AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“They followed me.”
“Followed you?” His eyes widen. “Who was babysitting?”
Defiance builds like a volcano about to erupt. Sizzling behind me tugs my gaze around—white fangs flash amidst a black face, coming straight at me. Shit.Not dead.The Well Hound is very much alive. Time slows. My life flashes before my eyes, and instead of attacking, I only think that I’m not done yet. I’m not finished with this world. I have a purpose—I just haven’t found it yet.
Tinger vaults from the side, stabbing antlers into the monster’s flank, knocking it off course. Sharp teeth snap the air beside my ear. I slice its carotid clean through, then dart away from the acidic spill of blood. It dies so rapidly that manabeeze erupt before it hits the ground. The gully fills with soft, ethereal light as tiny portions of its soul hunt for freedom through the leaves, searching for the path to rejoin the Cosmic Well.
My heart pounds so fast that I feel woozy. But I came here for one thing, and even though I fucked everything else up, I’ll be damned if I leave without it. Ignoring my father’s wrath, Iscramble to find my discarded satchel, pull an empty jar from the bag, and return to the hound.
“Willow!” Dad calls.
“The twins are fine!” I shout back, determined to catch every last floating manabee before they’re gone for good.
I am a trembling cocktail of guilt, adrenaline, and triumph as I fill one jar and start on a second.
“Willow!”
“They followed me here!” I shriek, gathering as many glowing balls as possible without one hitting me in the chest. “For Crimson’s sake,” I continue. “I didn’taskthem to come, and when they turned up, I kept them safe. And I fucking killed the hound!”
You should be proud of me.
“Squirt,” he murmurs. “It’s Tinger.”
I tense. Hold my breath. His tone changed. I glance at a small cream shape motionless at the base of his fern.No.
“NO!” I drop the jar and run to my furry friend. Myonlyfriend. Bright-red dots spot his fur. Where is the wound? I can’t find the wound. He pants hard and fast. Still alive, but—my throat constricts as his eyes meet mine, and I see everything reflected in the dark, shining depths. No longer sharp and shrewd, but fading.
I failed.
“You saved me, Ting,” I cry. “Don’t go. I need you.”
Need you to keep saving me.
“Help him,” I beg, glancing at my father as he lowers my sisters from the cage. “Please, Dad. He doesn’t deserve to die for my mistake. Heal him.”
Sad yellow eyes meet mine. I know the answer before he speaks, but hearing it still hurts.
“I don’t have that kind of healing gift,” he reminds me.
When I turn back, Tinger’s little chest no longer inflates. His tiny-lashed eyes are closed. Tears blur my vision. I can’t focus. Can’t think. Can’t deal. The last of the Well Hound’s manabeeze are gone. We’re left in dank, acid-scented gloom.
“There’s no wound,” I mutter, running my fingers over his frail body. “How can I stop the bleeding if there’s no wound?”
“He’s old.” My father’s soft tone cuts me like a knife. “His heart probably gave out.”
“No.”
“Willow . . .”
“Hesavedme,” I whisper harshly. “He never stopped protecting me.”
After my horrendous battle mistake, Rory helped me escape on an airship. But Cloud, a psychopathic Guardian chased us down. They used to be star-crossed lovers, but something happened to make them enemies. Somehow Rory and I ended up overboard.
Cloud caught us, one in each hand, but he wasn’t strong enough to lift us both onto the deck. Rory knew he would never let her go, for my sake. So she stabbed his hand. He let go, and she fell into the deep ceremonial lake, never resurfacing. I don’t remember him flying me to shore with his crow shifter wings. I only remember the rain of blood after he killed every human on that airship in retaliation.
And I remember Tinger bravely hopping across the sand to keep me company until my family arrived. He’s hardly left my side since.
“What have I done?” My words are ash on my tongue.
