Chapter 47 #2
To my surprise, I see the Crux standing several yards away, its slender body made of twisted tree roots and branches just as I remember. The heat from my shield seems to scare it and it slowly backs away.
“No, wait!” I shoot up, releasing the hold on my shield. “Please, don’t go.”
The mysterious creature stops but doesn’t come any closer. Ryder moans behind me and when I turn back to look at him, he somehow looks worse than he did a second ago.
He’s losing too much blood.
I find the gauze and press it to the wound, trying to slow the bleeding.
I’ve been able to cauterize before, but this wound is different.
It’s all the way through and I’m not experienced enough to know what to do.
I glance back to the Crux, but it’s already gone and so is our opportunity to create an alliance.
I can’t worry about that right now, though. Ryder needs help.
“Can you vaporate? We need to get you back.” He’s barely able to hold his head up and I can tell I’m losing him. “Just hold on, okay?”
Panic begins to crawl its way to the surface. If I don’t do something soon, he’ll die. I could try cauterizing but that doesn’t feel like the right move. Maybe it’ll at least buy him more time, though.
Just as the heat begins to prickle in my finger, I hear movement behind me. When I whirl around this time, the Crux isn’t alone.
Is this an ambush?
I unsheathe two daggers from my torso. Ryder would tell me to attack first, but something inside of me is screaming at me not to.
The Crux lifts its twisted arm and the white, angelic-looking creature next to it begins to cautiously approach.
It moves to the right, attempting to look at Ryder and that’s when it clicks.
“Can you help him?”
It nods. I sheathe one of the daggers but keep the other one out just in case. When I shift to crouch next to Ryder, the creature that must be at least six feet tall kneels down. The hand it reaches out with begins to fuse into a stream of white light.
“Wait!”
The creature snaps its hand back to its previous form and looks at me.
I’m so focused on what’s happening, I didn’t notice the Crux had come closer.
It reaches out its three long fingers and touches my shoulder.
The gesture is gentle and reassuring as if to tell me everything is going to be okay.
I decide to trust my instincts and motion for the other to continue.
As it fuses its hand again, it reminds me of the tail that formed when I had redirected the ball of dragon fire back to the sun. The glowing white light fills the hole where the arrow went in. Ryder lets out a relieved breath and my shoulders instantly relax at the sound.
I stay next to him, stroking his hair as the strange creature heals him. I don’t know what I would do if I lost him. Somehow, he’s become so much a part of my life. A part of me.
When he opens his eyes, my heart feels like it’s going to jump out of my chest. The glow fades and the creature is quick to back away when Ryder straightens against the tree.
“Thank you,” I say to both of them.
“Wait” Ryder grunts. The two stop walking and stare at us from a distance. “We have an offer.”
They look to one another, and I stand up, drawing their attention.
“We know King Cimmerian has offered you freedom to fight for him, but he is not a man of his word.” I take a few steps closer and am pleasantly surprised when they don’t retreat.
“We want you to fight with us. We want you to help us stop him from hurting anyone else. If you join our cause, we promise to let you live in peace. Real peace. Not the kind he pretends to offer.”
The Crux turns to the one who healed Ryder. However it is they communicate with one another, it’s not something I’m able to translate or even hear for that matter. Whatever was said between them has the angelic one floating away deeper into the forest.
Perhaps it has made its choice and doesn’t wish to hear any more of my speech.
“I know it’s a lot to ask of you and you don’t know us, but you must know about the king and what he’s doing in the realms. Most beasts that reside in these woods will surely jump at his offer and be more than delighted to fight beside him.
” I look the Crux in the dark pits that form its eyes.
“I can tell you’re not like them. I can see that you’re different.
Even today, what you just did, helping us. That’s what allies do for one another.”
Before I have a chance to say anything else, my eyes dart behind the Crux to the figures crawling out of the eerie forest. Ryder is immediately by my side, looking far better than he had minutes ago.
He’s stiff and alert, but not threatening as the wall of unique monsters descends upon us with the one who helped Ryder leading them.
The Crux reaches out its hand to me. I offer mine in return and its long fingers wrap around in a firm handshake.
“My father has already lifted the spell keeping you all here, hasn’t he?” The Crux nods. “He won’t like that you have broken your promise to him, even if it was never you who made it.” The creature nods again and one of the others steps beside it.
“We understand what it is we’re agreeing to, Prince. We’ve made our decision and will live with the consequences.” She’s no bigger than a small child and her voice is mesmerizing as if it could put me in a trance or deep slumber.
“Very well,” Ryder agrees. “Now that the spell has been lifted, are you all able to make your way to the Shadow Lands?”
“Yes, we will prepare for the trip and be there by next week.”
Although she looks young, her demeanor says otherwise. It may have been the Crux who met us first, but it is obvious who they have chosen as their leader.
Ryder turns to the Crux. “Thank you for your help. And yours,” he adds, shifting his focus to where the tall one is still standing with the army of forgotten creatures. “We’ll have accommodations ready upon your arrival.”
Without another word he wraps his arms around me, and I watch as they all fade away behind the wall of smoke.