Chapter 167 Immortality

Chapter 167 Immortality
Nyx’s POV

My excitement dimmed for a moment. The immortality. The thing everyone had expected by now but it hasn’t come. 

I was predicted to become immortal around this period of my life but my body had apparently decided that prophecy was merely a suggestion. Nothing had happened. No awakening or transformation. No sudden change that would explain why my body had remained exactly as it was.

Caelan had never treated me like I was fragile. But he had become more careful. Sometimes so careful that I wanted to throw something at him.

Draegan looked at me. “You want to hunt?”

“I want to see it.”

“That wasn’t my question.”

“I want to participate.”

Caelan’s thumb moved slowly over the back of my hand. “I’ll stay with her.”

Draegan gave him a flat look. “You can’t protect her from everything.”

“I don’t intend to.”

“Good.”

Caelan’s gaze remained on me. “I intend to protect her from anything that can kill her.”

I smiled despite myself. Draegan sighed. “That is precisely the problem.”

“What?” I asked.

“You two have become unbearable.”

I grinned. “Can I hunt?”

Whatever silent conversation passed between them, I was apparently excluded from it. Finally Draegan nodded.

“You can join the first stage.”

“Stay within sight of me.” Caelan said. 

“I can do that.”

“No running into the forest alone.”

“I know.”

“If I tell you to stop, you stop.”

I raised an eyebrow. “You’re enjoying this.”

“I’m making rules.”

“You’re making rules because you know I’ll break them.”

His mouth twitched. “That is exactly why I’m making them.”

I leaned closer and lowered my voice. “Then you’ll have to keep up.”

His eyes flashed with amusement. “That’s not going to be difficult.”

The Hunt began at moonrise. I had never seen anything like it.

The Lykaes gathered in a wide clearing beyond the palace and when the moon rose above the trees, the entire place changed. The wolves lifted their heads at almost the same time. A silence fell across the clearing, so complete that I could hear the leaves moving above us.

Then Draegan raised his head and howled. The sound rolled through the forest. Hundreds of voices answered. I felt the sound in my chest.

Caelan was standing beside me but even he seemed affected by it. His fingers found mine again and when I looked up at him, his eyes were fixed on my face rather than the wolves.

“You’re beautiful when you’re amazed,” he murmured.

I smiled a little cheekily. “You say strange things when you’re sentimental.”

“I am not sentimental.”

“You just called me beautiful.”

“I frequently call you beautiful.”

“You do.” I nodded trying not to blush. 

He leaned down and kissed my forehead. “Then stop acting surprised.”

Before I could answer, the horns sounded from the far side of the clearing. The Hunt had begun. The Lykaes scattered. I ran.

For the first few minutes, I forgot about everything else. The palace disappeared behind the trees. The moon followed us through gaps in the canopy and the forest became a blur of silver trunks and shadows. I could hear wolves somewhere ahead, their paws hitting the ground with enough force to shake loose leaves from branches.

Caelan stayed close. I glanced back at him.

“You’re following me.”

“Obviously.”

“You’re supposed to hunt too.”

“I am.”

“You’re hunting me?”

His eyes gleamed. “You’re the most interesting thing in the forest.”

I laughed and sped up but he caught me easily. His hand closed around my waist before I could disappear behind a tree and he pulled me back against him. I gasped laughing as he steadied me.

“You cheated.”

“I used my abilities.”

“That sounds like cheating.”

“You’re fae. You literally use magic to make people walk in circles.”

“That was one time.”

“It was yesterday.”

“It was funny.”

“It was not funny when Rydstrom walked into the same tree three times.”

I started laughing again. Caelan smiled against my hair. For a few seconds, neither of us moved. Then a howl sounded somewhere ahead. I turned my head.

“There.”

Caelan followed my gaze. The prey had left a trail. I could smell something faintly sweet in the air, mixed with wet earth. I pulled away.

“Come on.”

His hand caught mine before I could run.

“Stay close.”

“I will.”

He studied my face for another second. Then he let me go. We ran together into the moonlit forest.