Chapter 38 THE ROAD TO NORTHERN TERRITORY
CHAPTER 038: THE ROAD TO NORTHERN TERRITORY
We've been traveling for six hours and my legs are screaming.
Sofia trips over a root for the third time and Morgana catches her arm before she fall and faces the plants.
"Why couldn't we just take horses?" Sofia whines.
"Because horses leave tracks," Luna says without turning around. "And tracks make us easy to follow."
"We're already being followed," Cassian mutters, his eyes scanning the treeline.
He's right. I can feel it too. That tensed sensation at the back of my neck was very strong.
Kieran walks ahead with Luna, both of them moving with that predator grace that comes naturally to wolves. They haven't said much to each other but there's an understanding between them. A pack recognizes another pack.
Alaric stays close to me, his hand occasionally brushing my lower back like he needs the contact to stay calm. Zev walks behind us, quietly and tense. His green eyes keep unfocusing like he's seeing something the rest of us can't.
"How much further?" I ask Luna.
"Two more days if we keep this pace," she says. "Less if we push through the night."
"We're not pushing through," Kieran says firmly. "We need rest."
Luna glances back at him. "Every hour we waste—"
"I know," he cuts her off. "But if we show up exhausted we're useless. We set up camp at dusk and rotate watch."
She doesn't argue.
We pass through what used to be a fae settlement. The buildings are overgrown with vines, windows shattered, doors hanging off hinges. Magic still pulses faintly in the air, making my skin tingle.
"What happened here?" Sofia whispers.
"War," Morgana says quietly. "About thirty years ago. The Summer Court wiped out the Spring settlements when they refused to bend to their knee."
"That's horrible," I breathe.
"That's politics," Alaric says coldly.
By the time the sun starts setting, we've crossed into neutral territory. No pack claims. No court jurisdiction, it's just wilderness and whatever chooses to live in it.
Kieran finds a clearing with good visibility and defensible positions. We drop our bags and start setting up camp.
Cassian creates a controlled fire with a flick of his wrist. The flames dance in his palm before settling into the kindling.
"A show off," Sofia mutters, but she's smiling.
Luna pulls out dried meat and hard bread from her pack. It's not much but it'll do. We eat in silence, the exhaustion settling over us.
"Watch rotation," Kieran announces. "Two hour shifts. Alaric and Thalira first. Then Cassian and Morgana. Zev and Sofia. Luna and I will take dawn."
Sofia groans. "Why do I get stuck with the dream walker?"
Zev smirks. "Because you snore and someone needs to make sure you don't attract predators."
"I do not snore."
"You absolutely do," Morgana says.
"Traitor."
Despite everything, I almost laugh.
The others settle into their bedrolls while Alaric and I take first watch. We sit on opposite sides of the clearing, our eyes on the darkness far from the firelight.
The forest is alive with the sound of crickets, owls and something rustling in the bush.
After an hour of silence, Alaric moves to sit beside me.
"You're thinking too loud," he says.
"Sorry."
"Don't apologize. Just talk to me."
I pull my knees to my chest. "What if we're too late?"
"Then we make sure he doesn't take anyone else."
"That's not comforting."
"I'm not trying to comfort you. I'm being realistic."
I turn to look at him. His Look is Cute due to the reflection in the firelight, his shadows showing his features into something inhuman. Sometimes I forget what he is and what they all are.
"You haven't processed what happened," he says suddenly.
"What are you talking about?"
"The Hollow King. Your mother. Finding out the boys are pieces of your soul." He finally looks at me. "You haven't dealt with any of it."
My throat tightens. "I don't have time to deal with it. People are dying."
"People are always dying Thalira. You can't save everyone."
"I can try."
His hand finds mine. His skin is cold but the touch is gentle.
"You carry too much," he whispers.
"Someone has to."
"No. Someone doesn't have to." His thumb traces circles on my palm. "You're allowed to break. You're allowed to be scared."
"If I break now I might not put myself back together in time."
"Then let us hold you together."
The words hit something deep in my heart. I lean into him without thinking and I place his arm around my shoulders, And he pull me close.
"I'm scared I'll fail," I admit quietly.
"Then you fail. And we pick you up and try again."
I tilt my head back to look at him. His red eyes are soft and He's looking at me like I'm something precious, something worth protecting even when the world is burning.
He leans down slowly, giving me time to pull away but I didn't, I don't want to.
His lips are almost on my lips when Cassian's voice cuts through the moment.
"Hey lovebirds. Found something you need to see."
Alaric closes his eyes and sighs. "Perfect timing."
Cassian leads us to the edge of the clearing where Luna, Kieran and Morgana are already gathered. Zev appears from the shadows, his expression grim.
"What is it?" I ask.
Luna pointed to a tree and my heart sank.
Carved into the bark of the tree is a symbol. A circle with lines radiating out like a twisted sun. The wood around it is blackened like it was burned.
"That's a tracking sigil," Morgana says, her voice tight. "Dark magic. Really old dark magic."
"How old?" Alaric demands.
"Pre-academy old. Like first civilization old."
Kieran moves to another tree and curses. "There's another one here."
"And here," Zev calls from across the clearing.
"We're surrounded by them," Luna whispers.
My heart hammers against my ribs. "What do they do?"
"They mark territory," Morgana explains. "But they also transmit information. Whoever cast these knows exactly where we are."
"Marvin," I breathe.
"Or someone working for him," Kieran says.
Cassian walks further into the trees. When he comes back his face looks pale.
"There's more. Come on."
We follow him deeper into the forest. The smell of cooper and rot hits me first
Three deer are arranged in a perfect triangle. Their throats are slit, blood dripping from their throat into the earth. But that's not the worst part.
Their bodies are positioned to point north. Toward the Northern Pack territory.
And carved into the ground between them is a message.
"Getting closer."
Luna makes a choked sound. Sofia covers her mouth.
"He knows we're coming," Kieran says, his voice deadly calm. "He's been watching us since we left the academy."
"He's playing with us," Luna whispers. "Letting us know he's always three steps ahead."
Zev steps closer to the deer, his eyes glowing faintly. "This was done within the last two hours."
"He was here," I say, my voice shaking. "While we were setting up camp he was here."
Alaric's hand finds my shoulder, gripping tight. "We need to move. Now."
"No," Kieran says. "If we move in the dark we're vulnerable. We finish the watch rotation. At dawn we move fast."
"And if he comes back tonight?" Sofia asks.
"Then we're ready."
We return to camp on high alert. Sleeping is now impossible. We sit in a tight circle, our weapons drawn, watching the shadows.
Zev keeps closing his eyes and frowning.
"What's wrong?" I ask quietly.
He doesn't answer right away. Then his eyes snap open.
"He's in the dream realm."
My blood turns cold. "What?"
"Marvin. He's dream walking and searching." Zev's jaw clenches. "He's looking for you."
"How is that possible?" Morgana demands. "Dream walking is rare. Incubi, a few fae bloodlines. How does a serial killer—"
"He's not just a killer," Zev interrupts, his voice strained. "He's something else. Something that shouldn't exist."
"What do you mean?" Luna asks.
Zev looks at me and there's fear in his eyes.
"He's a hybrid. Part incubus, part something darker. He can walk dreams and he's using it to hunt."
My hands start shaking. "Can he find me through my dreams?"
"If you fall asleep, then yes."
"Then I won't sleep."
"Thalira—"
"I said I won't sleep."
Alaric's hand tightens on my shoulder. "We'll keep you awake. All of us."
But I can already feel exhaustion pulling at the edges of my eyes. How long can I stay awake before my body gives out?
Zev suddenly goes rigid, his eyes rolling back.
"Zev?" Cassian grabs his shoulder. "Zev what's happening?"
When Zev's eyes open again they're pure black.
And when he speaks it is not in his voice.
"Found you little phoenix. See you soon."
Then he collapses.