Chapter 26: Mate! Mate!
In my past life, while I was a child in Black Bane, I’d heard stories about rogues who haunted the night and prowled the borders of Warborn. As a kid, I’d giggle nervously at the thought of those rogues, half-human, half-beast, driven mad by their exile but now that I am alone in the dark, the stories made my senses pickle in fear as I glanced back, catching the sight of armor atop the long tower of warborn.
A sudden gust swept across, carrying a swirl of dust that stung my eyes. I squinted, pulling my tattered dress tighter around my shoulders, but it did little to ward off the chill. Thunder rumbled in the sky, alongside lightning. Then, the first raindrop fell with heavy and cold force, followed by another, until it came fully, and the rain poured down relentlessly as if the sky itself was weeping for my misfortune. My hair got wet as it clung to my face, water streaming into my eyes as I forced myself to my feet. My legs trembled, weak from exhaustion and the constant pain of my bruises and I can’t stay here. The thought of Amelia came to my head but there was no way to reach her. She’s in the walls of warborn and the gates have been shut against me. At this moment, perhaps, Black Bane was my only hope, the only place that always caused me pain. I shall return there if the Moon Goddess sees fit to keep me alive until then.
I stumbled forward, the wind pushing against me as I fought each step like a battle. Goosebumps rose on my arms and every sensitive side of my body, my teeth chattering as the cold seeped into my bones. My bare feet sank into the muddy ground now, the rain turning the ground into a treacherous mire. I didn’t know how far Black Bane was but I know it will take some days to get there.
My breath came in ragged gasps as Lyra, my wolf, still remained silent. Was she dead? Ever since I entered that library, she haven’t said a word to me. Or is this one of her testing games? Pushing the thoughts away as the cold wind came stronger, I gritted my teeth, willing my legs to keep moving, but the storm was relentless, the wind howling heavily as if it meant to tear me apart.
Hours passed as my human strength began to fail me, my vision blurry as the rain battered my face. I suddenly reached a narrow, bushy path as I pushed through. This had to be the way to Black Bane, didn’t it? My legs shook violently now, my body screaming for rest. At this point, my inability to use my werewolf abilities gnarled at me as I felt weak and powerless. And suddenly, my knees buckled, and I collapsed to the ground, the rain pounding against my back as everything went dark.
Suddenly, a sharp beam of sunlight pierced my eyelids, jolting me awake. Blinking weakly, I winced slightly as the light burned my eyes and blurred my vision as I tried to sit up. A stabbing pain shot through my head as I pressed a hand to my temple, groaning slightly. My surroundings came into view slowly as I realized where I was. I am lying on a bed of dry leaves beneath a treehouse.
Birds chirped above the trees, flitting between branches. Suddenly, my eyes fell on a small fire nearby, its warmth seeping into my chilled skin. My dress, though tattered, was dry now and my hair no longer clung wetly to my face. How had I gotten here? The last thing I remembered was the rain, the mud, the cold... and then I had collapsed to the ground.