‘Astrophel, quick! I can’t hold this for long.’ Leilani’s light is already wavering, her arms shaking; she’s turning grey.
I press forwards, intending to strike while the bear’s dipping its head, still dazed. I aim my blade at the white diamond behind its shoulder, beneath which lie most of its vital organs. I hesitate, but only for a moment. I spared the hoarclaw once, I can’t afford to show mercy again. I’ll only get one chance at this, and I need a killing blow.
I summon all the strength left in me and plunge my sword into its side.
The bear roars as blood gushes warm over my arm. It thrashes as I draw back my blade, swipes at me with its front paw, but I duck, and its desperate blow lands wide. I don’t give it a chance to try again. I thrust and thrust with my blade. I keep raining down blows until the life drains from its eyes, until the howls turn to huffs, and the huffs to silence.
Posturing?Not tonight, Clanschief.
Only once the hoarclaw slackens beneath me do I fall to my knees. Pulse thudding in my throat, I wipe my blade clean on the icy forest floor, sheathe it at my side, then search for Leilani.
She’s curled in a ball behind me, clutching her cloaked head.
I reach for her, bloodying her fingers as I help her to her feet. There’s a flicker of softness, of relief in her eyes, as she goes limp in my arms. I hold her close, our chests heaving as one, till we catch our breath. She eventually draws back, shifting her weight awkwardly on the forest’s blanket of frosted pine needles.
‘I’m… I’ll be all right,’ she falters, hand once more pressing to her head. ‘We should get back to the others before we lose the light.’ She looks towards the slain bear and shudders. ‘You saved my life.’
I’m about to reply that she saved me first, that we saved each other. But my own giddy feelings of relief are subsiding now we’re out of immediate danger, anger rising in their place as I remember why we’re standing in this glade. She’s had me chasing after her, half out of my mind with worry, almost got us both killed… and for what? Because she wouldn’t listen. I tighten my grip on her shoulders.
‘What were you thinking, going off alone?’
Her expression hardens. ‘I don’t need another Watcher,’ she mumbles, shaking me off and turning for camp. She stumbles but manages to keep her balance.
‘Orthriel’s back,’ I shout after her, regretting the harshness of my tone, hoping news of her Guardian might stop her from running off again.
It works. ‘Already. Then why didn’t they…?’ She trails off.
‘Are you hurt?’ I ask, drawing level with her.
She wheels around, lilac eyes flashing. ‘What do you care?’
‘I swore an oath to protect you, Princess.’
She rolls her eyes. ‘Of course, it’s about my father. It’s always about him. Did you see those fields? Do you know what your precious King has kept from us?’
‘I saw, but—’
She shakes her head. ‘How can you defend him? There are things you can’t unsee, Astrophel. You ask if I’m well? No, I’m beside myself – as you should be.’
‘He’s trying to protect the realm as best he can.’
She laughs. ‘Keep telling yourself that if it helps you sleep at night.’
‘He’s not to blame for this, the sand-rats are.’ Blayze’s smirking face rises in my memory again. ‘It’s not for us to question how the King chooses to manage the mess they made.’
‘And who will, if not us?’ she says, nostrils flaring.
‘Save your bile for the foul creatures you’ve made our bedfellows. They cursed our land; they displaced our people. Your father is making hard choices on our behalf, trying to salvage what he can.’ I choke back memories of the rotting fields, the shivering air-refugees, the horror of the Gaspings. Not the choices I would have made in his place, but that’s putting the cart before the horse. My time as ruler will come. My duty now is to support the present king.
Leilani clenches her jaw. Fierce. Beautiful. Dangerous. ‘Who are you trying to convince here, Astrophel?’
I draw close to her again. Close enough to feel her breath on my face, for that delicate perfume of violets to envelop me. ‘I’m glad you’re safe. I wouldn’t have forgiven myself if anything had happened to you. Try to remember I’m not the enemy here.’
She searches my face. ‘Are you not? When did that change, then?’
As she strides back to camp, and I hasten after her, I wonder the same.
*
