“Wow.” L nudged my shoulder. “Impressive.”

I nodded, smiling in awe. “The Pool of Phaedra.” I was finally here. My lips trembled and I felt tears prickle behind my eyes.

“Yer no’ be gettin’ all watery are ye?” L teased.

I gave her a little push and she laughed. I don’t know what I would have done without her. Impulsively, and so unlike me, I threw my arms around her and pulled her into a hug. At first she tensed with surprise… and then tentatively she put her arms around me and hugged me back. When I eventually stepped back from her she gave me a look, pretending she was bemused by my affection. I grinned at her and then walked around her, following the tug of my magic.

It took me to behind a large rock by the edge of the lake. Behind it grew a blue plant, the colour of the lake itself, vivid and alien, the sweet smell of molasses drifting up out of it.

“The Somna Plant?” L asked from behind my shoulder.

I nodded, reaching for it.

“No’ much left.”

No, there wasn’t. “I’m taking it all,” I whispered, reaching for my pack. “We have alchemists back in Silvera who might be able to plant this to grow more crops. Mayhap they can withdraw its properties and discover other uses for it.”

“Alchemists. Properties. Who cares, Rogan, just be gettin’ the damn thing and put it in yer pack.” She glanced around warily now.

I frowned as I carefully pulled the plants out by the roots and wrapped them in cloth. “What’s wrong?” I asked, putting the plant into my pack just as carefully.

L exhaled shakily. “Well, I don’t be wantin’ to alarm ye but I be sensin’ we might be hittin’ a spot o’ trouble on the way back down.”

My heart thumped in my chest, visions of the Mountain Man making me dizzy. “Trouble? What trouble?”

She shook her head, her eyes narrowed in frustration. “I don’t be knowin’ yet. Sometimes my gift, as ma calls it, has a warped sense o’ humour.”

With one last longing look at the Pool of Phaedra, L and I hurried back into the woods. I trusted that L had been paying attention to the route we’d taken, and as I followed her, having taken note just in case, I saw that she had. I shouldn’t have expected anything else.

We were both tense and anxious as we moved swiftly through the Arans. All I wanted now that I had the plant was to get back to Silvera and Haydyn as quickly as possible.

As the wood creaked and cracked around us, we would come to a stop, warily cocking our heads, our eyes wide as we studied the landscape around us. There would be nothing. We’d look at each other, me frightened, L ready, and we’d head off again, our departure faster downhill that it had been going up.

Dusk passed into dark and still we strode through the woods, desperate to get back to L’s home. For now, L searched the woods, looking for the perfect place to bed down for the night. When more time past, my feet aching, my stomach growling, and still L hadn’t stopped, it was almost on the tip of my tongue to beg L to just choose somewhere already, when the hair on the back of my neck rose.

A low growl sounded from my left and I drew to an abrupt halt. L heard it too and spun around to look at me. Her eyes flicked to the direction of the sound. “Mountain dog,” she told me quietly. Slowly, silently, she took her crossbow and brought it up, aiming somewhere out to my left. “I thought we might be comin’ upon one o’ these dung bred lowlifes.”

Frightened but needing to see for myself, I turned my head slowly. My eyes widened at the sight of the large dog merely metres from me. Its body was skinny but muscular, it’s coat rough, with little bald patches here and there. Its sharp muzzle was pulled back over its sharp teeth, saliva dripping from his rotting gums. Its eyes feral.

“We’ve got to be takin’ this mutt down and then be goin’. Its pack can’t be too far behind it.”

Just as the dog moved to attack, L shot the arrow. It plunged with perfect aim into the dog’s flesh. It whined and collapsed mid jump. I exhaled in relief and turned to thank L only to yell out to her as another dog lunged out of the woods and onto her. It took L down, its jaws clamping on her shoulder as she struggled under it, trying to reach for her crossbow which had fallen out of her hands, and keep the dogs teeth off of her.

I acted without thought.

With the hunting knife in hand, I leapt on the dog, plunging the blade deep and up into its belly. It jaws lashed out at me, missing me by an inch, before it whined and slumped unconscious on top of L. I grabbed the top of her arms and pulled her out from under it. The dog’s blood stained her trousers.

Her own stained her jacket, where the dog had ripped it open and tore into the muscles of her shoulder. It was deep. She swayed a little and I reached to catch her. In her usual gruffness L batted me away.

“We need to go.”

When she took off at a run, I followed, anxiety gripping my chest. L was running on adrenaline right now. When that dissipated, I needed to get her home to Sarah as soon as possible.

Finally L drew to a stop, the pallor of her skin worryingly pale. So white. I pulled out the cloth the Somna Plant was wrapped in and put the plant back into the pack. With a briskness L couldn’t argue with, I removed her jacket and shirt, tying a tourniquet up over the awkward wound. It would stem the flow of blood but that was it. Hastily, I put her shirt back on as she lolled in my arms. Next her jacket. I forced a couple of sugary biscuits on her and some water. And then I wrapped my arms around her, watching over her, trying to keep her awake.

Chapter Twenty Seven

I’d never been so thankful in my life to see a house.

Of course our trip going down the mountain was faster than going up, but with L growing weaker by the hour, we weren’t as quick as I would have liked in getting her back home. For once I could pride myself on doing something right on this trip. I was glad I’d paid attention to the route we’d taken, for L was worryingly disorientated the rest of our way back to her home. In those hours with her, looking after her, keeping her conscious, I felt more like myself again. This person, this young woman in control, was me again. And with my old determination, I pushed both L and I to our limits, not stopping for food or rest, until I had her back to Sarah. I wasn’t letting anything happen to the girl who had saved my life twice without ever asking for anything in return.

As if she sensed us, the door to the shack flew open, and Sarah rushed to meet us as I dragged L up the Moss’ garden path.

“What happened?” Sarah’s eyes blazed with worry.

“Mountain dog,” I bit out, relief making me weak. Thankfully Sarah took hold of L and carried her the rest of the way into the house.

When I stepped over the threshold I took in Jnr staring wide-eyed at his mother as she laid L on top of the table.

“Jnr, heat up some water,” Sarah threw over her shoulder as she ripped L’s clothes away from her shoulder. She hissed at the sight of the wound and I turned away, seeing how putrid it had grown with infection. Sarah stroked her daughter’s face tenderly. L barely registered the touch. “L, my love, ye got yerself a fever. I’m goin’ to be sortin’ that out, alright, honey.”

I just stood there, gazing on uselessly. This was all my fault. I shoulder never have taken L with me. Sarah caught the guilt and concern on my face and smiled reassuringly.

“Now don’t ye be lookin’ like that, Rogan. Things happen up in these here mountains. L’s goin’ to be alright.”

Jnr struggled with the pot of hot water so I hurried to take it from him before he splashed the water and burned himself. Sarah took it from me quietly and set about cleaning L’s wound. She stirred a little at her mother’s touch. And then, as she had done with me, Sarah put her fingertips on the wound and shot her energy into L. I watched in amazement as the wound began to close, the colour returning to L’s face with surprising swiftness. L’s eyelashes fluttered and she groaned, looking up into Sarah’s happy but now fatigued face.

“Ma.” Her head rolled and she saw me standing over Sarah’s shoulder, wringing my hands. To my surprise she smiled. “Knew ye wasn’t completely useless.” She turned to Sarah now. “Here, Ma, Rogan saved my life.”

“Well don’t that be somethin’.” We all turned at the sound of Jonas’ voice. He stood in the doorway to the house, his eyes bright on his daughter and then on me, a dead rabbit slung over his shoulder. He winked at me and then stepped further into the house. A shadow moved behind him and my heart faltered. There was a man with him, taller, broader. As he stepped inside beside Jonas, his familiar eyes bored into me, inscrutable and probing.

“Wolfe!” Jnr shouted happily and flew past me to hop at Wolfe’s feet. “This be my sister, L, Wolfe.” He pointed at L lying on the table. I glanced at L as she pulled herself into a sitting position. Her eyes flicked between Wolfe and me, giving me a knowing look.

I exhaled and looked back at Wolfe.

I shook my head.

I couldn’t believe the fool had come after me. Where was the damn Guard?!

When our gazes locked, despite the inscrutability of those pale eyes of his, a delicious relief, like coming home after months of miserable absence, swept over me.

***

It was strange sitting around the Moss’ kitchen table with Wolfe. I knew I’d only known the family a few short days, but I had a bond with L that made me feel closer to all of them, and it was strange to share them with Wolfe. We hadn’t spoken yet about my running off on him, and he wasn’t unpleasant to me. However, I knew that was more for the Moss’ sake than anyone else. We’d been eating for five minutes, and having already exhausted L and I’s rescue of one another from the mountain dogs, Jonas and Wolfe sat discussing hunting techniques while Jnr desperately tried to get in on the conversation, completely enamoured by Wolfe. As he did with everyone, Wolfe had enchanted the Moss family. He took up a lot of room at their table. I forgot how large he was. Thankfully he had forgone his emerald military jacket. The warm jacket he had been wearing when he appeared with Jonas was hanging up on the Moss’ coat pegs, the fur around the cuffs and collar proclaiming Wolfe’s wealth. His shirt and waistcoat were finely made, his boats, his trousers. He looked powerful and rich, his white-gold hilted sword propped against the wall. Just being near him made me feel safe. I thought of L’s words of wisdom in the woods and longed to reach out and brush his hair off his face, stroke his arm, anything to feel the heat and life of him under my fingertips. But he refused to look at me. I watched him talk animatedly with Jonas. From what I’d gathered, Wolfe clearly knew the Moss’. How?

L stared at me. Her eyes demanded me to question Wolfe about it but I was frightened any conversation might start an argument. She kicked me under the table and I muffled a cry of pain. I glared at her and exhaled, turning to Wolfe.

“So, Captain, when did you arrive?”

The sound of my voice made Wolfe tense and he glanced sharply at me. “Apparently a few hours after you and Miss Moss left for the Pool. Sarah and Jonas convinced me you were in safe hands and that it would better if I stayed with them to await your return.” That last word he emphasised with an edge and his eyes suddenly turned dark with pure, undiluted fury. I tensed. I had expected him to be mad, but this… He looked ready to explode. “Jonas told me how L and he found you. Where they found you. With whom. In what state.”

The breath whooshed out of my body. I hadn’t ever wanted Wolfe to know about the Mountain Man. I looked away and scraped at my plate. “I see.”

“Rogan…”

“Later, Wol- Captain.”

Just as I had not wanted to, Wolfe and I had created tension at the table. I shifted uncomfortably.

“So, Captain Wolfe,” L suddenly piped up. “How be ye findin’ Rogan?”

Yes, I thought, glancing over at him. How had he found me at the Moss’?

Wolfe shrugged. “I’m a Glava as well, Miss Moss. I have a heightened sense of intuition.”

L threw me a look. I had told her about Wolfe being Glava but had not mentioned this ability. I shrugged back at her. I hadn’t known about that ability. I sighed and refused to look at him. Wolfe was powerful. Extremely powerful. He could move things with his mind, call upon the elements, and he had some psychic talent as well. I had never heard of the like. Perhaps that’s why he hadn’t trusted me enough to tell me. I chanced a glower at him but Wolfe caught it. The glare he threw back said “Don’t be mad at me for not trusting you. You who didn’t trust me and got yourself almost raped in the Alvernian Mountains.”

I grimaced and turned from him. L threw me a sympathetic smirk.

Chapter Twenty Eight

The sun bit into the morning chill and I breathed in the crispness of a summer morning in the Alvernian Mountains, feeling far more exuberant than I had in weeks. I had the plant, I was no longer alone, and I was heading back to Silvera to save Haydyn.

Sarah, Jonas and Jnr stood on the porch of their home while L helped me on with my pack. I could feel Wolfe waiting impatiently behind me at the end of the garden path, having already thanked the Moss’ for their hospitality and made his goodbyes. Jnr was not amused to see Wolfe’s sudden departure and was blaming me. He refused to say goodbye to me.

“Right,” L said briskly, handing over the hunting knife.

I shook my head. “I can’t take anything more from you.” I was already wearing her clothes and carrying their food. They had so little, and yet they gave so generously.

L gave me one of her characteristic scowls. “Ye be refusin’ to let me escort ye down the mountain, so ye be takin’ the damn knife.”