She silenced him with a glare as she piled her arms full of food, snapping back at his piss poor attitude. “Not everyone is an enemy,”
The children cheered as she turned and handed out the dried meat, devouring it on the spot.
Luna stopped in front of Ly, her gaze falling to the small babe.
“His name is Gawen,” Ly said, shifting so Luna could see him better. He was small, his skin yellow. “He’s ill. We’re headed to the Ravine in hopes of finding something left behind by the unicorns.”
“He’s beautiful.”
Ly nodded, emotion tightening her voice. “He has his mother’s looks, bless her soul.” The woman gently brushed his small cheek with her fingertip. Such a small delicate touch, but Luna could feel the love pouring out from the woman towards this child. “We lost her during the birth . . .”
Damien slipped in beside Luna. “It was just lovely to meet you all, but we really must be going.”
“Thank you for the food,” Ly said. “There’s nothing more heartbreaking than being unable to feed your own. We’ve been travelling, trying to find a healer for Gawen. We tried rationing our supplies, but they still ran out.”
Luna couldn’t imagine their hardship—no money, little food, and a sick baby. It put her own struggles in perspective. She might be on the run, but at least she had Damien. Aside from Harlow and Knox, her biggest challenge had been learning to ride a horse.
The group looked so worn-out; it didn’t feel right to just leave them when they were all going to the same place anyway. “We should travel together,” Luna said. “The kids could ride the horses for a bit.”
“That sounds wonderful.” Sael beamed. “You’re a saint.”
Damien grumbled to himself but lifted the nearest child onto Barley and another onto Pickles.
As they walked, Damien leaned in towards Luna, whispering so only she could hear, “You stay close, Miss-I-Trust-Everyone.”
She did as he requested, staying beside him as they travelled, with the rest of the group behind them. The only sounds were the children screaming at each other that it was their turn to ride, and Gawen’s weak cries.
The sun had set entirely by the time they had found an appropriate area big enough for all of them to rest by a river. Damien caught fish while Luna helped prepare the fire, and as the group ate, Sael offered his thanks. “I can grow a watermelon the size of four heads, but can’t catch a single fish, no matter how hard I try.”
Ly, who sat beside him cross-legged with Gawen in her lap, stroked his arm. “We’re close now, I can feel it.”
Damien looked uncomfortable but gave Ly a polite smile and confirmed, “Less than a day’s walk.”
Gawen made a small cry, and Ly placed him on her breast, where she began to nurse him. “I was pregnant at the same time as Aiyu,” she explained. “I had just lost my baby when she passed. It’s almost healing to be able to feed him for her.”
Taemin, who had been quiet the entire time, spoke up, “I don’t know what I would have done if you hadn’t . . .” He bowed his head, his voice cracking as he whispered, “And it might be all for nothing.”
“Don’t,” Ly corrected sharply, looking to her husband for support.
Taking the hint, Sael piped up, “The skies will provide. They always do for us and we must have faith the same will happen for Gawen.”
Luna offered extra fish. “Take it with you tomorrow.”
As the conversation drifted, Luna danced with the children, laughing freely for the first time in days—even Damien cracked the smallest smile.
When the food was gone, Ly passed Gawen to Luna after showing her how to hold his head. Once he was settled, Ly joined the children in their wild dance.
Luna stroked his small head, his skin so soft and smooth. The conversation around her faded, and for a moment, it felt like she and Gawen were the only ones at the fire. Firelight danced across his yellow-tinged skin. She leaned in, her lips brushing against his ear. “I want to heal you, little one. Make it so you never experience suffering again.” Her palms began to warm uncomfortably, and she switched the baby fromarm to arm as she brushed her hands on her pants, trying to dry the sweat. Energy thrummed through her veins, leaving a trail of glowing light. What was happening? Panicking, she looked towards Damien, who stared at her with wide eyes. He lifted his hands, and a black blanket of dense mist fell onto them as if night had literally fallen out of the skies.
The group’s screams reverberated through the air, but Luna couldn’t see anyone other than herself and Gawen.
Her magic erupted. She tried to grab onto it, but it refused her. She glowed brighter and brighter, her magic’s heat scorching her as it burst from her veins. She felt Damien’s touch before she saw him. Tendrils of dark shadows wrapped around him, creeping down his arm to his hand; the coolness was a welcome relief. His darkness crawled over her skin and intertwined itself with her light, extinguishing it. It retreated within her, locking back beneath her skin.
Within a blink, the blanket of darkness covering their surroundings rose, and the rest of the group came into view; everything looked normal again. The group’s screams quietened, and they looked bewildered at the sky as if it were to blame. Perhaps they thought the darkness had been a cloud moving across the moon. That is, everyone but Taemin—he stared silently at her, an unreadable expression on his face. It was the last thing Luna saw before she passed out.
Chapter 28
Gawen
