Chapter 35 #2
In a swift motion, her hand rises, conjuring a gust of wind that sends me hurtling backward. I manage to land in a crouch, glaring fiercely at the witch as she struggles to regain her footing.
Suddenly, a spear whistles through the air, narrowly missing me before slamming into the witch’s chest with a sickening thud.
The force of the impact drives her backward, her body crashing against the jagged rock behind her.
The spear, black as midnight, bursts into a swirling mass of shadows, some tendrils pinning the witch in place, anchoring her to the stone, while the rest stream toward me.
The shadows envelop me, their tendrils snaking around my body, probing as if searching for any signs of injury. I barely register their touch, my focus drawn to the witch’s loud screeches as she thrashes against her bonds, her head whipping from side to side in a desperate attempt to free herself.
If she doesn’t quieten down, she will draw unwanted attention. And the last thing we need is another fucking battle.
I turn and watch as Ash teeters, her normally confident stance wavering.
There’s a flicker of alarm in her eyes, barely concealed beneath the surface as she tries to maintain her balance.
But it’s clear she’s struggling, the weight of exhaustion or perhaps the toll of the magic coursing through her body sapping her strength.
Time seems to slow, my breath catching in my throat as she starts to falter. Instinct takes over, a surge of urgency propelling me forward before I even realize I’ve moved. In a heartbeat, I’m at her side, my arms wrapping around her just as her legs give out.
I catch her, feeling the full weight of her body collapse into mine. “Ash?”
I lower her to the ground and gently tap her cheek. “Hey, baby? Wake up.”
My pulse thunders as fear takes hold, and I snap my attention to the movement behind me.
Seraphina has the witch by the throat, her feet dangling from the ground. I watch in muted horror as a golden tail whips out from Seraphina’s dress and stabs the witch through the chest. Her limp and lifeless body falls to the ground in a heap.
Seraphina turns to face me and my grip on Ash tightens.
“I may have healed her wounds, but her exhaustion is still there. This isn’t something my blood will fix. She needs rest.”
“I would rather leave this place.”
“As would I, but it seems we may have to spend one more night.”
I grunt and look around the very dark valley. The moon is now cloaked in clouds, and not a single star can be seen.
“Come, follow me. We will stay in the cave tonight. Tomorrow, we leave.”
I hesitate, looking down at Ash, then out into the night.
Fuck . . .
Maybe I’ll just carry her . . .
“If we attempt to escape under the cover of darkness, we will die. The creatures that prowl this place after dark are not to be trifled with,” Seraphina says, as if reading my mind.
My eyes fall shut on a heavy sigh; my shoulders are so tense.
I won’t put Ash in unnecessary danger, but the idea of spending the night here in the Valley of Death makes me cringe.
Bending down, I carefully cradle her in my arms, feeling the warmth of her body against mine.
Her gold markings shimmer faintly, still visible, making her look even more like a goddess.
My heart is completely hers. There’s no limit to what I would do for this woman.
With Ash securely in my grasp, I enter the cave and immediately feel a damp, cool breeze against my face. I can only see the outline of Seraphina up ahead as she crouches down and picks something up.
Standing, she turns to me and opens her mouth, blowing on whatever is in her hand. My jaw drops as a torch unexpectedly bursts into flames.
“Did you just breath fire in your human form?” I ask, completely stunned.
Seraphina shrugs and makes her way deep into the cave without answering, leaving me with no other option but to follow her.
After walking for several minutes, the cave opens into a small cavern bathed in a warm, golden glow emanating from a crackling fire in the hearth.
The walls are adorned with shelves filled with jars of various herbs and ingredients, giving off a comforting aroma.
A large wooden table stands in the center, surrounded by mismatched chairs, inviting us to sit and rest. A stream flows gracefully through the middle of the cavern, its crystal-clear water reflecting the dancing flames of the hearth.
There’s a space where it opens up into a small rock pool, the water looking inviting.
It’s as if this hidden haven has been carefully crafted to provide solace and respite amidst the harshness of the outside world.
“She can sleep here,” Seraphina says, moving blankets and pillows around on a small bed that’s built into the rock wall.
I walk over and gently lay Ash down, tucking the soft blankets tightly around her.
My heart swells with protectiveness; she looks so delicate and vulnerable like this.
It brings a smile to my face, knowing how much she would despise being seen as fragile.
As I stroke her head, I discover the stickiness of the drying blood on the back of it.
The rising tide of anger propels me to lean down and plant a soft, reassuring kiss on her forehead.
“I’ve got you baby. Sleep,” I murmur, resting my forehead against hers.
I breathe in her scent and take a moment to just surround myself with her. Ash lets out a soft sigh and snuggles deeper into the blankets. I smile, giving her one last kiss on the cheek before walking over and joining Seraphina in front of the fire.
“You two are close?” she asks, not moving her eyes from the flames.
“She is my everything.”
“How did you meet?”
I grin. “She showed up in town one night seeking an escape. I was bewitched from the moment I laid eyes on that dark, mysterious, sexy, confident woman.”
I sense Seraphina’s attention on me, but my focus remains on the fire. Though I’m acutely aware of every sound, smell, and movement around me.
“These other dragon shifters . . . what are they like?”
“Honestly, I’ve only met the one brother, Penn. In my world, they are part of a well-known family, rich and notorious for organized crime. Not people to be messed with. Ash has worked for them for a very long time. Coming here and finding you would grant her freedom to live her life as she wanted.”
A wave of magic sweeps over me, making the hairs on my arms stand on end. “So, they are like the old hags? Keeping others prisoner. Do they want to keep me prisoner? A trophy, hidden away?”
“Seraphina, Ash has already told you she will not force you to come with us. She isn’t like that—she is good.
She also wouldn’t deliver you to that kind of fate.
It took me a stupid amount of time to realize that.
I hate that I wasted time pushing her away.
I don’t know what the brothers have in mind for you, but I would suggest speaking to Ash about them or meeting them and making up your own mind.
You are free now; you can leave this place.
We won’t stop you if you choose not to follow us. ”
Seraphina relaxes, the magic in the air dying down. “I don’t remember my life before waking up here.”
“How long have you been here?”
Seraphina stands, walking over to the wall, her fingers tracing over the markings.
I rise to my feet, compelled to follow her.
As I approach, my eyes widen in horror at the sight of rows upon rows of deep scratches etched into the wall’s surface.
But that’s not all; my attention catches the presence of ominous burn marks and the haunting remnants of chains.
“What the fuck?” I blurt.
“For the first few years, I wasn’t very co-operative,” she whispers.
A seething combination of anger and disgust simmers in the pit of my stomach. “What are the markings?”
“That’s how many new moons went by. Even though I couldn’t see them, I could always sense a new moon rising.”
I do a quick count. “You’ve been here a hundred years? How old are you?” She didn’t look much older than twenty, if I were to guess.
Shrugging, she turns and makes her way back over to the fire. “I was only a young child when I was brought here. I don’t remember a time from before. The witches used to brag when they assumed I was sleeping.”
“About what?”
“Cursing my protectors, making it so they could never reach me. They didn’t think I was listening, but I was.” She sits and pulls her knees up to her chest, resting her chin on them as she stares deeply into the crackling flames.
“Fuck. No wonder you wanted to kill that last one” I mutter, staring at the claw marks and chains. Then it clicks—they were the witches that cursed the three brothers.
“They would not have taken losing me very well, and the other would have followed us. I’m glad she showed up. I couldn’t take that chance that she’d track me down. She is . . . was a monster.”
We settle into a comfortable silence after that.
Seraphina eventually lies down, her eyes drifting shut as she faces the crackling fire.
I focus on her heartbeat and breathing, listening intently.
Once I’m certain she’s asleep, I stand up and quietly walk over to where Ash is peacefully sleeping on the bed.
I rest on the floor, leaning my head against the wall.
Despite my efforts to stay awake, my eyelids strain under the pressure of fatigue.