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Thwack! Thwack! Thwack!

A chorus of consecutively and precisely aimed arrows followed, each hitting its target. The beast backed away, whining.

The sound shouldn’t have been like music to his ears, but Rymedur couldn’t help the soothing relief that washed over him. He had almost lost her. His wife. The mother of his children. In those few precious minutes, he had almost lost her, just standing there helpless.

The limping beast retreated a few steps further towards the crooked treeline, snarling, crashing through him like a thunderstorm. Then, like it knew defeat, it turned and ran in the opposite direction.

‘Ha! Two for me.’

Rymedur was glad to hear Vasilio’s cheery voice. Drawing in a ragged breath, his eyes instantly found Areanel, and cool relief washed over him once again as he watched her wipe the sweat from her brow with the back of her hand. Thank the gods, she was uninjured.

‘No. You got one!’

Rymedur ignored Percival and Vasilio as he made his way over to Areanel. He just needed to get to her. Hold her. He needed to know that this was real and she was safe.

‘Are you blind? Did you not see the arrows I just put in that one? That counts as two, since I killed the other chasing us.’

Percival let out an incredulous scoff. ‘I saw you lodge four arrows in its side and then, whatever the hell that creature was, it limped off into the forest. That is not a kill.’

Finally reaching her, Rymedur wound his arms around Areanel. He rested his cheek on the top of her head and held onto her tight while the others argued.

‘Bull-fucking-shit!’ Vasilio yelled. ‘That so does count as a kill. There’s no way it’s going to survive that!’

‘I don’t see a body, Vas.’ Percival spread out his arm, gesturing to the trail of blood the beast had left. ‘Brutus, you see a body? Ryyen?’

‘No,’ Brutus deadpanned from somewhere behind him.

Vasilio rocked back, knocking his back into Brutus’s chest. ‘Shut it, big guy. You’re supposed to be on my side!’ He threw him an incredulous look over his shoulder. ‘We’re getting married.’

‘No, we’re not—’

‘I don’t think Brutus wants to be tied to you in any capacity,’ Percival spoke over Brutus.

Blocking out their bickering, Rymedur kissed the top of Areanel’s head and cradled her close. A shuddering breath escaped his lips as he breathed her in—pomegranates and verbena—the familiar scent settled something within his soul. His anxiety, warring with terror, finally eased, and tears pricked his eyes as the reality of how he’d almost lost her settled in.

By the way her own trembling hands clutched his shirt, she was thinking the same. She clung to him, and Rymedur couldn’t fathom a world without her in it, by his side. Pressing her body close to his, she buried her face into his chest. Rymedur steadied his breathing and finally began to lean away from her.

Placing his forehead against hers, he cupped her cheek with one hand. She no longer felt hot to the touch. Her fever had eased.

But how was that possible? It had come and gone far too quickly to be natural. Had using her powers healed her?

Rymedur didn’t know, and he didn’t care. ‘You’re okay.’ His voice was a whispered breath, more to reassure himself than anything else.

‘I’m okay,’ Areanel repeated. ‘We’re okay.’ Her hands moved to his wrists, and she gently wrapped her fingers around them, running her thumb over his pulse in soothing, comforting motions.

‘That’s not the rules. The game was clear. You’re just being a sore loser because I got two and you got one!’ Vasilio’s exclamation drew his attention.

‘They made it a game?’ Rymedur asked in disbelief.

Areanel fought a smile and lifted her shoulders in a slight shrug, not seeming at all surprised. In fact, it looked as though she was tempted to tell them about the one she had killed.

‘Oh! Who’s talking bullshit now?’ Percival complained, throwing up his arms.

‘Whatever! We all agree that certainly went to shit fast,’ Vasilio grumbled. ‘Now, can we please get out of this fucking creepy-ass forest before I lose my shit? I’m pretty sure I ran into a spider web, and I can feel something crawling on my shirt.’ Vasilio shivered. ‘I swear, if there is a spider on these clothes, I am going to fucking burn them!’

‘Please, don’t.’ Percival cringed, face pinching in disgust. ‘No one wants to see that.’

‘For once, I agree with Percy, Vas. My ears are already bleeding from your singing; I don’t want to lose my eyes, too.’ Ryyen said, surprising Rymedur. Ryyen had been mostly silent throughout the journey, only giving curt orders or nods when spoken to.