Page 98 of Daughter of the Serpent

For a moment, everything seemed to blur together - the rustle of wind, the distant roar of the bear, the sharp tang of blood in the air. Then, with a groan of pain, Haldor lay still, his body limp and motionless against the cold earth.

The bear crouched low, his head swaying in a triumphant snarl, his eyes locked on Haldor. It moved catlike in its pursuit of its prey, its nostrils flaring as it narrowed in to finish the job.

“You willnothurt him!” Her voice crackled through the air like a whip as she stepped in front of Haldor’s body.

The bear growled in response, its eye glowing fire.

“He ismine,” She challenged, power dripping from her lips.

She grew her power, wrapping herself in whorling golden energy, building it as big and as strong as she could. She knew that if she couldn’t beat the bear by strength alone, she could try her best to intimidate it.

Its nostrils flared showing its annoyance, despite her attempt to frighten it. She knew she was nothing more than a bug easily squashed upon its path, and yet something flicked in those eyes that made her question its hesitation.

With a final huff, steam billowed from the creature’s nostrils, curling like ghostly tendrils in the cold air. Its eyes, a fierce glow of ember, lingered on Sylvie for a heartbeat longer before it slowly turned its massive head. Muscles rippled beneath its hide as it stepped back, each movement as deliberate as its claws scrapedagainst rock and earth. Sylvie held her breath, heart pounding, as the beast faded into the darkness, merging with the shadows of the forest until it was nothing more than a distant rumble and a whisper of wind in the trees.

As soon as the beast vanished, Sylvie exhaled shakily, her breath escaping in a rush that sent her senses reeling. Without a second thought, she sprinted to Haldor's side, her boots skidding over loose stones as she dropped to her knees. Her heart hammered in her chest.

“Please don’t be dead, please don’t be dead,” she murmured, her voice cracking as she gently turned him over, her fingers fumbling in their haste.

A low groan escaped Haldor's lips, his eyelids fluttering. Relief surged through her, uncoiling the tight knot of dread that had twisted around her heart.

“Haldor.” She couldn’t help the smile that tugged at her lips, the warmth spreading through her as she scanned his face, searching for signs of injury. “You’re going to be okay. I’ve got you - I’ll get you to the healers.”

She tried to lift him, her arms straining under his weight, but he resisted, gripping her wrist. His eyes locked onto hers, intense even in his pain.

“No, Sylvie,” he rasped, his voice barely more than a whisper. “You can’t.”

Her brows knitted in confusion. “Why not?”

“I don’t want you caught up in more trouble. They’re already looking for any reason to punish you,” he said, wincing as he shifted.

“Haldor you’ll need herbs, tinctures, ointments - ”

“Take me to Godvick’s, you can tend to me there.”

Sylvie nodded, her resolve softening as she brushed a strand of hair from his forehead. “Always looking out for me, aren’t you?”

“Always,” he murmured, his gaze softening.

She assessed his condition, eyes flickering over his bruised torso. “Can you stand?”

“I’ll try.” With a grunt of effort, Haldor pushedhimself up, one hand clutching his ribs as he struggled to his feet. “I think my ribs are broken.”

Sylvie frowned, reaching out instinctively. “I can ease the pain - ”

“No,” he cut her off, shaking his head firmly. “Not with magic.”

She shot him an exasperated look. “You know this isn’t going to be easy for me, right? You’re not exactly light.”

He rolled his eyes, as she hoisted his arm over her shoulders as they hobbled forward, her strength supporting his weight. “I’m not weak, and neither are you.”

The words hung between them, unexpected and strangely affirming. Sylvie glanced up at him, a rush of unexpected emotion tightening her throat.

“What?” he asked, catching her gaze and arching an eyebrow. “Don’t let it go to your head.”

A grin tugged at her lips. “You’d never let me.”

He smirked, the hint of a laugh bubbling up despite the pain.