27. Chapter Twenty Seven

Kela pulls two packs from the shelf and tosses them on the bed followed by empty flasks, sacks of dried food, an assortment of cookware, and a tin of tea leaves. "The skies should be clear of storms for a few days, but it's going to be a journey. We will need to avoid Shadowvale's patrols as much as we can." She shoots me a knowing glance.

"How long until we get to the rebel camp?" I begin packing the bags and my healer's satchel. Luckily only a few bottles cracked during my fall.

"Well that depends," Kela replies, grunting as she tosses a heavy armful of thick winter clothing on the table. "They move around a lot to keep from being detected. Our progress is going to be slowed due to all that thick snow. Have you ever tried hiking through thigh-high deep snow?"

"I can't say that I have." Glancing out the frost covered window, a frown tugs at my lips. The snow had indeed piled up at least thigh-high over the last couple of days to my utter surprise. It snowed in Kallistar, but never more than a few inches at a time. The most I had to worry about were my toes freezing on my walk to the village. This will be a real adjustment to make.

"Well, if we didn't need these supplies and our magic at full strength, I'd suggest we shift. We'd both be faster on four legs but we need to be smart about how and when we use our powers." She turns away and pulls out the cast iron pan from the fire and places it on the table. "At least we will have warm, full stomachs when we leave."

Lemon slithers into the bag of food and pokes his head out, watching us. "Hey! You little rascal! Get out of there!" I scoop him up in my arms and plant a soft kiss on the top of his head. Of course he would try to slither into our food provisions. I shake my head in disbelief, giggling slightly.

Kela lifts the lid, the aroma of caramelized berries mingles with a buttery pie crust. Nestled in the bottom of the cast iron pan sit six small pastries.

"Those look and smell divine." My mouth waters as my eyes devour the perfectly browned crust and oozing baked berry compote. "Hunter, healer, and baker. Is there anything you can't do?"

"Hmm. I can't grow wings and fly. Boy, that would really come in handy. You don't happen to know a drake shifter do you?" Her eyes twinkle as she grins wolfishly at me with eyebrows raised.

"Nero?" I shrug as I pull thick woolen socks over my feet. I know he is part fire drake, but you'd think I'd remember him having wings.

"Pfft. He's a cinnamon roll that would do anything to help a damsel in distress, but I think I'd remember if he could fly." She bites into one of the pastries and groans. "Unless you know something that I don't. Here, try this."

Before I can answer she grabs another pastry and shoves it into my mouth. My eyes close in ecstasy as the pastry melts on my tongue; flaky savory crust mixing with sweet sticky jam.

"You've really outdone yourself this time." I say between bitefuls of her sinfully delicious pastry.

"Oh please," she says, nonplussed, waving a hand in my direction as she backs towards the fire, but I can see a creep of blush along her cheeks and silver lining her eyes. I try to make eye contact with her, but she doesn't quite meet my eyes.

"Kela, is something wrong?" I asked, worry creasing my brow. She doesn't respond, and her silence sits like a cold stone in the pit of my stomach.

"Was it something I said? I was being serious about your cooking being delicious." I cross the few remaining steps to her side and lay a hand on her shoulder. My movement brings on a fresh wave of tears rolling down her cheek. I don't know how to explain it but I can sense sorrow and loneliness rolling off of her in waves. Was this an extension of my powers? I had never been able to feel another's emotions before.

"No, it's not that." She sniffles and rubs at her eyes. "It's just, all my life I have not fit in with the pack. I was always the odd wolf out, especially since I started getting my visions from a very young age. Sharing the cabin with you for the last couple of days has been the happiest I have been in a long time. Thank you for reminding me what it's like to have a friend and not having to constantly look behind my back." I smile knowing very well what she is talking about.

"We were meant to find each other Kela," I say and take her hands in mine. "I will be your friend for as long as you'll have me."

"Oh Sybil," she embraces me in a tight hug that squeezes the breath out of me. I pound at her back until she lets me go.

"You are one strong woman!" I wheeze as I lean forward bracing my hands on my knees, catching my breath.

"Hah! Sometimes I don't know my own strength–" her words and then her body pauses briefly before she shakes her head. Her blue eyes meet mine. "It's time to go—something is coming. The vision was blurry, but we must make haste."

***

My breath puffs in clouds before me as we make our way through the trees. The snow, trapped by massive boughs above us, only goes up to our shins. I chance a glance behind us at the small cabin camouflaged between the snow and towering pines. A small stream of smoke rises through the chimney from our banked fire, the only indication that we were there.

"We don't have time to cover our tracks." Kela grabs my elbow and pulls my attention forward. "The best we can do is hope the snow slows them down. We need to head east. We can skirt around the towns at the base of the mountains to avoid the King's patrols."

"Who is after us?" I involuntarily shudder, pulling the borrowed thick fleece lined cloak closer.

"I don't know." Kela says dismissively as she lets go of my hand and breaks off a dry branch.

"What if it's Nero? Didn't you say he might be meeting us?" I jog to catch up to her long strides.

"I'm not sure, Sybil." She purses her lips in decision as she keeps breaking branch after branch until she finds the right one, thick enough and sturdy enough to walk with and hands it over to me. We continue another twenty paces before she breaks off an equally large branch and fashions herself another stick. "I'm not risking it. No one should know about that cabin except a select few in the clan including myself and Nero."

"So what if it's—"

Kela cuts me off with a hand to my face and signals for me to be quiet. The woolen gloves are rough and cold against the soft skin of my lips. Silence echoes around us only broken by the occasional thump of snow falling off trees and thudding to the ground.

"Let's go." She whispers and points to her left, further into the mountains. "It's not Nero. Or, if it is, he's not alone. I sense another's presence—one I'm not familiar with."

My heart leaps in my chest. Could it be Aramis? What has Nero told him? "What if another storm blows in?"

She stops in her tracks and turns to face me. "Sybil, trust me. We're safe for a few more days at least before another storm hits. By that time, even if we have not reached the next safe house, there are plenty of caves we can camp out the storm in."

"What if Nero comes looking for us and we aren't at the cabin?" I inquire.

"I left a message only he will be able to decipher. If he doesn't find the message, he knows my first priority is to get you to safety."

***

We travel for over an hour, only stopping occasionally for her to sniff the air, shake her head and then point us in a different route. For every turn we take, there is a familiar tug in the opposite direction, almost as if she is purposefully keeping me from reuniting with whatever it is that is calling to me.

Lemon shivers in my pocket, occasionally poking his head out before ducking back inside. I use my free hand to reach in and scratch his head. Around me as we head further into the forest and higher up the mountain, the world is nothing but tall pine trees and snow. Icicles the size of my forearm glisten in the early morning sun.

The snow crunches under my boots as we crest another hill, the exertion of hiking making me sweat despite the cold winter. and my mind starts wondering.

"You know," Kela starts interrupting the silence, "once you've shared all the information you have about Tricella with the council, they will probably be able to help you go back to your village, should you wish to. This is not your fight after all." Her voice is full of genuine curiosity.

"I don't think that's a good idea. Tricella is desperate to have me. She probably sent some of her guards to Bellevue already. I'm also not entirely sure I want to go back there," I say between labored breaths. This is the first time I've admitted not wanting to return to my old life and I am surprised at how committed those words sounded.

"I am a shifter so this fight is as much mine as it is yours. I want to stay and help, if the defenders will have me," I continue, voice clear and full of determination. Kela turns back to me and nods with a smile. "I just wanted to make sure you knew you had options. They might have dragged you into this but you have a choice Sybil. No one can take that from you." My friend concludes and turns back to keep going. Step after step, I try to imagine what my new life could look like, helping the rebels free Shadowvale of Tricella. Surely they can use another healer on their side, even if just a half-trained one. Will I be able to have a place to call home or be constantly on the move like Kela? Will the shifters accept me even if I am from Kallistar?

Through the opening in the trees I spot a small valley glistening white, its surface undisturbed. It looks like it belongs in a fairytale, the way the sun sets the surface sparkling as if it's alive with magic.

Just then, the wind changes, and with it comes the scent of sweat, sulfur, and iron. I watch as Kela's pupils dilate before gleaming fangs descend from her upper lip.

"Run!" she growls before pushing me towards the slope leading to the valley.

I stumble, but find my bearing, digging my walking stick into the ground. My heart thuds wildly in my chest as my lungs seize up. They've found us.

My whole body is frozen. I can't move. I can't breathe.

"Sybil, run!" Kela screams at the top of her lungs. It's enough to break me from my panic. I begin racing down the hill as fast as I can, one hand braced against Lemon to keep him from bouncing out of my pocket. My leather satchel and pack pound against my back and side with every step. I'm halfway across the field before I realize I don't hear anything except the thud of my feet as they sink through the ground and the beating of my heart in my ears. I stop and turn around. My eyes scan the entire valley but all I see is the track my feet made in the snow. Kela is nowhere to be found.