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We will protect her with our life, Garou promised.
Indeed. “I won’t let anything happen to you.” An admission he’d not meant to speak aloud and to hide his embarrassment, he twisted the throttle. The motorcycle barely lurched and yet she squeezed tight, making him chuckle.
“Now that’s what I call a hug.”
“Shut up and drive.” Daphne rested her cheek against him, and he appreciated the trust as he had a feeling it wasn’t something she offered often. The ride up the driveway to the road ended all too soon, with him rolling to a stop beside Marissa’s vacant motorcycle.
When Daphne would have disembarked, he put a hand over hers, keeping her in place with her arms around him. “Stay on the bike in case we need to make a fast getaway.” Not the entire reason. He just liked having her close.
Together on the bike, they watched the forest hiding Circe’s cottage. At first, there was nothing to be seen. Then a curl of smoke appeared, quickly thickening above the canopy. The trees began to shiver.
“I wonder what’s making the trees move like that? Is it magic?” he mulled aloud.
“It’s because they’re reacting to the fire,” she murmured softly. “They are crying out.”
“Fuck me. I didn’t even think…” he stammered. “The fire… The trees… Are you okay with this?” How traumatizing this must be for her, given her dryad nature.
“I’ll be fine. It’s just difficult to hear. Despite these not being the sentient variety they are aware. For too long they’ve been suffering because of Circe’s actions. Now they are thankful that they are finally being given relief.”
“If you say so.” He wasn’t convinced.
“While some see fire as the ultimate destruction—and in some ways it is—it also paves the way for renewal and rebirth. The trees that die today will provide the nutrient-dense ash from which their seedlings will rise, reclaiming this land.”
The explanation eased his mind somewhat until he noticed another oddity: The lack of fleeing forest animals. Not a single squirrel emerged. No mice scurried. Even the sky remained empty of birds. It made him wonder how long it took Circe to destroy this area.
Centuries. And me too busy to notice, the Mother replied in his mind, startling him and Garou, who snapped, Keep your paws off my avatar.
“Um, your goddess just spoke to me.”
“I heard,” Daphne stated, irritation in her voice. “The Mother has much to answer for, starting with her not telling me Circe lived.”
Because I feared you’d be foolish in your pursuit if you knew the witch had found a way to extend her natural lifespan.
Again, the voice spoke, making Garou howl loud enough in his head that Baptiste almost missed Daphne’s reply.
“Instead of being forewarned, I fell into a trap. A trap you had me walk straight into,” Daphne accused. “You told me not to fight, to go along with my kidnapping.”
Some things must happen a certain way for other things to follow. The non-answer from the Mother had Daphne growling.
Baptiste understood her irritation and offered a commiserating, “Gods are annoying.”
“Agreed.”
Hey! Garou took offense.
A crackling noise drew their attention to a section of forest where the glow of flames made an appearance.
“Come on, Marissa, where are you?” he muttered. He might have just met her, but the witch seemed like the good sort who didn’t deserve to be toasted alive.
“You’re awfully concerned about her,” Daphne remarked sourly.
“She’s been a good ally who doesn’t deserve harm for helping me find you.”
“Only an ally?”
He patted her hand. “No need to be jealous.” He tested Garou’s theory.
“I am not jealous!” she huffed. “If you’re so worried about her, why don’t you go rescue her?”
