Chapter 9

Drovo

The creaking of branches sounded behind me as the trees did their best to block the jagwas at every turn. I sent them a wave of gratitude through the connection we shared. I concentrated on running while also sending up each root to break the surface of the dirt, hoping these clawed beasts would trip in their attempts to reach us.

Small gasps escaped Kayla, and I knew she was crying. My hand tightened on her leg in assurance. I’d never hated my old dekes more than I did in this moment. If we lived in the safety of the valley, Kayla wouldn’t be in danger of being eaten in the dead of the night. The valley was protected on all sides. We could sleep under the stars with no shelter at all and be safe from all the beasts of the forest.

And if it weren’t for the greed of our old Savrix, we wouldn’t be in this situation at all. I don’t know how, but I was sure that he had something to do with us not being able to take our offering back with us. If so, we’d have enough food for the winter, and Kayla would be sleeping soundly under the mountain and I would be making plans on how to woo her back to me.

Now we’d be lucky to survive the night. I bit back a growl and made a sharp right turn toward the rock face that housed Rhaz’s cave.

A jagwa lunged and struck me on my arm, but thankfully, my tree bark skin protected me from the beast”s claws.

A second jagwa lunged for us, but a branch shot out from nowhere and stiff-armed the creature, knocking the wind out of them and sending them hurdling to the ground. I sent another wave of gratitude to my beloved forest.

Rhaz’s cave finally came into view. The big moon was only half full tonight and the small one was but a sliver, but it was all the light I needed to guide my way.

My feet slapped the ground with as much force as my legs could provide and I picked up speed to make this final sprint to the rock face that would grant us sanctuary from the jagwas that chased us.

With every footstep, we drew closer and closer. My added speed gave us the space we needed to not only rush into the cave, but also for me to shove the boulder closed behind us. I had used the last of my strength to push the heavy stone in front of the entrance. My legs wobbled beneath me and I fell to the ground, panting in my Sirret form.

Kayla sat on the floor with her face frozen in an expression of shock. I crawled over to her on hands and knees and pulled her into my arms. Soft sobs escaped her as she laid her head on my chest.

“We’re safe now. We’re safe.” I cooed as I rubbed my hand up and down her back. I bit back another growl of anger. She should have never been in this situation.

Eventually, her soft sobs turned to sad little hiccups and her body relaxed against mine.

I slowed my gentle caresses on her back, but continued to hold her against me. She must be so tired. It was still the middle of the night and there would be many hours of darkness before the sun rose in the sky.

A jagwa outside our cave let out an angry roar, causing Kayla to jump in my lap.

“It’s alright my little luna moth. I’ve got you. I’d hold you forever to keep you safe.”

Kayla stiffened in my lap. Had I said the wrong thing? I was speaking the truth.

She got up on unsteady feet and settled me with a glare. “Don’t call me that!” She spat out. She’d often told me not to call her my luna moth, but she had said it in a tone that sounded like she was joking. I thought it was part of our banter. Not something she actually disliked.

“And why would you say all that about holding me forever? It’s cruel, you know, to say things like that if you don’t like a person romantically.”

Her legs weakened once again, and she sank back to the ground. I sat in silence, letting her words sink in.

What was she talking about? I did like her romantically. I would never say those things to her if I didn’t.

“I do like you,” I confirmed out loud while locking my gaze with hers.

Her eyes sharpened into slits, and she yelled, “No, you don’t!”

“Yes, I do!” I yelled back. How had this become an argument?

“If you liked me, then why did you take so long to finish the chariot? I know you could have finished it sooner. You told me yourself it hadn’t been a priority!”

Her words hit me like spears to the chest. I had mentioned the chariot not being a priority as an off-handed comment to cover up the real reason why I hadn’t finished it sooner. I hadn’t meant for her to take it to heart.

“I took-” My words came out as a yell and I stopped myself and started over in a calmer tone. “I took as long as I did, so I would have an excuse to spend time with you.” I confessed, and the anger that creased her face melted away slightly. “As long as I could keep asking you for measurements, I had an excuse to talk to you.”

“You didn’t need an excuse to talk to me,” she replied in an exacerbated tone.

“I felt like I did. I’m usually so good at talking, but with you, I feel like I’m never saying the right thing and you never seem impressed by anything I say.”

“I’m not impressed by anything anyone says.” Kayla sighed and pinched the bridge of her nose as she looked down, as if in silent prayer.

“Words can lie. Only a person”s actions can be trusted, and when you took more than a month to produce something I knew you could do in a week, I thought your actions were showing me that you didn’t like me. That I wasn’t your priority.” Her last sentence was barely audible, as if she hadn’t wanted to admit that part out loud. But there it was, laid out before us both.

“You are my priority.” I sat next to her and tipped her chin up with my finger so she’d meet my eyes. I had to right this wrong. I had to make it completely clear that she meant more to me than anyone else on this entire planet.

“You’ve been my priority since day one. I was a fool for not finishing your chariot sooner. I did actually. I had it hidden in my workshop as I engraved it to perfection. If I had known that not finishing it would hurt your feelings even in the slightest, I would have presented it to you long ago. I’m so sorry Kayla.”

I leaned against the wall, feeling more ashamed than I ever had in my entire life. Not even my exile had felt as shameful as this.

“Can you ever forgive me?”

She leaned against the wall next to me and sighed.

“Yeah.”

She met my gaze and presented me with an offer. “Friends?”

Friends. That was a gift beyond all hope. I nodded my head. “Friends.”

I laid out our furs, hers on one end of the cave and mine at the other. I placed myself closer to the entrance. Not that anything was going to be able to move that boulder, but I’d be there just in case. I would protect Kayla with my life. Whether we were friends, mates, or even enemies, she’d have my forest at her back.