The Unhappy Heart (Book 1 of The Wolfheart Trilogy)

30. The Hunter

Lord Rane did not head for the castle. Instead he turned to the mountains and urged his horse into a gallop. But Barin was exhausted. The chestnut stallion did not make it far before it began to stumble and slow.

Sobbing with frustration. Lord Rane finally pulled the horse to a stop and gently lifted Blade to rest him on the ground.

The captain's eyes flickered open and he stared up into the lord's face. Lord Rane smiled at him.

"Blade," he whispered, softly. His fingers ran searchingly across the younger man's torso, while his eyes took in the damage. Seeing the blood gushing out, he quickly placed his hand over the open wound. His own face grew pale as he focused on drawing the muscle and skin back together. "Hold on just a bit longer. It will be okay."

Blade gave a small smile, tears running down his face, leaving a pale path in the ash and dirt. "Forgive me, my lord. But I could not let you kill him. Even...even if it meant me instead."

Lord Rane shook him gently. "Hush, do not say it. You will not die, Blade. I will save you." His voice was firm, but underneath the seemingly confident tone, was a tremor that told he was lying not only to Blade but to himself.

Blade gave a bitter laugh, but it ended in a pained sob. "You already have...so many times. And you knew that ever since, I would have followed you to the end. And you knew I was willing to die this death, if it was in following you."

Lord Rane shook his head. His gaze was gentle, almost like that of a mother looking upon her child. "I would rather it be me who bleeds" he said in a soft, almost wistful voice.

"My Lord," whispered the dying captain. "You must live." He reached out a shaking hand and Lord Rane took it in his firm grasp. "But let them live also. Please, my lord, don't continue on this path. Please, I am tired." His lids dropped wearily. But they flickered open to stare up at the grey sky once more. "Why is the world so cruel, lord? So cruel..."

His head slumped back; the puzzled frown still etched across his face. Lord Rane slowly reached out to touch his face. As the understanding settled in, he drew the body close to his chest and throwing his head back, the shaith screamed to the dark skies.

He did not know how long he stayed there by the captain's body. Blade's head still rested heavily against his arm, but as hours passed, Lord Rane could still not bear to leave the man alone in the cold. In a few more hours, the sun would begin to set, and the thought of leaving his beloved friend's body in the dark seemed unthinkable. But he knew he could not make Barin carry two people again after the hard ride away from the battle. Nor would he make it safely back to the city and finish what he had started.

He gazed down at the pale scarred face, and gently brushed the straying hair from his face.

"I must go now, Blade," he whispered, as though Blade would hear. "Forgive me for not taking you with me. I can not even lay you to rest in a peaceful place as I know you desired. The wolves will come hunting for me soon. I must finish everything before then...before it is too late. The beasts will fill their bellies and appease their hunger after all these years. And then it will be over, as it should have been long ago. My wife and child's souls will no longer cry out for vengeance. And I will sleep in peace."

He bent and bestowed a kiss to the younger man's brow.

"I am grateful to you, Blade, for giving me the strength to do this. To me, you really were the son I had lost."

He gently lifted Blade's head to rest it upon the long green grass. Then turning, he rose to mount Barin who had waited patiently by his master's side. Glancing once more at the still body, and letting his tears fall freely, Lord Rane turned Barin towards the castle.

No sooner than had he galloped out of sight, two hooded figures approached Blade. The younger one knelt by his side and gently pressed her fingers to his wrist.

"He is dead, m'lady," she whispered in a horrified voice. "Should we take him back to the hills to rest?"

The older woman knelt beside her, and placed her fingers against Blade's neck. She shut her eyes and held her breath. After a moment, a small smile appeared across her lips.

"He lives." She opened her eyes and gazed down at the young man's face. "He has a strong soul, this one. I will give him the water of the Elga tree and see if he lives the night."

"And when he awakes, m'lady?" the young girl asked.

"If he awakes, he will take the accursed Heart back to where it belonged."

* * * * *

A sombre cloud seemed to hang over the camp as the wolves tended to their wounded.

Andrea wandered through the camp, her eyes gazing about searchingly. She finally caught sight of him seated a little apart from the others, his head bowed as he carefully bandaged a wound on his wrist. Andrea walked slowly over to him, her heart pounding in her chest, as she watched the bandage slowly cover up the large tattoo upon his forearm.

"Hunter?" she asked, in a low voice.

The man started, his head jerking up to face her. For a long moment, they faced each other with neither friendliness nor hostility. Then the man returned to winding up the bandage. 

"What do they call you?" he asked when the silence had stretched for too long.

Andrea took a deep breath, her nails digging into her palms to calm herself. "Andrea...They call me Andrea."

The man nodded slowly. He tied the bandage's end into a knot and raised his eyes to meet her's. "Why did you call me by that name, Andrea? There is only one who knew it."

"He told me about you. And then Priscilla, the retired healer, told me to find you."

The man's eyes widened. "Priscilla? You met Priscilla?" When Andrea nodded, he shook his head with unbelieving wonder. "I did not know she still lived."

"You know her then?" asked Andrea, staring at him with curiosity.

He nodded. "I do indeed. I am her son-in-law." He smiled with amusement at Andrea's confused and bewildered face. "Perhaps I should introduce myself." He put out his hand. "I am Therron, son of Olan, king of the Warring Woods and alpha of the woodland wolves.