Chapter 14 Kade
Kade
Our party moved quickly and quietly through the lush hills of Brookmere as we traveled to the Southern Forest.
Ian led the pack with Lana and me in the middle, while Jax took up the rear. We planned to use Raya and Ian’s connection to send back any information if necessary.
Keeping Lana safe throughout this journey and doing as little as possible to attract attention was my only goal.
Lana remained hopeful all her questions would be answered when we found her mother’s journal. If we found the journal.
Ian called back, “About an hour longer, then we’ll stop. There’s a grove that should provide us ample protection for the night.”
I gave Ian a curt nod in response. The less noise the better.
So far, the dark ones had kept their distance since I’d arrived in Brookmere. But there was still a pull, a tug to return to Mysthaven and comply with the orders given to me by Thames.
Logically, I knew if I remained in my right mind, I would never give Lana over to him, but what if the darkness took over?
Would I be able to resist his calling? Would I ever be able to rid this disease from my body?
Lana’s light worked now, but I couldn’t help but wonder what we would do if the darkness overpowered her magic.
Perhaps this journal would have an idea of how to rid the darkness and evil from not only the land but from Fae as well.
She had her theories that the blade had removed the darkness from the dark ones she’d used it on.
However, without any solid proof, we weren’t sure.
At this point, I should just let her use that dagger on me a few times to test it.
I wouldn't mind being at the end of her blade again.
Fates, she was beautiful when her eyes lit with fire.
I snaked my shadows sideways to curl around Lana.
Since I’d opened myself up to them, especially after the memorable birthday activity in my mother’s garden, I could feel her through them as if it were my hands caressing her skin.
The comfort for me to be able to touch her, to know she was beside me, engulfed me with security and reassured our mate bond more than I could say.
I wondered if it would always be this way, if I’d always need her touch.
We want to be with her magic, my shadows whined. Let it out.
Powerful shadow magic whined.
I rolled my eyes. I almost wish I didn’t hear you for how much you’ve begged to be with her magic.
You beg to touch her. We want what’s ours too.
Patience. She needs to learn how to reach it herself.
They sighed—at least I think sigh is the right word—and settled for covering more of her body. She looked down before raising an eyebrow in my direction.
I shrugged. “I have no control,” I mouthed.
The sun’s golden glow disappeared beyond the horizon as we approached the grove. A small opening surrounded by beautiful birch trees and a trickling stream lay a few yards away. I had to give it to Ian; I couldn’t have picked a better campsite.
With the help of William and the other cooks now at the Knotted Willow, we’d packed a hearty stew for dinner tonight. The vegetables simmered over our fire in a perfect mix of rich broth and brown gravy as Ian and Jax shifted to hunt for small game to add.
Lana stood in front of the pot warming our stew, lost in her thoughts. I wrapped an arm around her from behind. “It feels like a lifetime since I’ve been alone with you,” I whispered into her ear.
She turned and slipped her arms around my waist, staring up into my eyes. “When all is said and done, we’re going to lock ourselves in a room for a week.”
I laughed, loving the sound that had been so rare before her. I kissed the top of her head. “Anything you want, Little Rebel.”
The pot crackled, simmering too hot, and Lana pulled away. She sat next to the fire, stirring the cooking stew as she gazed beyond the trees. “Do you think we can do it?”
“Do what? Defeat Thames?” I sat next to her and grabbed her hand. “It’s going to be hard, but I know we can. We have no choice. For the good of our world, we must succeed.”
She leaned her head on my shoulder, shuddering slightly. “I hope so. It all just feels like so much.”
Jax trotted toward the fire, still in his panther form with a hare in his mouth, while Ian flew down with another in his beak. The shifters returned to their Fae form as they settled onto nearby rocks to skin their catches.
“Show-offs,” Lana grinned at the two of them.
Jax bowed deeply toward her. “I live to serve, my queen.”
Silence enveloped us as Jax and Ian tended to the fresh game, and Lana stirred our meal occasionally. I focused all my attention on her, rubbing my thumb on her arm, leg, wherever was easiest to reach.
“You know, Ian, have you ever tried partial-shifting?” Jax asked.
Ian looked perplexed as he added the cut-up hare to the stew to cook. “Partial-shift? I always thought it was kind of an all or nothing thing.”
I chuckled. “We absolutely do not need a Jax 2.0.”
Lana snorted, covering her mouth.
I twirled a loose strand of her hair in my hand. “He loves to play this game where he only shifts certain parts of his body. You’ll be sitting there and all of a sudden there’s a panther tail in your face or a claw running down your back.”
Lana smirked. “Jax, you are something else.”
“Thank you.” He winked and added his hare as well.
Ian sat next to the fire, looking perplexed. “I never even thought to attempt to partially shift certain parts of my body.” He raked his hands through his hair and proceeded to tie half of it up in a bun. “I’m going to have to try this.”
He muttered to himself, concentrating very hard, probably trying to shift certain parts of his body. Jax may be out there sometimes and give me relentless shit for anything and everything he possibly could, but if there was something Jax had mastered, it was partial-shifting.
Jax tilted his head back, laughing. “You aren’t meant to look like you’re in pain.
” He stirred the stew once more before setting the utensil down.
“About another thirty minutes and this should be ready. In the meantime, Ian,” Jax said, turning to him.
“Let me help you before you rupture a blood vessel and your face stays that way forever.”
Lana watched Ian and Jax walk off away from the fire before she scootched herself closer to my side and laid her head on my shoulder again. “How are you coping?” She stroked my arm. “With the darkness? I haven’t seen your eyes shift recently.”
I took stock of my body. My magic swirled within me, searching for the dark bits of evil that had been forced into me for years.
But it was hard to find. Lana’s light made an appearance, peeking out and glowing around her as it mixed playfully with my shadows.
The darkest evil retreated to whatever nook and cranny it could find to hide.
“When I’m with you, when your magic mixes with mine, it's not so bad. It’s manageable.” I stroked her hair, wanting to reassure her despite my own fears of what might happen. “It’s as if your light doesn’t allow the darkness to surface.”
She looked up at me, smiling. Happy. “I will keep my hands on you forever if it’s what is needed to keep the darkness at bay.
” She paused for a moment, and I could practically see the thoughts whirling through her mind.
“But we need to find a way to banish it completely. I will not rest until you are free from his grasp.”
I clasped her hand in mine, kissing her knuckles one by one.
“I’m just happy to be here with you. When Thames had total control over me, I didn’t remember any of this.
The sensation of our bond remained, but my shadows concealed it, protecting it from Thames, and from me.
” I shivered. The physical ache at not remembering the details of this incredible woman would haunt me forever.
“Once I regained some of my mind again, I didn’t know how I’d get back to you.
It’s been a long time since I felt this clear-headed and free for any length of time.
” I stood, brushing the dirt off my knees.
“Now come on. Let’s see if we can figure out how to get your magic to listen to you. ”
Jax shouted from where he and Ian trained.
“Lana appears to only be able to produce her magic in times of extreme need or fear. Storm has tried to work with her for a few weeks now, but nothing. She also gave quite a show in Canyon City when she thought Storm was in danger.” Jax brought a hand to his chest. “It was a sight to behold. Dangerous as fuck for all of us.”
Lana jumped up and turned to sneer at Jax. “My light doesn’t hurt the people I care about. But keep talking, and I might convince it otherwise.”
In true Jax fashion, he smiled instead of cowering at the sharp words.
Lana turned to me. “I’ve been thinking about my magic and how it erupted.”
She paced back and forth. “I thought the first time my magic ever showed itself was in Mysthaven, when we were fighting the king, but now I’m not sure if that’s true. It came out in small moments before then. At least, I think it did.”
Ian apparently decided to ditch his partial-shifting efforts and moved closer with Jax, listening intently to his best friend.
I pushed down the irrational jealousy at how much longer he had been in her life.
Knowing it was the mate bond and not my true thoughts, I took a deep breath, focusing on Lana again.
We stood next to each other in a line, watching Lana work through her thoughts.
She continued pacing, then stopped and turned to us.
“The first time my light appeared was right after you saved me in the hallway from Casimir. Right after we kissed.” The blush rising on her cheeks made me grin.
Fates, I loved this woman, and knowing us connecting physically for the first time had brought out her magic went straight to my head.