Page 15 of Bound in Flames

“Go now, before I leave you bleeding out in this stream.”

Holding up his hands in a mock gesture of surrender, the stranger took a step back. “Very well. But know this. I am but a Watcher. My master knows the shaman has been found, and he will come for her. You cannot keep her from him.”

With one last glance in my direction, the Watcher melted back into the shadows of the forest, his departure leaving behind an eerie, suffocating silence.

After several long minutes, Dex sheathed his sword, his golden eyes blazing as he turned to face me. His expression could have been carved from stone, his jaw clenched tight. “You’re drawing attention.”

His words stung.

“I didn’t ask for this,” I snapped, my voice tight with barely contained fear.

I could see his gaze soften, though his frustration remained underneath, his voice still held a harsh edge as he spoke. “Magic doesn’t care what you asked for. It’s inside you, and it’s drawing enemies from the shadows. We have to keep moving.”

I nodded, my thoughts spiraling as the stranger’s words echoed in my mind:My master knows the shaman has been found. Who was this master? What did they want with me? The questions twisted in my chest, refusing to let go.

Dex stepped closer, his large hand resting on my shoulder. His touch was firm, grounding me. “We’ll take the Shadow Lands path through the forest. There’s a hunting party of my warriors in the area. They’ll help keep you safe.” He squeezed my shoulder gently as his golden eyes locked on mine. “We need move fast.”

I felt the weight of my fear ease. The anger and frustration simmering in his expression was obvious, but there was something else there. He was trying to protectme.

As his hand fell away, the absence of his touch hit harder than I expected, leaving me feeling untethered and exposed. I already missed the fleeting sense of safety he brought, the way his presence made the world seem just a little less terrifying. Swallowing hard, I forced myself to step forward, unwilling to let him see how much I needed that moment to last.

The sun was directly overhead,casting a soft golden light over the forest as we moved in deeper. The weight of the stranger's words still clung to me. I could still see his cold eyes when I closed mine. I could still hear the malice in his voice.He will come for her. You cannot protect her from what’s coming.The threat made me shiver despite the stuffy midday air.

It was peaceful here in the forest. The ground was soft, damp earth giving way beneath my boots, while the towering trees seemed to stretch endlessly into the sky, their branches interwoven into a natural ceiling that filtered the sunlight into fragmented beams.

I couldn’t help but feel a sense of awe. The forest pulsed with a wild energy, and I could feel it crackle across my skin like static from a lightning storm. Here, the land was free and chaotic, butin that chaos was a kind of harmony I had begun to notice. The trees grew where they willed, their thick roots snaking across the ground, interwoven with ferns and brambles. Small streams cut through the land, their clear waters winding their way around moss-covered stones. Birds flitted from branch to branch, their songs echoing through the canopy.

I focused on my breathing, just like Dex had taught me. In and out. Deep and steady. It was harder now, while walking through the forest, the uneven ground beneath my feet. My hands curled into fists as frustration bubbled up. How could I possibly connect to the forest while my thoughts were racing and the world felt so unstable?

I could do this.I took a steadying breath, my eyes fluttering closed for a moment. A soft hum brushed against the edges of my awareness, warm and inviting, like an outstretched hand waiting to be taken. I exhaled slowly and let myself lean into it. I opened my eyes slowly.

Glowing veins of magic were flowing all around me. The trees pulsed with a silver-green light, their roots humming deep beneath the earth in an ancient rhythm. The air shimmered, my eyes catching on tiny motes of colored energy, swirling and dancing around us. A soft laugh burst from my chest with delight as the magic wrapped itself around me, brushing against my skin in a warm caress. It felt safe.

My hands began to glow. Faint tendrils of a green flecked with silver weaved between my fingers like living threads. I stopped walking, unable to help myself, staring in wonder as the energy thrummed gently in my palms. It felt like the forest itself was breathing with me, alive in ways I’d never imagined.

Dex turned at the sound of my laugh, his golden eyes narrowing before softening. A slow smile spread across his face, and something inside me warmed at the sight.

“It’s beautiful,” I whispered, my voice trembling in awe as tears welled in my eyes. I glanced up at him, hoping he could see it too—the wonder, the connection, the impossible, glorious harmony of it all.

“Yeah,” he said quietly, his smile growing as he stepped closer. His gaze lingered on the magic glowing in my hands, and pride flickered across his features. “It is.”

I wanted to hold onto this feeling forever. The hum of the forest, the glowing energy, the connection coursing through me—it felt like I’d found a part of myself. But the world around us pressed in, and I hesitated, glancing between Dex and the path ahead.

Reluctantly I let the glow fade, the threads of magic dissolving back into the air. But the connection didn’t disappear completely. I could still feel it, just beneath the surface, waiting for me. A smile tugged at my lips as I started walking again. I knew exactly where to find it now.

I didn’t understand it yet, but there was an undeniable connection between the earth and my magic. It was a power that pulsed at the edge of my awareness. The trees’ branches swayed as I passed, their rustling leaves a quiet acknowledgment I couldn’t ignore. Each passing minute made me more aware of the power around me without having to call it forward.

I realized that Dex had said little since the encounter with the stranger, his focus fixed on the worn path ahead. His silence didn’t bother me. In a way, it felt comfortable, like I was beginning to understand his rhythm. He wasn’t ignoring me; he was leading. Protecting. I found myself watching him almost exclusively, noticing the way his dark hair caught the light, or the way his broad shoulders shifted with each step. For a warrior, he seemed oddly at ease in the quiet moments.

I hadn’t known what to expect when I’d first met this orc. A Chieftain, after all, had sounded terrifying. But now, walkingbeside him through the woods, I realized he wasn’t so scary. Intimidating, yes, there was no denying the power in his stride or the sharpness in his gaze, but it wasn’t cruelty that made him that way. He was serious, driven, carrying himself with the kind of authority that came from responsibility. And yet, beneath all that, there was something else. A quiet protectiveness, a sense of purpose that radiated from him in a way that made me feel safe, even when he was the source of my frustrations and nervousness.

My mind wandered back to last night, the way his warmth had seeped into me as I rested against his chest. It felt impossibly natural, as though I’d been meant to fit there all along. The memory sent a flush crawling up my neck, and I shook my head, trying to dispel my wayward thoughts.

I didn’t understand why I couldn’t stop thinking about it, why the warmth of his chest and the strength in his arms kept sneaking into my mind. There was something grounding about him, like the forest itself, wild and yet steady beneath my feet. I clenched my fists, heat prickling at my cheeks. What was wrong with me?He was a stranger!Someone who frustrated me more often than not. And yet, I couldn’t deny the pull I felt.

I snuck a glance at him out of the corner of my eye, catching the way the dappled sunlight danced across his features. His golden eyes were scanning the trees, his grip firm on the hilt of his sword. He was constantly aware, always ready, yet there was a calm about him that I couldn’t help but admire.

I didn’t just feel safe with him. I wanted to be close to him. To feel that warmth again, to have his arms around me. The realization sent a fresh wave of embarrassment surging through me.

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