Chapter 31: On The Way To Aldred's

“Adelie, you’ve been awfully quiet,” Kairos observed, his voice echoing in the encroaching darkness. We’d been walking for what felt like forever, the day slowly giving way to night.

I glanced over my shoulder, noticing Raphael trailing a good distance behind us. I was still unsure about Kairos accompanying me to meet Aldred. The last thing I wanted was to put him, or anyone else, in harm’s way.

“Just lost in thought,” I replied, though it was more than that. My mind was a whirlwind of confusion, a jumble of thoughts that I couldn’t quite decipher. It was everything and nothing all at once.

“Alright. But maybe you could shed some light on what you were thinking when you left without a word,” he said, his words sharp and cutting.

“I left a note,” I defended myself. It wasn’t as if I’d vanished without a trace. But how could I have explained my reasons to him? He would have never let me leave.

“Sure, but you didn’t actually leave it yourself. You had Maeve do your dirty work. And don’t think I’m naive. I know Maeve was in on it all along, and she probably knows more than I do now,” Kairos retorted, his anger palpable.

“I’m sorry,” I sighed, feeling the weight of his words.

“Why? Why are you so stubborn and reckless?” he asked, his gaze fixed on the horizon. I could tell he was struggling to keep his emotions in check.

“I explained it all in the letter. It’s something powerful, something that can keep death at bay. The Vampire Master confirmed it,” I said.

I stopped in my tracks and turned to face Kairos. I noticed Raphael quickening his pace, moving ahead of us. “This isn’t your fight, Kairos! Everything that’s happening is tied to my prophecy. I can’t let you risk your life for me.”

Tears welled up in my eyes. “What if all this werewolf killing is just a result of this prophecy? I don’t want anyone to get hurt. And as cheesy as it sounds, I want to save the world. I want to help people.”

“If I’ve been given these powers, I’ll do everything I can to make the world a better place,” I declared, wiping away the tears streaming down my face.

I continued, “If that makes me stubborn, then so be it. Nothing and no one can change that.”

“Is that what you want?” he asked, his eyes searching mine. His question was vague. “To fight danger to save others, even if it means hurting those who care about you, those who love you?” I couldn’t lie to him.

I knew I was causing him pain by leaving like this, but he would have done the same to me. Because Kairos always knows what’s right. But not this time. This time, I knew I was where I was meant to be, even if he didn’t agree.

“Never intentionally, but if that’s the price to pay to save many more, then yes,” I said, my voice steady and strong.

To my surprise, Kairos wasn’t angry or upset. He stepped closer, taking my hands in his. He brought my hands to his lips, kissing them gently. “Then let’s do it together. Let’s play our part in saving the world,” he said.

“Never on our own,” I added, and he chuckled, repeating, “Never on our own.” I couldn’t resist the urge to hug him tightly.

I could feel his heartbeat against my cheek. My reverie was broken by the sound of heavy footsteps. “They’re here,” Kairos said, looking in the direction of the noise. It was our pack, wolves carrying large bags on their backs.

“Hey!” Raphael called out from ahead of us. “I found a nice clearing over here!”

Kairo glanced my way, then back at our group. “We should make camp here, get some food in our bellies. We’ll head out at first light. We’ve still got a long road ahead.”

As night fell, we gathered around a fire that Kairo had built. Not everyone was with us, some had stayed behind to watch the kids.

I found myself wishing Maeve was here. I’d always thought of Jasmin as my closest friend, but maybe I’d never really understood what friendship was. Was Maeve my friend?

The others were engaged in conversation, Kairo’s arm draped around me. “Where’s Jasmin?” I asked him. I hadn’t seen her since our training session.

“I’m not sure. She didn’t want to leave, even begged me to let her stay. She cried,” Kairo said. Cried? Jasmin didn’t seem the type. “She threatened that you’d be in danger if she left, so I let her stay.”

“You never mentioned that,” I said.

“I would do anything to keep you safe. I had my guards keep an eye on her. She didn’t protest. She seems scared of something outside our territory,” he said. “But she left this morning. I don’t know how she slipped past the guards.”

“Do you think she’s in trouble?” I asked.

Kairo shrugged. “I don’t know. But I believe she can handle herself.”

Our conversation was interrupted by a voice. “Hey Luna,” a man called from across the fire. The chatter died down. “We’re honored to help with your prophecy. We’ll fight for you, no matter what.” He smiled at me, and others echoed his sentiment before returning to their conversations.

What if I let them down? “Kairo,” I said, tears welling in my eyes.

“Let’s take a walk,” he suggested, pulling me to my feet. We ventured into the woods, Kairo’s flashlight guiding us.

We stopped at a cluster of large rocks.

“Sit,” Kairo instructed. I did, and he joined me, setting the flashlight aside. “What’s on your mind?”

“I can’t let them die for me,” I confessed. “What if Aldred is ready for us? He could be prepared.”

“Our pack has the strongest fighters. And you. There’s no one more powerful than you,” he reassured me.

“But we don’t know that. I don’t even know if I can fight. What if I disappoint them? They’re supposed to look up to their Luna. What if I can’t make them proud?” I sobbed. “I’m scared, Kairo. Scared they’ll die because of me!”

Kairo pulled me into his arms. “We won’t let that happen. This isn’t your fault. Aldred wanted this war. He’s the one responsible,” he said. His words didn’t comfort me, but I wasn’t sure anything could.

“I’ll do anything to protect them,” I said, my head resting on his chest. “Even die, if I have to.” I meant every word.

Kairo’s chest heaved beneath me. “I know,” he said, holding me tighter.

We made our way back to the tent, ready to catch some sleep. We had an early start the next day, and I knew sleep would be a luxury I couldn't afford. As the sun peeked over the horizon, we were all up and ready, quicker than I thought possible.

We left our belongings tidied up in the tent, planning to retrieve them later. There was a hopeful air about us, a certainty that we'd be back.

“Are you set?” Kairos asked, his smile lighting up his face.

I responded with a nod, and we began our journey. Some of us shifted into wolf forms, but they stayed close, matching my pace. “I feel guilty making them stay human,” I confessed to Kairos.

He laughed lightly. “Think of it as... a patience exercise,” he suggested. His amusement was a mystery to me in our current predicament.

“Kairos. Are you scared?” I asked, looking into his eyes.

He took my hand in his, pressing a gentle kiss to it. “I’m petrified,” he admitted.