The Princess of the Moon

Chapter 17

"Take him back to the cottage," Kala said while she limped over to us. Her ears were flat against her head, and she stared at Carter with a mixture of pain and sadness. Her whole body was tense while she stared at him, and I wondered if she thought he would attack her again.

I stood and moved to her side, my stomach twisting in knots. Worry filled my body because I had no idea why she was up when she needed rest just as much as he did. "You need to be lying down," I said, and she snorted and rolled her eyes.

"I am fine," she said, even though we both knew that she wasn't. "You can worry about me later. Right now, I think you should bring him back to the cottage."

"Is it safe?" I asked, silencing the hope that filled my chest. "To bring him where I am living?" I licked my lips and cleared my throat while I shifted on my feet, not liking the unamused look that my Familiar gave me.

"I wouldn't be here and standing if it wasn't," she replied. "I'd still be laying in the spot you two had put me in."

"Awww, I thought you would have taken yourself back to the cottage," Zën said sarcastically. "I mean, it's not like it is your job to keep her safe. I could do that."

Kala snarled and bared her teeth at Zën. Her ears were flat against her head, and her whole body was poised to attack, but she didn't. She had no energy to attack him, and I could tell that this was becoming a strain on her. "It is my job," she growled. "You have n-"

"Kala," I said, interrupting her from talking, knowing full well that they would get into an argument. I gave her a pointed look when she turned her head and looked at me with narrowed eyes. "Don't," I warned. "It isn't worth it." I licked my lips and cleared my throat. "But, I agree with Zën. You should've taken yourself back to the cottage since you were able to move. You almost died."

Kala sighed and nodded. "I know," she replied. "However, I knew that you were going to need some help." She flicked her tail, and I could tell that she needed to lay down but was too proud to do so. "Let him into the cottage," she said. "He is here to help."

I raised an eyebrow, and it felt as if my breath was knocked out of me. Shock and hope filled my body, but I knew better than to hope for things because I knew that I would get hurt in the end. "What?" I asked, my voice barely above a whisper. I licked my lips and cleared my throat, hoping that I could get my voice a little louder. "What do you mean?" My voice wavered when I asked that, and I silently cursed myself.

Kala sighed and laid down, her body growing weaker because she had been standing for too long. "I mean, he is going to help you train. That is why he was supposed to be here. You haven't been doing as well as I had hoped you would improve with him."

I furrowed my brows and cocked my head. "Then why did he attack me?" I asked. "Or attacked you?"

"Dark magic," Kala replied. She sighed and laid her head on her paws. "I'll explain it later, but I think it'd be for the best to get him to the cottage before he wakes. He has a lot of explaining to do."

And you, I thought, making sure that thought was private. I bit my lip and cleared my throat before I nodded. "Ok," I replied. I looked at Zën and raised an eyebrow.

Zën groaned and rolled his eyes. "I will just take the cat," he said, earning a scowl from Kala. "You can deal with the human. I do not want him on my back." "Because that means I'll be linked to him, too, and I am already stuck with one person," he added, only using the link between us.

I rolled my eyes but nodded. I looked at Kala. "Is it ok if I put you on his back?" I asked, wanting her permission first.

Kala sighed and nodded. She didn't look pleased, but she knew it was the only option, especially since Zën was adamant about not having Carter on his back. "Yes," she said, letting her disapproval show. "You may. Do you remember the spell?" She looked at me with knowledgeable green eyes, and I nodded in confirmation. "Good. Use it to take him back."

I nodded again and walked over to her. Gently, I picked her up, surprised that she didn't weigh that much, and placed her on Zën's back, muttering a spell so that she wouldn't fall off of his back. "If anything happens to her..."

"You'll kill me. I know," Zën replied. "See you at the cabin!" he exclaimed, unfurling his wings. "Don't want to be ya." He lifted off the ground with a loud whoosh, and I watched him until he was a dot in the sky before I turned to look at Carter.

Sighing, I moved a strand of hair out of his face, studying the male that I knew to see that it looked like he was sleeping. "What are you?" I asked, my voice barely above a whisper. "Why is it that she allowed you to come?"

He stayed silent and motionless, except for his chest. His whole body was relaxed, and his chest rose gently up and down while he rested.

I bit my lip and shook my head before I cleared my throat. I took a deep breath and muttered the spell that Kala taught me, drawing the symbols on his head, stomach, and feet.

Relief and accomplishment filled my body when he levitated off the ground, and I grinned, pleased with myself. Gently, I pushed him in the way that I wanted before I started the long trek back to the cabin, praying that Carter being here wasn't a bad thing.

Kala said that it wasn't, and I prayed that it was true.

I didn't need to see another person injured badly before my eyes without any means of stopping it.