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And there, in the trampled grass, were the distinctive shapes of mech footprints disappearing into the deadly darkness beyond …
We'd made it.
The large diyre whimpered behind me, shifting nervously as he looked from me to the forest, soft blue eyes wide with worry.
"Thank you," I said, patting his snout with a shaky hand. "I couldn't have made it this far without you."
He ran a long, wet tongue up the side of my face, then sat back on his haunches as if to say he wasn't going anywhere.
"I'll be okay," I ran my fingers through the long fur on his side. "I can feel her. She's close. You go on back."
Shaide let out a huff as he stared at my injured shoulder and side, growled in the direction of the forest, then shook his head.
"Go on, now." I nudged him softly. "This will be easier if I know you're safe."
He stared at me for a moment more as if debating the truth in my words, then let out a soft whine and licked me again before standing up. Snarling once more toward the forest, he let out a long howl, then turned and broke into a loping run in the direction we'd come.
I stared after him, trying to ignore the pang of fear making my knees shake as I ran my hand down my side and pulled it away red and sticky.
Not only had the ride been exhausting — it would seem it had also opened some of my stitched wounds. Wounds that should be fully healed by now if not for the damn shadow monster inside me …
The only blessing was that it hadn't seemed to notice my weakened state, yet — hovering there in the back of my mind — waiting, as always.
Taking a deep breath, I reached out for Kaiya.
The bond was a faint feeling — something I'd normally dismiss as a simple stomachache. But the tension had grown the closer we'd gotten to this forest and something inside me just knew it was Kaiya.
She was in that forest, and she was in danger.
I had to help her. No matter what.
Biting down my exhaustion and pain, I limped my way into the massive woods, keeping an eye out for the infamously dangerous creatures of the forest.
The bond urged me to run, but each step was a struggle, and the dim early morning light just barely illuminated the forest floor.
The last thing Kaiya needed was for me to pass out before I even got to her.
With each step, my body felt a little heavier, though, and my desperation grew.
I had to find her soon …
My toe caught on something, and I staggered forward, barely catching myself on a large chunk of metal, the remains of a mech, splattered with blood.
Nearby was a torn-up mage's cloak.
Fuck.
My stomach flipped and my heart raced as I searched the area as fast as my body would allow.
None of the corpses belonged to Kaiya or Tye.
Thank the saints.
My mind was sluggish as I stared at a single grouping of tracks leading further into the forest.
I reached out for Kaiya and followed the pull — she was that way.
My eyelids grew heavy with each step, and I had to fight off the urge to keep them closed and sink down to rest.
