To be Claimed by Her

Chapter 107

Marc's POV

Sean is cursing, Gabe's crying and Minx is unconscious. This is all fucked up and I don't know what to do. I've cried out for Loki time and time again, but he isn't answering. Zura is trying to help Sean heal Victor, but he still isn't waking up. The only way we know he isn't dead are the bond markings, both of their lines are still moving, but just barely. We've set up a camp of sorts inside of the cave. Sean says it's too risky to move either of them.

"Hey, why don't you come with me to find something we can eat," Luke says, placing his hand on my shoulder. I didn't say anything but stood to follow him. We traveled down the mountainside for a while before he spoke again. "I think Loki's in trouble."

"What?" I said, my head snapping upward. "Why would Loki be in trouble?"

Luke sighed, "I wasn't supposed to say anything, but after Orak attacked Pixie, he was livid. He decided he was going to try and finish the mess with Erebus. I'm fairly sure he meant to kill him." Luke ran a nervous hand through his hair. "I know you've been calling him, and so have I. Think about it, Marc, do you really think he'd ignore our pleas to help her? For fucks sake, he loves her just as much as we do!" He threw his hands up in the air and kicked at a stick near his feet.

My mouth hung open. Shit, he's right. Loki wouldn't abandon her. If he isn't answering, it's because he can't answer. "So what do we do?" I asked, "I mean, hell, right now we can't even help her or Vic."

"I don't know, man, I just don't know. I guess we need to tell the others. Maybe they can reach out to their patrons?"

"It's worth a shot," I said, as we continued to search for any sign of wildlife or vegetation we could recognize as safe to eat. When we finally reached the cave again, we'd only managed to find a few things. Not nearly enough for our group.

"Perhaps some of us should return to the headquarters for supplies, at least temporarily," Owen suggested.

Nate shook his head, "I'm not leaving them here with no way to quickly escape. I can't be in two places at once, and I'm not sure Gabe can teleport right now." He looked over at Gabe still cradling Victor as he also held Minx's hand. "We don't know what Victor's spell did to him, what powers it might have taken or corrupted."

"He resisted the shadow," Luke said softly. "Loki said he was her strongest connection, her destined one. He told me Gabe wouldn't fall to the shadow, even if the rest of us did."

North snorted, "Yeah, just where the fuck is good old Loki? Why isn't he here helping her, helping us?"

"Luke thinks he's hurt or in trouble," I replied. All eyes turned to Luke. He cleared his throat and explained about Loki leaving to seek out Erebus to try and save her. Everyone sat silently, pondering what could have happened.

"Do you think he's dead?" Silas finally asked.

I shook my head and held up my arm, "No. Luke and I would have felt it, or the binding rune would have disappeared. It's similar to our bond with Eveleen."

"So then what do we do," he continued. "Do we stay and hope they recover, do we try to find Loki? For that matter, does anyone even know where the fuck we are?"

"Fairie," Zura said, coming to sit on a rock near the fire. "We are at the edges of Fairie, and we are not safe. Rion will feel her presence and come for her soon." Everyone started talking at once, trying to figure out our next steps.

"How do we get them moved without harming them?" Sean asked. "Star's shadow marks keep spreading almost faster than I can control. I don't know if Victor's spell is causing it, or how to stop it if it is."

"You can't," Gabe said in a flat tone coming to sit next to him. We all turned to him with a look of fear. "The spell connected the three of us even beyond our soul bond connection. I can feel the shadow in Victor, and little wolf. His intent was to give her dragon powers the way he did with me. He was convinced that it would stop Erebus's spell."

"How are you feeling? Is the shadow affecting you?" Brandon asked, leaning up from North's chest. "I mean, we all saw you as a dragon, so how are you, um, normal?"

Gabe shook his head and gave a sad laugh, "I'm not really sure. I can feel theirs, but I can't feel anything in me. When Victor finished the spell, I was so angry at him. It was like I had no control over my body while I transitioned, but then my mind was clear. I could tell he was going to try and finish the spell on her." Tears silently fell down his cheeks as he continued in a broken voice, "I could...I couldn't let him do that to her. I mean, I know it wasn't really him, but," he covered his face with his hands and took a ragged breath, "after what Phineas did, I couldn't let Victor do that to her as well."

We were all stunned, processing what he just told us. "He forced you," Corey said in a pained whisper, his hand clenching Raven's. The look on Gabe's face gave us all the answers we needed. My heart ached for him. I can't even imagine how a person processes that, how do they move past it, or can they?

He cleared his throat, sitting up straight. "We need to leave at first light. I know the risks, Sean, but the risk of staying is far greater. If Rion or Erebus capture her in this condition, she's as good as dead." He turned to Corey and Brandon, "Can the two of you create a schedule with the others so that one of you is awake at all times? Your sunlight power may be the best defense we have. Nate, you and I will take shifts as well. That way we can evacuate quickly if needed."

"You get some rest, man, I'll take the first watch," Nate said. Gabe nodded and headed back over to Eveleen and Victor. We all discussed and set up the first watch with Nate, Corey, Raven, Silas, Axel, and me. The rest scattered across the cave trying to find a place to sleep for a while.  

Author's Notes: A somber chapter, fair warning, more darkness before light in the upcoming chapter.  

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