I followed Hera; keeping adequate distance between us.
Despite the roaring winds and slashing gale, Hera walked along the snowy path with ease. But for me, it was a struggle to keep up with her.
Quite often than not, I would lag behind. With my connection to my wolf weakened, my sense of scent wasn’t working. My only option was to keep her in my line of sight.
“Hera, for God’s sake, stop and rest,” I muttered through chilly gasps as I scrambled to keep up with her pace. She didn’t slow down. She kept moving at an even pace; a sense of purpose reflecting in her steps.
For the next few hours, we continued the trek; clambering over steep slopes and weaving our way through narrow gaps in the pass.
My steps became heavy, and my breathing laboured. My dry lungs burned with the sting of frosty air. My vision blurred and my knees buckled. I dropped to the ground with a thud.
Hera’s steps faltered, but she didn’t turn back. After a momentary pause, she started walking again. Through my hazy vision, I caught a glimpse of a metallic dazzle. A man dressed in all black was rushing towards her from a shortcut right behind her.
My heart skipped a beat, and I shouted, “Hera! Watch out!” However, my voice was swallowed by the noise of the howling winds.
Dropping my bag, I made a mad dash towards her. I swear those few hundred yards between us seemed like a hundred miles. I bounded with everything I had, but my steps were slow; very slow. At this pace, the sword would stab her before I reached her.
I cupped my mouth and shouted again, “Hera!” groaning with frustration as my voice blended with the environment again.
The man stumbled, and a small rock dislodged from the slope. Hera spun around. She noticed the rock. Her gaze drifted to the slope of the mountain.
The man straightened himself and Slash! Brandished his sword. I lunged and don’t know how, but managed to block his sword and spin Hera around. The sword lodged in my shoulder.
The rest of it was just a blur. Several men dressed in similar black clothes emerged out of nowhere and attacked us. Hera raised her hand to use magic but before she could do anything; silver arrows hit them. They dropped to the ground, staining the pure white landscape with blood.
Hera’s gaze swept around warily as she rushed towards me. Supporting me to a sitting position, she snapped, “When will you stop being an idiot? Who asked you to jump in front of a sword like this?”
She pulled out the sword with a swift motion and pressed her palms to my shoulders. Warmth flowed through my back as wisps of energy flowed through me.
“Just a few more moments. You will heal soon,” Hera said as her fingers pressed harder against my back. The energy she was using had become so intense that it almost scalded me.
I could still feel the blood trickle down my back. Her magic wasn’t working. I grabbed her hand and mumbled, “Don’t waste your energy, Hera…. I think the sword was forged with magic….” My lips curved in a weak smile. “I have a feeling that those men were not alone.” I gasped, trying to draw in the much needed air into my lungs. “You must leave before it is too late.”
“Keep quiet and save your strength.” Hera’s eyes flashed with concern and a single drop of tear slid down her cheek. “I am not leaving you alone.”
Her eyes flared up with hope, as if a brilliant idea had struck her. Helping me to straighten up, she urged, “You must shift to your wolf form. You will heal faster that way.”
“I…I am afraid I can’t do that….”
“Don’t be like that, Justin. I know this is difficult, but you have to try.” Tears brimmed in her eyes. “Please try to shift…” She cupped my face and pleaded, “For my sake.”
I raised my trembling hands and placed it over hers, squeezing it gently. “There is no use trying, Hera. I can’t feel my wolf any more….”
Her face blanched and her hand slid down my cheeks to my shoulder. She gasped and tears rolled down her cheeks, “That is not possible….” She gulped. “You said that you were okay…. I thought….”
I smiled through pain and raised my shaking hand to brush off the wayward strands from her face. “Seeing you concerned about me like this, I am already content.” The ache in my chest intensified, and I coughed up a mouthful of blood. “I am glad that I met you, Hera. Even if I die…”
She covered my mouth before I could finish my sentence. Her eyes widened, and she shook her head vigorously. Fumbling around, she muttered in a frantic voice, “Hang in there. I will find the right herbs and soon you will be alright.”
My vision blurred and everything became hazy. With the little strength I had left, I pointed in the direction of my bag. My lips parted, but before I could say anything, I passed out.
***
I groaned as I shifted from one side to another. It felt so warm and snug, I didn’t feel like opening my eyes. The soft crackling of fire and the musty smell of burning coal filled the air.
“Justin? Are you awake? Are you feeling alright? Does it still hurt?” Amidst the barrage of questions, I finally cracked open my eyes. My gaze landed on Hera’s face, that was glowing in the light of the fire.
A smile spread on my lips and I muttered, “No one should be allowed to look this beautiful.”
Her face flushed, but it was only momentary. Her expression hardened, and she narrowed her eyes. “Stop blabbering and answer my question first.”
“Does it still hurt?”
I pursed my lips and nodded, “It does….”
A cloud of worry shrouded her expression. “Technically, it shouldn’t. After applying a paste of stevia and rosette seeds, my magic worked and…. ”
“The fact that you didn’t let me accompany you still hurts.”
Her eyes narrowed, and she pushed me out of her lap. No wonder I felt so snug. My beloved had let me sleep on her lap. I massaged the back of my head and looked at her with a mushy expression.
This flared her temper further. Glaring at me, she snapped, “Do you have any idea how risky that move was? That sword was forged with seven layers of magic. You could have died, Justin!” Her voice took on a hysterical edge. “You could have bloody died!”
“If you were so concerned, you shouldn’t have abandoned me.” I couldn’t hide the sting in my voice as I retorted.
Her expression deflated, and she averted her gaze, “I thought that you would go back home…. I didn’t expect….”
I held her hand and squeezed it gently. “You didn’t expect me to follow you?”
She nodded. When she raised her head to look at me, there were tears in her eyes. “It must have been difficult; to keep up with me when your bond….”
“Hey, now you are underestimating me.” I interrupted, putting on an expression of mock indignance. “Don’t look down on me just because I have no wolf. I can still move the mountains to save the one I love.”
“Fine.” She shook her head. “You win. Okay? I accept that your love is very strong and can stand the test of time.” Her expression turned solemn as she turned to face me. Clasping my right hand with both her hands, she urged, “Promise me that you won’t try such a stunt again.”
I withdrew my hand and looked away. “I can’t promise anything, Hera. If I see you in danger again, I will do anything I can to save you.”
Desperation flashed in her eyes, but then she looked away. Leaning against the rocky surface, she said in a resolute voice. “Don’t blame me if I do the same in the future.”
The crackling fire and howling winds filled the silence that had fallen like a thick veil between us. My gaze wandered around the cavern. It was small and rocky. Some of the rocks dazzled in the glow of the flame.
My eyes widened, and a gasp left my lips. “Don’t tell me you used the entire supply of coal I had.”
“I did.” She shrugged. “So what? You were freezing.”
I held my head in my hands. “How can you do that, Hera? How can you use up the entire supply?” A sigh of frustration left my lips. “What will we do when we reach closer to Mount Vitus?”
Hera held out her hand; using magic to create a small flame of fire. “I can always do this.”
“What if you are hurt, Hera? What if you are unable to do magic for some reason?”
Conflicting emotions flitted across her face, and she gulped. Her gaze drifted to the bag. “You were really meticulous in your preparations.”
Heat crept up my ears, and I lowered my gaze. I had tried to gather every herb possible to help heal magical wounds, burns, and antidotes of all poisons that could affect Hera.
My shoulders slumped, and a sigh left my lips. “I had reserved the coal for the colder stretch of the valley.”
All of a sudden, Hera pulled me into a hug and whispered, “Don’t worry about the coal. There are other ways to stay warm.”
I was too stunned to react. By the time I gathered my bearings, she had already pulled away. A sense of loss gripped me. Before I could hesitate, I drew closer and pressed my lips to hers.
She froze. I held the back of her neck and pulled her closer; moving my lips slowly. She didn’t respond, but she didn’t push me away either.
Her lack of response made me hesitate, and I pulled away. Averting my gaze, I stuttered in a flustered voice, “I…. I just thought we could practise….”
She spun me around so that my back was pressing against the hard surface. Her eyes sparkled as she climbed onto my lap and straddled me. Lacing her fingers through my hair, she started kissing me. Her movements were fiery; almost as if she were going to swallow me whole.
My arms moved up around her waist, and I responded to her kiss with equal ferocity. The kiss was passionate and all-consuming. By the time we pulled away, we were a hot mess.
“Wow!” I whispered, touching my lips. “I don’t think I will ever forget that.”
“I intend to make you forget it.” Her words made my heart ache. Looking at her with pleading eyes, I rasped, “Please don’t erase this memory, Hera. I… I want to treasure it for the rest of my life.”
“I am not going to use magic, Justin.” She tugged at the strands of my hair laced through her fingers, making me groan. Her lips dropped closer to my ears, and she whispered, “I intend to make you forget that kiss with something better.”
My mind went blank and all I could do was gape at her. She giggled and rose to her feet. Packing up the bag, she said in an even tone, “We should get going now, Justin. It isn’t safe to stay long in one place.”