Page 130 of The Lands Defying
I know Leo is looking for me, I know it won’t be long so I have to do this quickly and move on. I already shut down the link so he couldn’t hound me, but Leo being Leo will find me anyway.
I know they are worried, but I just need time to expel this…rage bubbling within me before I can go back to the cliffs and search again.
I growl, slashing and stabbing my blade again and again as we take on this family of them.
They howl, their spiked tails high as they come for me again and again.
I welcome it.
I welcome the burn of battle, the exhaustion that will hopefully soon take me to slumber before I completely lose it.
I get hit in the side, a spike entering me and I swing back in anger, blade forgotten as I punch the side of its head.
Once.
Twice.
When it’s knocked on its side, I stab it through the head.
Lifting my hands, I push power to it and shape it into spikes as I dodge another attack. Rolling and then coming to a stand, I let those spikes loose, releasing them to the three bora that are charging for me.
A buzzing suddenly fills my ear, and I shake my head, disorientated for a moment, but then I pause, arms hanging loosely as I turn. I look through the dead trees aimlessly, blinking the sweat from my eyes at this feeling…
I take a step, then two, but then a bora knocks me over from the side as Leo speaks to me.
Thirty Eight
Rhea
We land with anoomph, my legs giving out instantly and I hit the ground hard. The now useless stone rolls from my hand and I crawl over to the wolf as he drops down. I wrap my arms around his neck, my face hiding in his fur and I grip him tightly, my heart crashing against him.
Gods, that was close.
I can sense the others behind me, murmuring and whispering, comforting the young ones as I collect myself for a moment.
I eventually lift my head and pull back, placing my hands on either side of the wolf’s muzzle. They look so small against his large head as we just look at each other, trying to calm our breathing before I lay my forehead against his nose in relief.
Getting to my feet gingerly, I look over the wolf’s injuries. He’s bleeding in all sorts of places, his back leg is especially bad and I move to it, placing my hand upon it. He makes a sharp huffing sounds, and I shush him, trying to comfort him as I try to find my power and come up empty again.
Someone moves in our direction and I turn my head, baring my teeth. The villager steps back, hands raised in defense.
They won’t come near him when he’s hurt.
I try again to heal him, to send anything to him but nothing happens. I pant through my breaths, wiping the sweat beading on my brow as I rise to my feet again.
“Where are we?” I hear Mivera ask somewhere behind me, and I answer without looking.
“The edge of The Deadlands.” They all gasp and make noises of fright. “It won’t be long now until we reach the top of the cliffs that surround Eridian. Come, we have to move, the glow of the tree sap will help guide us.”
The wolf gets to his feet when I encourage him to do so as we start walking, making sure my pace isn’t too fast to help the wolf take his time. I stick to his side, my legs barely holding me up. My chest heaves as pain shoots through the center of me, spreading to my arms and up my neck. I grit my teeth, my hand gripping the wolf’s fur as sweat beads on my forehead. I’m panting after walking for a short while, damn near collapsing as I lean into the wolf. His head turns and nudges me, and I make a noise, not able to talk.
His teeth come to the back of my tunic and pulls me to him. I look up at him in question and he nods to his back.
I shake mine. No way is he carrying me in his current state.
He lowers himself down to the ground, refusing to move and I try and catch my breath, all the adrenaline leaving me. I relent and try to lift my leg, but it’s like stone.
A hand comes to my arm, and I growl at it, not wanting to be touched.
