Page 77 of The Lands Defying
It will be okay, it has to be.
Twenty Two
Darius
Grabbing another small log, I heft it up into my arms as Leo and Damian do the same beside me. We are exposed, staying out in the open for the night instead of a cave, but with the land acting strangely, we don’t want to risk being crushed under stone.
“Do you think her pack is there?” Leo whispers quietly, and Damian looks over at him.
I sigh. “For her sake, I hope so, and alive.”
“We have no idea what we are walking into,” Damian mutters, picking up a stick. “We are completely blind apart from information from a Higher.”
Just like me, he doesn’t trust the male either.
“We are Elites,” I remind him, “We are always walking into situations with limited knowledge.” Turning to walk back. “As for the Higher. Rhea trusts him, that has to mean something.”
“Doesn’t mean we trust him though,” Damian mutters.
“Correct,” I agree.
Leo huffs. “I can’t wait to kill some pricks anyway, it’s been too long, I’m getting itchy.”
Damian smiles. “Bloodthirsty fucker, we just sparred the other day. You nearly broke my nose.”
Leo shrugs. “Yeah, but I don’t want to actually kill you. Zaide and Jerrod are agitated too.”
I suspect both are for different reasons.
One being away from a certain witch, and the other to get to a mother and her child.
“Just don’t mention anything to Rhea, I don’t want her to be more upset than she already is.” I check ahead to see that she is far away from being able to hear us.
She’s sat next to Josh, both of them building a campfire we will have no choice but to use. Taylor stands with his back turned, looking out into the distance for threats.
Zaide and Jerrod are opposite, doing the same while Hudson and Colten sit on the ground.
When Rhea suddenly smiles at Josh for whatever he says, a growl builds in my throat, but for once, I swallow it down, knowing that she needs his comfort.
Just until I get back, I tell myself, still wanting to remove his head from his shoulders.
“It is strange seeing you like this,” Leo muses, amusement filling his tone. My eyes flick to him. “I never said it wasn’t a good thing, drop your glare,” he chuckles.
“I agree, very strange,” Damian reaches up and snaps a branch. “But I like her, we all do. We also like her giving you shit. She has you wrapped around her little paw.”
“Fuck off,” I grumble.
“Ha!” he says. “Don’t pretend you don’t love it.” I smirk but say nothing. Then his tone becomes serious as he stops and turns fully toward me. “We will take care of her like our own. You know that, right?”
I straighten to my full height at his seriousness, and walk over to him. “I know that.” I place a hand on his shoulder and squeeze. “I know, brother. I appreciate it.”
Leo comes to my side and nudges my arm. “Always.”
“Come on, let’s head back,” I say, having gathered enough wood.
Reaching Rhea, her head lifts instantly, and the satisfaction that her attention comes to me right away makes a rumbling purr begin in my chest.
We put the wood in the center, and Hudson moves forward, scraping stones together to cause a spark. Once flames start to appear, I call my power and put a barrier up around us.
