Page 122 of The Lands Defying
“Rhea was close to a pack of wild wolves that live in Eridian, the only members of that pack left are its Alpha and his son. The Alpha is in bad shape, Anna should be able to fix him.”I say, pressing down harder on the wound as blood seeps through my fingers.
“I’ll have her port in now.”
I check around me, not sensing any more rogures and wonder how the fuck I’m going to move him.
“Come find me East of the river, if you head straight, you will find us. Rogures killed them, but the Alpha took them down and there aren’t any signs of more.”
“Got it,”Leo says.“I’ll be there soon and I’ll have some men check the perimeter.”
I reach a hand out and touch the Alpha’s head, checking for any other injuries as his breathing becomes even more labored. “You drew them away to try and protect your family, didn’t you?” He growls low when my hands move down his spine. “Your son is still alive, so you need to hold still and let us help you,” I tell him, feeling no other injuries. “You fought well, rest now.”
As if understanding me, he closes his eyes, and his tense body relaxes.
“He’s lucky their bite didn’t poison him,” Anna murmurs, putting her healing salve onto the wound on the wolf’s side. “This is the worst of his injuries,” she says before moving her hand to the puncture marks on his chest. “These will heal on their own, but the salve will help. He should be fine in a week or so if infection doesn’t grab hold of him.”
I nod, running my hand between his ears. It’s to help him stay calm, but also to be able to grab him if he decides he doesn’t want Anna helping him anymore and tries to bite her.
Leif lays at my side, his front paws touching his fathers as they watch each other. Not long after Anna and Leo arrived, he came bouldering over and hasn’t left since, whimpering for his father.
I should have known he wouldn’t stay put, and it makes all the more sense why he likes Rhea. Neither do as they are told.
“Elites are doing their checks. There are signs of them having been here, but none have lingered,” Leo tells me, running a hand through his blonde hair and looking at the dead rogures we are burning a little ways from us.
The smell makes my nose twitch, but I don’t want any trace of them left here.
Eridian has already been tainted enough.
“It seems they were killed yesterday according to the wolf’s injuries. Maybe they were moving on and caught the pack’s scent,” I say, watching Anna apply the rest of the salve. She puts the bowl down and reties her red hair before blowing out a breath.
She looks tired, the darkness under her eyes visible. She has been working tirelessly on spells to try and find Rhea. She spends her time at the cliffside, throwing all manner of things in there while chanting.
I know she feels like a failure, and I know this because I feel the same.
Zaide leans against a tree, blade in hand, watching her work. I’ve noticed him watching her a lot, but I don’t say anything.
I couldn’t really care.
“That’s all I can do, it’s in the Gods hands now. If he gets worse, I can call my Grandmother but she is busy looking through our archives to find a spell.” Anna pats the wolf’s side and stands. “Where will you keep him as he recovers?”
I tilt my head, wondering if it’s the right place to port him, but I can’t think of anywhere else. “I have a place; I’ll port him with Leif.”
“You will need help taking them both, I’ll come.” Leo makes a move towards me, but I shake my head. His brows furrow.
“No, I’ll take them on my own.” I ignore his inquisitive look and hold out my hand for the port stone.
Anna picks up her bowl. “Any news?” she asks gently, like anything sudden will send me over the edge. I would say there is no need to be cautious, but that would be a lie.
“None,” I grunt.
Her shoulders slump, and she walks away without another word, her head down.
Zaide follows.
I grab Leif by the scruff of the neck and move him to my lap, keeping my hand on the Alpha’s head, and then port out without another word.
The lands spin, and my body compresses but it’s over quickly. Then I’m sitting just before where the water falls from the opening in the top of Rhea’s cave.
The Alpha tries to stand, a growl on his snarling lips but my own growls shut him up. Leif turns in my lap, raising his paws to my chest and licks my cheek before running off to the lilk trees, finding a wisp to play with.
