Teetering on exhaustion, the lot of them sleep very well throughout the night.

I watch them faintly through dim firelight, the lack of shuffling or tossing explaining without words. The last time they slept this well easily became days ago. A week perhaps.

Still, no one told me how long it had been.

Daniel passed out on watch, though not overly surprising. I see the weakening state in him the most, dark rings softening around his eyes once deep sleep takes over.

Meika seldom twitches, only twisting her head once in hours.

When the moon reaches its peak in the sky, soft shifting through the dusty grass and sand catches my loose attention. Four steps, a quick pause. Eight more steps. Quiet breathing getting closer and closer before a large shadow looms over me and blocks much of the moonlight.

Gently pressing my eyes shut, I hold my breath.

I take this chance.

The large frame leans over me, the ghostly touches of a wet nose grazing over my cheek. Several tiny sniffs push straight into my ear, tickling my neck.

"I know you're awake," the soothing voice murmurs. An entrancing monotone echoes in, hinting only slightly at a warm smile.

Smirking slightly, I don't move an inch more. "I knew you were here. She doesn't sleep the same without you."

"I know," the voice answers.

A silence passes between the two of us. Questions phase in and out of my mind, but none urge me to speak.

Until one skirts the outer fabric of my thoughts.

"Did you know it was me? Did you know it was me and fought?"

It's the only thing I want to know.

It's the only thing I need to know.

My eyes peek up at the very large wolf standing above me. Giant opal eyes stare back at me. A beautiful brown pelt wrapped around Shai'rune like a jacket, stretching down their paws and over their head. With an underbelly of white and faint flecks of red-brown, they maintained a bright and clean summer coat.

Short and comfortable, all except for the mane around their neck.

Tilting their head ever so slightly, Shai'rune peers down at me. "I did see you, I did know it was you," they answer. "It was my master who cut the ties of fate."

I nod, smiling again. "Of course."

"I will spare you the details, Goddess. You needn't know."

Shai'rune lowers themself to the ground between Meika and me, resting their tail against my leg and their face on top of Meika's blanket.

For once I didn't want to know, the lack of information is preferable to me. What was done to me, who committed what. After years in that hellhole of a dungeon, it was all over. Being captured by Kiel was my own consequence.

I was warned repeatedly.

Again and again, over and over, tempting and testing fate without Lindon.

The outcome was mild considering.

"Shai'? I roll back to look at the resting wolf. "Has he truly killed them all? You must know something..."

The wolf snorts, a gentle gust knocking some dust into the air. "He thinks he has."

"But?"

"I do not know the truth, but I know the likelihood is slim. He is a weak man."

Sickness washes through the pit of my stomach and up my throat. I cough and throw myself into a sitting position, watching as dark blood covers the ground beneath us.

Why on earth does it feel as if I've been submerged again, held underwater for an eternity.

Daniel and Meika are both awake now, dawn glowing along the horizon line but still a ways off. I see their eyes watching me, see the Fae Witch pushing up off the ground to get a better look.

"You're awake," she says, glancing between me and her newfound companion. "Both of you are."

I try to smile but the nausea overtakes me again, thrusting more blood out of my body.

"Iridian, what's wrong?" Dan asks, scrubbing the sleep out of his eyes.

I shake my head, not in defiance but confusion. "I don't know... It feels like we're out on that boat again but-"

"Your eyes are glowing," Meika interrupts, standing with ease and pacing to my side. Instead of asking any more, she twists my elbow out from under me and forces my body back onto the ground.

It hurts, it aches.

A strange ringing fills my eardrums.

Meika places one hand on my forehead and another on my sternum, closing her eyes and breathing in. Focusing, meditating.

Fatigue sets in, with purple light ebbing from her hands and into my body. "We don't have much time left..."

It's a faint whisper, but everyone hears it.

"What's happening to her?" Daniel asks again, this time sitting up from his blankets and creeping up closer. "She can't be dying..."

"It's very well possible," I mutter, taking a deep breath against small, dry coughs.

Sicco Resia was and still is ancient magic. Although spells similar are often timeless and work just the same as the world spins, the same cannot be said for soul-binding enchantments. Taking blood from incompatible entities and combining them often resorts in mental discord and Mana depletion.

For Meika, with two entirely different lineages than my own, the toll will be excruciating if she cannot manage to withstand the constant effects of my bottomless well. The tunnel and space for my power is infinite, but she must manage supporting me enough while keeping her own levels in check.

Impossible for most Witches, the main saving grace left is Fae descent. Descendant from beasts and gods alike, the fairytale didn't do justice for many of the powerful warriors they created.

Yet the Witch says nothing, her faithful familiar rising from their place on the ground and circling over. I suppose to provide warmth and comfort to us both, but the dreaded concern in Shai'rune's eyes is far from soothing.

"A piece of her soul is trapped in that chamber," the wolf says. "Kiel chained and cursed it there when you were made to drink his strange potion."

Meika gives the shadow of a nod before going back to her work.

Dan watches closely, gaze roaming over my body, to the blood on the ground, and then focusing intently on her facial features. He doesn't say anything, just considers. I watch plenty of equations and solutions phase in and out of his head. The small spark of hope in his eyes dulls slowly.

"We have to get her to Lindon. Now."

When Meika opens her eyes, they glow with a new sense of purpose and hard found proof. She removes her hands and raises an arm to summon her bag. Within seconds she's rummaging through and pulling out various items, ingredients, and books. The proper collection of ideas from an ages-old Witch.

Shai'rune takes their big snout and nudges the book open, scanning something with those big eyes.

"What are we going to do? Walking at this rate will keep us out of Greece for another month," Dan starts panicking, continuing to ramble to himself more than anything. "Not to mention the fact that there is enough water in Greece to end Ira's life before we even find Lindon."

"How can we keep going without the rest of Iridian's soul?" Remi pipes up from the background, clearly awoken.

Meika continues forward, shaking her head and throwing a number of things in Shai'rune's direction. The large wolf organizes them to the best of their ability, still keeping one eye focused on the wilder parts of the desert around us.

"Because Lindon can break the chain and we cannot," they explain softly, staring at Remi with interest. "If we go back there is no guarantee her soul can be recovered, yet there is if we find a way to Greece with haste."

Remi's features widen in shock, mouth parting ever so slightly but no words come out. Only misguided sounds. Perhaps she'd never seen a talking wolf or maybe it was the gentleness lying within those words.

"But there's no way to get there that fast..." she finally says, the sound of tears flooding into her voice. "She's gonna die..."

"No," Meika snaps, shooting both Daniel and Remi a glare. "She is not going to die. We are going to get there in time. I need you both to just trust me."

They stop talking but don't share the usual looks I've come to expect from them. Perhaps that night before I was captured truly severed something.

"I've got many things to do and not much time to do it," Meika begins explaining, pulling one of the books away from Shai'rune. "There is a ritual performed, often in times of war to move targets from one place to another. It's far more complicated than any teleportation and generally has consequences. If I am able to prepare and do everything correctly, we can have Iridian in Greece within the next three days. From there, finding Lindon will be our only challenge. Will you both do as I say for the time being?"

Remi nods immediately, curling her legs beneath her and getting ready to move at a moment's notice.

Daniel, however, pauses and assesses the Witch's face. He looks her and the wolf over carefully and rests his sight on me last. "And you're sure?"

She gives a curt nod.

The demi-god now holds my stare and waits, asking me the same silent question.

Taking a deep breath, I wipe the blood off of my face. It stains my arm, feeling crusty already. There are no other options now.

"Yes. This is the only way."

Daniel frowns but agrees all the same.

"Good, now stay out of my way," the Fae Witch grins.

Happy January Everyone!!

Oh my god, I just realized today that the end is coming so very soon. Perhaps some of the best content I'll be writing this year will come right out the gate! lol. That being said it just reminds me how grateful I am to each and every one of you for hanging with me this far and enjoying this book <3

I love you guys!

If you enjoyed the chapter, don't forget to vote and comment! I hope everyone is having an awesome start to 2021!

Have a Wonderful evening!!