Chapter 34
34 Chapter 34 Scarlet In The
Smoke
Faye’s POV
“This will be the final one,” I declared to Hardy, my gaze shifting toward the shadowy tunnel stretching behind him. Dense gray smoke had begun flooding the passageway, rolling forward in heavy, choking clouds. The flames themselves remained hidden from view, but the thick haze told me everything I needed to know about how rapidly the blaze was consuming the cave system.
“I’ll return as quickly as possible,” I said, my voice roughened by the bitter smoke burning my throat. This time, I didn’t pause for Hardy’s reply. We both understood that every second counted now.
Beyond the cave entrance, the deadly miasma lingered like a living thing, toxic enough to kill anyone who breathed it without my intervention. To guide the children to safety, I had no alternative but to escort them one by one, wrapping each small body in my
protective healing energy to counteract the poison’s effects. Each journey drained me further, yet leaving Hardy alone inside to defend the remaining children and fend off potential attackers was our only option.
Hardy’s combat skills didn’t worry me. He possessed a lethal grace in battle that I’d rarely witnessed in any
warrior.
What terrified me was the fire he’d ignited. After retrieving the crucial documents he sought, Hardy had purposefully set the flames to eliminate any trace of evidence. The blaze had expanded beyond our calculations, trapping us in this desperate flight against time.
“This toxin originated in the West,” a quiet voice interrupted my racing thoughts. I looked down to see the last child awaiting rescue, the boy whose Alpha bloodline set him apart from the others. His young face was grave as he studied the smoke-choked corridor. “They used it to massacre my family p>
The West. Every thread connected to my father and our pack seemed to lead back to that cursed region. Was this poison the real reason Hardy had sought out
this place?
“Even the most powerful wolves would perish within minutes of breathing this substance,” I whispered under my breath. We were lucky that my abilities could neutralize its deadly properties, healing the children before the toxins caused irreversible harm to
their small bodies.
“We must move now,” I urged, carefully gathering the boy into my arms. Delay was no longer an option.
Securing my hold on the child, I began our treacherous journey through the forest maze. I’d already mapped out a narrow path that skirted the poisonous cloud’s perimeter, weaving between ancient trees and thorny undergrowth with calculated movements. Though my body screamed from the repeated drain of channeling healing energy, I refused to reduce our pace.
The instant we emerged from the toxic fog, clean air flooded my lungs like a blessing, crisp and pure despite the relentless downpour drenching us completely. Rain hammered the forest floor, transforming the earth into treacherous, clinging mud
that fought our every step. The sky remained an impenetrable black canvas, revealing nothing of dawn’s arrival. Through the gloom, shapes merged and shifted like phantoms.
I pushed onward until the massive stone that served as our landmark came into view, positioned just outside. Duskwood pack boundaries. The boulder loomed before us, its surface completely camouflaged by cascading ivy and wild growth that had claimed it over the years.
Any stranger passing through would dismiss it as merely another piece of the forest’s natural architecture.
Gently lowering the child beside our shelter, I crouched to meet his frightened gaze directly. “You must stay exactly here, no matter what you see or hear. Keep yourself hidden and make no sound. I give you my word that I’ll return for you p>
His amber eyes held mine with surprising intensity. Kim, who had been standing watch over the other rescued children, moved closer and rested a comforting hand on the boy’s trembling shoulder.
“Faye,” Kim spoke quietly, rainwater streaming down
his face though his expression remained steady. “Don’t take too long p>
I gave him a sharp nod of understanding. Without further hesitation, I spun away from the group and launched myself back toward the poison-shrouded forest, every muscle in my body protesting the
continued punishment.
My legs felt like lead weights, exhaustion seeping deep into my bones, but knowing Hardy waited alone inside that death trap drove me past my limits. The rain transformed the ground into a skating rink beneath my feet, yet I pressed ahead until the deadly mist swallowed me once again. My healing power responded instantly, creating a protective barrier as I navigated back through the lethal haze.
The poisonous fog appeared thicker than before, churning around me with malevolent purpose while its acrid stench attacked my senses mercilessly. My pulse thundered in my ears, knowing Hardy had remained trapped within that smoke-filled tomb, breathing poison and flame far longer than any person should
endure.
After fighting through what seemed like endless minutes of suffocating fumes, I located the cave mouth. The entrance had nearly vanished behind rolling walls of smoke streaming from the depths. Steeling myself, I stumbled down the stone steps, tears streaming from my burning eyes while each breath felt like swallowing glass.
“Hardy!” My call emerged as a broken rasp, my voice destroyed by smoke damage. “Hardy, where are you p>
Only silence greeted me initially. Terror began creeping up my spine, but then movement caught my eye. A shadowy figure emerged from the haze, barely recognizable through the choking darkness. Hardy slumped against the rough cave wall, his head hanging low while one hand clutched the stone surface for
balance.
I rushed toward him, fear driving my aching legs forward as I reached out to touch his shoulder.
“Hardy,” I called again, gripping his arm to capture his attention. “We need to go immediately. Right now p>
He raised his head slowly, meeting my desperate gaze through the toxic cloud surrounding us. For one
heartbeat, I saw only bone-deep weariness carved into his features and the tremendous struggle required just to remain upright. Then something changed. His familiar steel-gray eyes transformed, replaced by an otherworldly crimson glow that cut through the smoke like twin flames.
His hand struck faster than lightning, iron fingers closing around my windpipe in a crushing grip. This text is hosted at.net
My feet left the ground as shock paralyzed my thoughts. A cold, predatory smile twisted his mouth. “Hardy, it’s me!” I choked out.
Morh Lucia
Lucia Morh is a passionate storyteller who brings emotions to life through her words. When she’s not writing, she finds peace nurturing her garden.