Chapter 39
39 Chapter 39 Dying For Something Worthwhile
Faye’s POV es
Relief flooded through me when I spotted Parker cutting through the thick smoke, sword gleaming in his grip. He wasn’t coming alone.
Armed soldiers poured through every entrance, Parker leading the charge. Their northern armor caught what little light filtered through the haze, weapons ready
for battle.
They’d tracked the enemy here.
The Raven Deons stumbled backward, their bloodthirsty confidence cracking as they realized the tables had turned. No longer were they the predators stalking helpless prey. They spun around too slowly. Steel met claw and fang in seconds, the savage chaos that had nearly consumed us now controlled by trained discipline and superior numbers.
My breath came out shaky, my legs wobbling beneath my weight. The blade nearly slipped from my sweaty palm. My knees gave way, but strong hands caught me before I could collapse.
Hardy.
Dried blood streaked across his face and throat, his breathing still rough from the fight. The wild fury that had burned in his gaze was fading, replaced by something I couldn’t read as he turned toward the surviving enemies with one final, commanding motion.
“Clear the area. Get the children. They come with us p>
His voice cut through the air like a blade, and every soldier obeyed without hesitation. I looked toward the children. Parker was already crouched next to Kim and Jeffrey, checking them over while speaking in gentle tones that seemed impossible coming from someone usually so harsh.
Then it happened.
Hardy’s arms slid around me, and without any
warning, he swept me off my feet. My boots left the ground in one fluid movement, and before I could object, I was pressed against his chest.
Carried like royalty.
“Wait, what are you doing? Hardy, I can walk perfectly fine. Put me down this instant!” I whispered frantically, trying to wriggle free, but his grip was iron. Heat flooded my cheeks as I noticed every single person staring at us.
Hardy didn’t even blink. “Stay still,” he ordered quietly.
I opened my mouth to argue, but nothing came out. Instead, I pressed my face into the curve of his shoulder, hiding from all the watching eyes. My pulse hammered against my ribs as he walked through the destruction like carrying me was completely ordinary.
He remained silent, and I stopped trying to protest.
When we finally reached camp, twilight had painted the sky in muted gray. The trip back had taken longer than planned. Transporting the children and injured had slowed our pace. But everyone made it.
Every last one of us.
Campfires sparked back to life in the growing
darkness. Canvas walls fluttered in the evening breeze.
Carried like royalty.
“Wait, what are you doing? Hardy, I can walk perfectly fine. Put me down this instant!” I whispered frantically, trying to wriggle free, but his grip was iron. Heat flooded my cheeks as I noticed every single person staring at us.
Hardy didn’t even blink. “Stay still,” he ordered quietly.
I opened my mouth to argue, but nothing came out. Instead, I pressed my face into the curve of his shoulder, hiding from all the watching eyes. My pulse hammered against my ribs as he walked through the destruction like carrying me was completely ordinary.
He remained silent, and I stopped trying to protest.
When we finally reached camp, twilight had painted the sky in muted gray. The trip back had taken longer than planned. Transporting the children and injured had slowed our pace. But everyone made it.
Every last one of us.
Campfires sparked back to life in the growing
darkness. Canvas walls fluttered in the evening breeze.
Soldiers moved in organized patterns, some limping, others supporting wounded comrades. For just a moment, all movement stopped. Every gaze followed Hardy as he walked straight through the center of camp, still cradling me like I weighed nothing.
I assumed he’d finally set me down, maybe go help the others or tend to the wounded like he always did. He
didn’t.
Instead, he carried me directly into one of the
enclosed carriages, lowering me carefully onto the padded seat.
The door clicked shut behind us. Outside, I could hear Allen shouting instructions, checking on the children, directing the medics. But inside our small space, everything was still.
I waited for him to sit down, maybe ask me to use my healing powers on him again. He clearly needed it. His hands still had that slight tremor, and I could sense the fever radiating from his body. But he said nothing.
Not right away.
He remained standing in the tight space, staring at me
like I’d committed some terrible crime.
Then he spoke, his voice cold and measured, stripped of all feeling. “Why didn’t you run p>
I stared back, lost. “What do you mean p>
“I gave you an order. When we were trapped in that cave, I told you to leave me behind.” His jaw locked tight. “You refused p>
His tone wasn’t exactly angry. It was something else. Controlled.
Like he was fighting not to do something he’d regret. Which felt infinitely more dangerous.
“You were barely conscious,” I answered, my throat suddenly dry. “I wasn’t about to abandon you there to
be killed p>
“You disobeyed a direct command p>
I straightened my spine. “Did you really expect me to leave you there to die?” I had no idea where this
boldness came from, but I held his intense stare. “Then run away like some spineless coward p>
39 Chapter 39 Dying For Something worthwhile
Hardy moved closer, and suddenly the air between us felt charged.
“You put yourself in danger,” he said through clenched teeth. “You pulled me from a collapsing cave, breathed in that poisonous mist, and nearly collapsed from exhaustion. Why would you do that? You had your chance to escape. Why didn’t you take it p>
I studied his face. His eyes had stopped glowing, but they still burned with something fierce.
Part of me wondered if his anger was really about following orders. Maybe it was something deeper.
Fear? Fear that I might get myself killed? The idea seemed impossible, too unlikely to be real.
“I stayed,” I said softly, “because I knew you would have
done the same for me p>
His eyebrow twitched, the only hint that my words affected him. But I wasn’t finished.
“Maybe you think it was stupid. Maybe it was. But I’m not heartless. I couldn’t walk away while you were still alive. Not after everything we’ve been through.” I
watched his expression turn to stone, so I quickly added, “Besides, if you died, what would happen to me? We made an agreement. I’m supposed to be your only wife, and you’re my husband. Do you honestly think I’d let myself become a widow days after our wedding p>
The moment those words escaped, I knew I’d made a mistake. They were too blunt, too reckless, too careless in a way that made my stomach clench. The silence that followed felt crushing, like even the air was judging my stupidity. I could practically hear my own foolishness echoing in the small space.
For a split second, I seriously thought about slapping myself just to end the awkwardness.
He looked away, breathing out slowly, like he couldn’t decide whether to yell or punch something.
“What if you had died instead?” he asked, his voice quieter now. “What if you hadn’t survived? What then p>
I gave a small shrug. “Then at least I would have died for something worthwhile p>
He went completely still.
My eyes went wide. What was wrong with me? Nᴇw ɴovel chaptᴇrs are published on
Why was I acting so nervous around him? “I mean, I meant saving the children. Yes. Dying to save them would have been worth it p>
The silence in the carriage became suffocating, wrapping around us like a heavy blanket.
Finally, he sat down across from me, his gaze never leaving mine.
“You’re completely reckless,” he said under his breath.
“You’re welcome,” I shot back, grinning despite everything. “Now, take off your shirt p>
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.