The Forsaken Hero

His words sent a shiver down my spine, and for some reason, I felt a surge of determination to stay awake. But without moving, simply sitting and waiting, it was like trying to hold back a flood with a single finger. I managed to avoid outright falling asleep or leaning on his shoulder again, but I couldn’t fight off the drowsiness completely. I dozed off once or twice more, my head bobbing, before a gentle hand shook me awake, startling me into jerking upright.

The world snapped back into focus, and I found Jessia watching me with an amused smirk. Embarrassment warmed my cheeks, and I averted my gaze, suddenly fascinated by the intricate patterns of frost forming on the ground.

”Shall we get moving?” Luke asked, standing.

I tried to follow, but my body protested at being asked to give more than it had. Before I could say anything, Luke turned toward me, his hand slipping into mine, large and calloused against my delicate fingers. I stiffened, my tail twitching nervously, but allowed him to pull me to my feet.

Jessia watched our exchange with amusement, her eyes twinkling as she noted the way Luke’s hand lingered on mine a moment longer than necessary. But her expression quickly shifted, her playful smirk fading into suspicion. Her eyes narrowed at Luke, almost accusatory. I quickly pulled away, eying him warily.

Their eyes locked, and the atmosphere crackled with tension. After a long moment, Luke looked away, his expression conflicted. Jessia said nothing but continued to stare at him, her gaze sharp and unwavering, before wordlessly turning and walking away.

It wasn’t only their strange behavior that caused my caution. Beyond the physical exhaustion, a deeper concern gnawed at me. The abrupt awakening had nearly broken my tenuous hold on the bond with Haven. The realm was always there, lurking at the edges of my awareness, waiting for a chance to spill into Enusia. The longer I remained awake, the less strength and concentration I had, making it harder to suppress the encroaching darkness.

In all honesty, I had no idea why sleeping did anything to quell it, or how they didn’t escape when I wasn’t able to suppress them consciously. But it seemed to work, and I had to find a chance to rest or we would have far larger problems to worry about than a simple city’s defenses.

The thought sent a shiver down my spine. I couldn’t help but recall the way Luke had inquired about my state during the war council or the Apostle’s strange behavior and reasoning behind his little trip. Surely, he couldn’t be intending—no, not Luke. He wouldn’t, right?

As we started again, we carefully made our way around the fort. Jessia finally broke her tense silence, speaking with Luke in a low murmur, going over the fort’s various defenses and enchantments she had observed. Apparently, the reason she’d taken so long was that she’d managed to infiltrate their command center and get a look at the standing orders and planned reactions to anything the demons might try.

Jessia couldn’t have traveled these mountains before, yet she led us on a very specific route. It was hard to read her intent, but as we wound down the slopes, our path always happened to keep us out of direct sight of a particular tower of the fort. I vaguely remembered sensing a powerful soul keeping watch within that tower, so perhaps she was wary of being spotted. Or maybe they had an ability that could see through her illusion. Either way, her caution was a stark contrast to her earlier playful demeanor.

More than once, as we navigated the treacherous path toward the city below, Jessia materialized at my side, preventing me from stepping on unstable ground or slipping on hidden patches of ice. Her sudden appearance startled me each time, but there was nothing threatening in her demeanor: just a playful smirk and a knowing glint in her eyes.

Her skill at guiding us and scouting the path was surprising. I couldn’t help but study her with a newfound respect. She had initially seemed like nothing more than a troublemaker, reminding me a bit too much of Jenna. This, however, was a new side of her: not just a schemer, but someone truly competent in her field of expertise.

”Well? What do you think? Was it active?” Luke asked when she had finished her report.

Jessia nodded, her lips curving into that now familiar smirk. Whatever grievance they’d had seemed to be forgotten. ”Aren’t you glad you let me come now?” she purred, her voice laced with smug satisfaction.

She moved on ahead, humming to herself. I glanced at Luke and found him shaking his head with a wry smile.

”What did she mean?” I asked softly, not wanting Jessia to overhear.

He chuckled lightly. ”Nothing much,” he said dismissively. ”I’d originally planned for just the two of us to enter the city, but she thought there might be some sort of detection magic. Her skills are extremely powerful and can subvert almost any detection method. Looks like she was right.”

I frowned, intrigued, but my next question was forgotten as I stumbled over a half-buried log. Luke caught me swiftly, but instead of setting me back on my feet, he continued the motion and swept me up into his arms. I squeaked, my tail stiffening in surprise, as he held me effortlessly, as though I weighed no more than a child.

”H-hey!” I protested, squirming in his grasp, trying to regain my footing.

But his arms might as well have been steel bars. I could have weighed half as much as the literal mountain, and he’d still be strong enough to keep me from escaping.

”Oh, settle down,” he chuckled, a hint of amusement in his voice. ”I think you’ve tripped over your own tail enough. Just let me carry you, at least until we get over the city walls.”

”A princess carry?” Jessia remarked, raising an eyebrow. ”Really?”

Luke shrugged, the unexpected motion causing me to bob in his arms. ”Seemed like the easiest option.”

I blushed, mortified, and renewed my struggles, but at that moment, Luke leaped forward, plunging us off a forty-foot cliff. I bit my tongue, stifling a scream, as we plummeted through the air, thousands of snowflakes dancing in our wake. The thick cloud cover filtered the moonlight, turning the snow-covered ground a pale, ghostly white, interspersed with deep shadows. It was all happening so fast, and my heart hammered in my chest.

”Easy there,” Luke said calmly. ”No need to panic. I’ve got you.”

His voice, steady and reassuring, cut through my fear. I looked up at him, his face illuminated by the faint moonlight, and a strange sense of calm washed over me. He had me. He wouldn’t let me fall.

That calm shattered as he ran up to the next cliff, a sixty-foot drop this time.

”Please, no more,” I pleaded, my voice trembling. ”N-not the high ones, at least. I don’t want to—”

My words were cut short as he leaped off another cliff, descending the steep slopes as if they were stairs. I squeezed my eyes shut and finally surrendered to the embarrassment, throwing my arms around his neck and clinging to him for all I was worth.

It was only recently, in the months leading up to Brithlite City, that I had grown accustomed to riding Fable at high speeds and across vast distances. The last time I’d been carried down a cliff was in Heartland, when I had finally trusted Sorrin enough to let him carry me. I didn’t trust Luke nearly as much, especially not with that carefree grin on his face as the wind rushed against us, causing my hair to flow behind us in a wave of gold.

Wait, gold? I risked another peek and was shocked to find my hair a beautiful gold hue. It was thick and lustrous, almost reminding me of Elise’s. Just who had Jessia disguised me as?

The thought vanished as Luke leaped off another cliff, sending another jolt of panic through me. Jessia kept pace with him, leading by just a few seconds, keeping us on track to intersect with the outer city walls at the end of our leaps.

The walls of Whitecliff City glowed brightly, lit by enchanted pyres stationed between towers. The city was obviously aware of the demon’s impending attack and had soldiers stationed everywhere. As we drew near, I could make out the exhaustion on their faces, the stress and tension palpable. They knew as well as we did that they were their kingdom’s final line of defense. If they failed, tens, if not hundreds of thousands, might die.

At last, we came to a stop a few hundred feet from the city, using a relatively small ridge of earth for cover. The trees had been cleared from our position to the walls, a natural kill zone that denied cover to anyone seeking to approach.

”Ready?” Luke asked, looking at Jessia.

Before I could ask what new terrors they had planned for me, she nodded and flashed a feral grin. ”Hold on tight, Xiviyah. Try not to scream.”