Soulmates Across Borders

Chapter 27

All around her, she could hear the sound of men shouting and blades clashing. If she wanted to survive, she needed to run. With no other options, she could only head back to the lilac field to turn to mist.

She squeezed Kuao's hand. "I'm sorry brother. I'm sorry I couldn't save you." Her apology caught in her throat. "I'm sorry I brought you here. This is all my fault." She wept so hard, her body shook.

Finally, she dragged herself to her feet. She scrubbed her tear-stained face as she ran. Sobs wracked her body. She stumbled in her delirious state of grief.

I saw everything, Pango told her. Solí, I'm so, so sorry.

She sniffed. I cannot ... I don't ...

I know, my love. This is so tragic.

It's not a tragedy! It's a war crime. My soulmate will pay for this!

Pango let out a mental growl. You think he's to blame for this?

Of course I do! He led his men here to us.

He seemed surprised to see the beastmen coming from the river, if you ask me.

I don't know. I don't want to talk about this right now. I want to find my sister and see who we can find in this chaos.

Pango sent her a mental nod. Matihah is back towards the village. I'm sure we'll find Miraka there with her.

They headed for the lilac field. A few beastmen chased summoners around in the area, and Solí pulled out her bow and an arrow and prepared to shoot at any beastmen who came her way. Then she edged her way to a lilac shrub, dropped her bow and tore at the plant.

She sat in her circle and tried to unlock her mana, but the tears came back, and she started sobbing. Her back bent inward as she trembled with sadness.

If you cannot awaken your mana, you'll die, Solí. We'll die. Try to breathe and calm down now.

I will. She tried hard to breathe long deep breaths. After struggling for a long moment, she finally slowed her heart down. Then she swayed as she breathed until her mana stirred at the base of her spine. Throughout this whole time, to her luck, no beastmen stumbled across her in the lilac field.

She turned herself to mist.

She floated to her misty feet and headed back toward the village.

I told Matihah what happened. They are devastated.

Don't tell them this is my fault, she pleaded. I couldn't live with the guilt, knowing she would blame me for Kuao's death. I think I'd kill my soulmate, and kill myself and you in the process.

Please don't do that, Pango pleaded. I know this is the worst thing that could happen. But your life doesn't have to end just because his life ended.

How am I supposed to live with this guilt, Pango?

You'll endure. You must. Now that your brother has passed away, you're the heir to the wolf tribe.

You're right. I am. If she could, she would have groaned. What does that mean about my betrothal to Tokah?

It means you need to stay with him to ensure your people are taken care of. You can't accept your soulmate and denounce your betrothal. Your people will have no leader when your father passes on.

My father! I need to make sure he's alright. Can you sense Wuruhina out there?

Yes, she's far off, but alive. Let's meet up with Miraka and Matihah for now, Pango suggested.

If it weren't for her misty state, she would have collapsed and sobbed with relief. As it was, she floated miserably, the misty state making it impossible to cry. She couldn't make a sound.

They floated toward the village, Pango leading her to where he could sense Matihah. When they found her just inside the destroyed village, they hovered together, unable to speak or even hug each other.

Tell her I wish I could hug her and make it alright, Solí said.

After a pause, Pango said, She knows you are comforting her the best way you can. She wants to go find your father.

She nodded and led the way toward the river and the edge of the forest, where she last saw the wolf king. Here and there, summoners and beastmen still fought. The ground was littered with the bodies of the dead, and there seemed to be far more dead beastmen than Värian summoners. But every time she found a fallen summoner dead near his wolf, her misty heart constricted in sadness.

My soulmate will pay for this, she sneered.

What will we do?

I don't know. But I'll think of something. He must pay for his crimes against me and my people.

After drifting for a while, they found the wolf king fighting with about ten summoners near the river. They had destroyed the beastmen's boats with their gravity makutu, and as the beastmen attempted to flee into the water, they shot arrows at them, which dragged them down into the depths.

Solí hoped her soulmate was long gone, so she wouldn't get killed right now. But she stood there in her mist form and felt a smile spread across her transparent face as each of the beastmen got shot while they attempted to swim across the river. As the gravity makutu dragged the kangata down to their deaths, she felt her heart hum with the bittersweet song of vengeance.

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878 Words ~ 30230 Total