Because of him and Kari, I’ve managed to heal old wounds, grow into a stronger, better person, and have been able to help others do the same, and that’s a gift I never knew I needed. My life has so much more meaning and purpose now because of them, and I couldn’t live without them, without him.

Skipping up the steps, I pause and look back to find my ever-present guard, Cruzig, at the bottom of the stairs. “Cruzig, where is Jeff? Shouldn’t you be with him while I’m home and safe?”

Cruzig is large, easily towering over my small frame, like many of my people do, but he’s broader than most. Initially, one might think that he’s scary, being so big and overpowering, but he’s a gentle giant with a heart of gold. I study him as his blue eyes crinkle slightly with a smile, his short-cropped hair hiding nothing of his features, especially not his horns, which protrude proudly from his head. He’s an oddity among the village people because of his short hair and larger stature, but we love him nonetheless.

His head cocks slightly to the right as he smiles at me. “Willa, he’s with Kari and the others in a meeting with the chief. The other guards are with him, he’s safe, I assure you. My priority is you when he isn’t around; the lieutenant has made that quite clear to me.”

I huff, rolling my eyes as I look across the village to the chief’s home. “Of course, he did. Very well, then. I’ll be inside getting dinner started. If I’m needed, you’re welcome to come in and fetch me.” Giving him a sweet smile and nod of the head, he bows his in respect to me before I turn and head inside.

I wish he wouldn’t treat me like a fragile piece of glass all the time. Don’t get me wrong, I understand why they do it; they all fear for the safety of the village, for Kari’s safety, because of this leader we have that’s apparently out to get her. I don’t know much about the outside world, I’ve never left the village, but Jeff’s concern has me on edge more than I’d like to admit. As much as I appreciate Cruzig and the other hunters for becoming our security guards, it’s also creating a stifling effect where I feel as if I can’t manage anything alone. There’s no sense of privacy anymore!

We’re constantly followed, constantly watched, and I know that no matter how far away they try to stay, they still hear more than we’d like them to. Most of our conversations seem to remain private, but I’m sure our sexy times are not. I know I’m not quiet or ashamed of that, but still. It begins to wear on you after a while, feeling like you’re never alone or capable of doing anything without a shadow.

It’s one thing to be protected, to feel safe, it’s another to feel like you’re being doubly stalked, if that makes any sense outside my own head. This so-called king of ours is watching our every move with drones, that is when we can’t stop them from coming into the village, and now we’re being watched on top of that by our own people. And I’m not just talking about the guards, I mean the entire village, the city; people are watching us, waiting for something to happen with Kari and this king, and it’s all wearing on my nerves. I’m tired of feeling like my entire life is on display for public viewing.

And let’s not forget the additional people in the village, those we barely know but claim to help us. They’re causing stirrings of unease, especially among the children here for refuge. These people, according to Charlie, are reformed criminals. I suppose their good deeds are meant to make us feel better, but I’m not sure most people feel that way. We don’t know them well enough to know that they won’t turn back to their former ways just to get us. The unease, the tension, the ever-present feeling of being watched, it’s becoming too much - an encroaching, stifling blanket of anxiety and fear that’s wreaking havoc on us all.

Shaking away the thoughts of unease and frustration that plague me, I opt to let them go and focus on what is important in this moment. “Great Mother, help me let go of that which does not serve me so that I may be a beacon of light in our community and focus on the present moment and what’s most important. Thank you.” Pressing my palms together, I bow to the Motherand smile, ready to get to work on dinner. It always helps to release the things weighing me down so that I can focus on the moment with joy. No matter how small or mundane they may seem, focusing on every task with light and joy makes each day brighter and allows you to more easily brighten another’s day with your positive attitude.

I quickly clean the vegetables and chop them up at the counter. Starting the broth over the fire at the edge of the kitchen, I let it come to a simmer before adding the vegetables and dried meat we have stored. Grabbing my large wooden spoon, I bend down to gently stir it all together, grinning at the sweet and savory aroma that lifts into my face.

Standing, I turn to head into the kitchen when a sharp pain blooms in my chest, stealing the breath from my lungs. At the same time, a loud pop has me jumping, my gaze zeroing in on the front door. I can’t bring myself to move, the pain unbearable, my breath stuttering as I struggle to remain standing. A scream rings out that sounds too much like Jeff’s name for my comfort, setting my nerves alight and my body in motion. Panting, I rush to the door, throwing myself down the stairs and into the village center without a single thought for the danger that this may bring.

The guards are in a circle just at the edge of the village, near the path to Vahru’s cabin, and several more are rushing into the forest with weapons drawn, arrows flying. Kari is yelling Jeff’s name, begging him to stay with her, and I rush forward, shoving past Cruzig, before he follows me, then the others, only to drop to my knees by Jeff’s head as he lies on the ground, bleeding heavily.

“Jeff, oh, my god, what the hell happened!?” I cup his face as his eyes roll around until settling on me. There’s blood pooling on his chest and dripping to the ground as Kari presses against him, screaming for help, her fingers soaked in his blood.

He mouths my name as Vahru rushes into the circle of people and drops down with a medical bag. “Willa, I need you to focus and grab the herbs and leaves we need for a poultice, now!” His voice is gruff as he gives me one stern look, his swirling blue eyes filled with urgency as he ties back his long black hair. The tightness of his hair against his scalp makes his horns stand out, the stern look on his face giving him a dark edge, one I’ve never truly seen on my dearest friend. I nod once and jump up, rushing off to a different part of the forest than the guards.

Cruzig follows me, knives drawn, as he watches all around me. As I slip past the first tree, the guttural scream that pierces the air has me tripping over a root, tumbling to the ground. I gasp for air as my chest constricts, pain shooting across it, up into my shoulder, and down my side. Cruzig pulls me into his arms as tears rush down my face, mouth open in a silent scream, the pain too much to bear. Jeff is dying, and I’m helpless.

“Willa, listen to me, you’re going to be okay. It’s the bond, you need to fight it. Can you close it down, even halfway, so you can focus? You need to get him this medicine, you need to fight. For Jeff,” Cruzig murmurs in my ear, his words firm but filled with emotion. He squeezes me tighter as I search inside myself for the thread of connection between Jeff and I. Finding the glowing thread, I imagine pinching it with my fingers, cutting off the connection, or at least, dulling it for a while.

The pain subsides, and I slowly catch my breath. Cruzig rubs my hair, smoothing it down my back. “Good job, Willa. Good job.” I hug him back for a moment before pushing up to my feet, giving him a nod in thanks before I rush off into the forest. He follows close behind as I hurry and rip up handfuls of what we need, muttering each ingredient to myself.

Once I’ve got enough, I rush back to the circle. Kari’s tears are dripping onto her hands, mixing with Jeff’s blood as she continues to try and stop the bleeding. “Please, Jeff, stay withme. You can’t leave me, you’re my family. Please!” She screams the last word as his eyes fall shut. She shakes him, begging him to stay with her, and his head lolls as he struggles to stay present.

I hand Vahru the excess herbs I grabbed and quickly shove the amount I need into my mouth, chewing vigorously. The flavor is bitter, the leaves waxy and squeaky against my teeth, but I push through the urge to gag and keep chewing until the consistency is right. Vahru shoves his hand out in front of me, and I quickly spit into it. He shoves Kari aside gently, removing the material she was pressing to the wound, before he jabs the poultice into place. Jeff groans, and I gently pin his shoulders, shushing him. Vahru bandages him the best he can, covering the poultice with cloth and wrapping some around his chest as I hold him upright.

“Get him into the house, now. He’s not safe here. Let’s move!” My voice is hard, commanding, a tone I’ve only ever used once: the day I got Xenshay banished from the village.

The guards quickly work to pick up Jeff and rush him inside, onto the bed, as I hold the door. He groans as he’s set down, and I rush to the kitchen for some water to clean him up. I shout for someone to remove the soup from the fire for me as I can’t focus on that right now. Rushing back with a bowl and towel, I gently wipe away what blood I can, quickly turning the water pink, and then red.

“Jeff, Jeff, honey, look at me.” I cup his face, my hands still wet with the water. His eyes groggily open as he focuses on me, his hand rising to glide through my hair. “I love you, Willa.” “I love you, too. But, damnit, you’re not dying, so don’t do that!”

He smiles for a moment before his eyes slide closed once more, his breathing rapid and shallow from the pain. I sit there, still, watching him because I can’t bear to look away for fear he might simply disappear as quickly as he arrived in my life.

Tears track down my cheeks as I resume rubbing the cloth over him gently, unable to stop, and Vahru’s hand lands on my shoulder. “He’s clean, Willa. You’ve done all you can.”

Turning, I set the bowl aside and stand to face Vahru. “Tell me true, will he make it?”

He grimaces, swallowing, as he grabs my hands in his. “I don’t know right now. Let’s see how he responds to the poultice and teas. Without my scanner, I can’t see if his organs were hit. The fact that he’s still breathing, I’d say he’s safe for the moment.”

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