Page 81 of Beast and Remedy (The Last of the Heirs #2)

Hope Blossoms

S hifting back and forth for shorter durations was exhausting, a new element I wanted to practice since doing it Belmur. But Beau and I agreed sleep was more beneficial for our journey with Marian this morning, and I prayed to whichever Maker might be listening for all this to work.

Maybe being in the woods so often and repeating Leander’s name in my mind will be enough for him to grant me one small mercy.

Marian seems to be in happier spirits today than yesterday, despite Beau advising she leave her bow behind at the castle. The change of atmosphere seeming to be exactly what she needed.

Beau remains armed and attentive, monitoring Marian, our surroundings, and myself as he and my sister trek ahead of me.

While I’m not terrible with an arrow, I have my dagger sheathed and strapped to my leg, not having the energy to wield a bow or a sword. And I really hope I won’t need to use it.

My endurance today sucks.

The dry soil and humid air leave me constantly pausing and rubbing my eyes every few steps, and my waves cling to the nape of my neck.

“Vi?” Marian calls back, her voice high and melodic, reminding me of her old self.

I meet them with a sigh. “Yes?”

Beau tilts his head toward a hill, and I fight back a groan.

Sweet Makers, this might be worse than ascending stairs.

Marian gestures for me to catch up. “Come on, this is the last one for a while. We’re about to find a place to scout.”

She takes off without us, climbing the incline with ease. Her hair whips across her face as she soaks in nature with a smile. The sun shines down on her, her complexion flushed and the freckles more prominent.

My heart steers me toward her, absorbing her uplifted demeanor and hoping it will give me more energy.

As I reach Beau, he offers me his hand, bracing against the hill to guide me. But I stumble on a loose rock, and he catches my hips, squeezing them.

Desire plummets straight to my core, and I squash the ache building between my legs, hating the almost whimper when we reach the top and he removes his touch.

Marian’s eyes find mine, warm and lacking irritation, and I hope it’s because of Beau’s extra healing session this morning. “Where do you think we should—”

SNAP!

I jolt.

Beau aims his bow, surveying our surroundings as Marian steps back against a tree.

But I remain in the open, unmoving.

“Vi!” Marian hisses. “What are you doing? Find some cover or shift!”

I reach inward for my gifts, but nothing happens. My brows furrow as I concentrate harder.

But my magic doesn’t stir—doesn’t claw to life in my chest—doesn’t flood through my veins. There’s no alert or rustling to attention…

There’s nothing .

Horror grips me like a vise, and I glance between them, bewildered. “I-I-I can’t shift right now.”

Beau’s eyes widen, and Marian gasps. “Why not?”

“I-I-I must have reached my limit. Maybe I shifted too much? Not slept enough.” I try again to summon the beast forth, seeking that low vibration of power.

But it’s… empty .

Failure crashes against me, shredding all sense, and I run my hands through my waves.

I don’t understand. Why isn’t my magic there? Is there a limit I haven’t discovered yet? Shit, what do I—

A crunch echoes in the distance, and I startle.

Beau slinks into a bush, his bow at the ready when a faint smell billows in the breeze, my stomach dropping at the recognition.

I find Beau’s gaze. “Wolf . ”

Why do you always attract the wolves, Vi?

My heartbeat thunders, pulsing in my ears—in my skull. Memories pile in, catering to the fear seeping into my bones. Losing our guards. Marian getting bitten. Beau coming into harm’s way and telling me to flee.

Hair sweeps across my vision. Red.

Damn this fucking color haunting me.

Beau lowers his voice. “Vi, you need to hide. Now .”

But I can’t find the will to move. I shake my head, a gargling scream climbing up my throat as panic seizes me.

“Wait, don’t move,” Marian whispers.

“Are you crazy ?” Beau hisses.

“Use her to lure the wolf out,” she rushes. “It’s why we came out here in the first place.”

A jostle comes from our left, each of us halting.

Beau twists to me. “One chance.”

I nod, hating the sense of humor the Makers have. Answering my prayers is one thing but them abandoning us, leaving us unprepared, makes me bitter.

Leaves crunch underneath paws. More distinct. More intentional. More lethal.

My heart thunders as I pat my pack, the two vials clanking before I unsheathe my dagger.

It’s now or never, Vi.

My eyes trail Marian. A fierceness blazes in her stare, her hunting instincts kicking in.

“Love you,” I murmur before steeling my posture and finding Beau.

I take a gamble and nod twice, wishing my voice could carry my love to him, too.

I’ll protect you , he mouths, bobbing his head twice and stealing my breath.

The closest bush to me rustles, and I freeze.

A lone wolf prowls forward, panting heavily, foam seeping from its snout.

Definitely hungry.

And with how close we are to Belmur—high probability it’s infected too.

My knees wobble, wishing I wasn’t so exhausted.

I reach for my magic again. Nothing .

The terror of its absence immobilizes me.

How am I supposed to protect my loved ones if I can’t shift?

The predator bares its teeth and lowers into a pouncing position. It snarls, snapping at me.

An arrow launches, swishing my hair in the air as it embeds itself in the beast’s shoulder.

It whimpers, faltering, and another arrow strikes its side. The animal struggles, blood seeping from its injuries.

Bile rises in my throat, and I swallow. But its visible and audible pain is unbearable . The wolf’s agonized howl cleaves through me, and I shudder as the creature collapses.

Beau and Marian sprint to my side as I gag.

Covering my mouth, I turn away, heaving and struggling to breathe. The smell of blood stings my senses and convulses, trying to fight the nausea and losing the battle.

I heave and heave and heave .

Beau rubs my back as I calm down, and I pinch my nostrils, needing to stop smelling the tinge of copper.

Keeping my senses blocked off, I whirl on Beau, readying to demand an explanation. But he hands me his bow without a word.

Marian halts me. “He needed to injure it so we could be close enough to give it the medicine.”

Her words are not laced with anger or malice, rather plain logic. My lungs play catch-up, and I nod as Beau approaches the wounded beast.

He squats—

The wolf snaps its jaw, and Marian and I gasp.

Beau deflects with ease, waiting a moment before grabbing the creature’s snout.

“ Beau !” I panic, launching forward to keep him from getting bitten.

“We need to give it the first dose,” he says, struggling against the wolf bucking. “Come on, help me and then we can heal its injuries.”

The beast growls in retaliation, and I move, helping Beau.

“Marian, reach into my pack and give it one of the vials,” I order.

She steps forward, reaching into my satchel and pulling out the tonic. Popping off the caps of both, she asks, “One or both?”

“One now to stop the symptoms and the other shortly after will ensure the symptoms stay away,” Beau answers as we both dig ourselves into the ground, my ass slipping into a damp section of mud as we wrangle to keep the wolf at bay.

“Okay, open its mouth,” Marian says.

We pry apart the animal’s jaw, tilting it to the sky.

Marian dumps the tonic down its throat, Beau and I clamping its snout shut right after.

I reach for my power again, ignoring its extended silence and pray my words will be enough to soothe it.

“We’re trying to help. Please understand me. Please do not fight us. We are here to help,” I whisper into its coarse fur.

Recognition halts the wolf’s movements, and the fight immediately drains, giving us a reprieve.

“Thank you,” I breathe to the creature and the Makers, grateful I can evoke something.

The predator huffs in acknowledgment and shifts, further relaxing as the dose takes effect.

Beau sags. “You should’ve done that earlier,” he jokes, and I choke on a laugh.

“I didn’t think about it, nor did I think I could do it,” I admit weakly.

“Ready for the next one?” Beau asks, and I smile, glancing over to my twin.

She holds the other vial. Completely empty.

My mouth falls, gaping in horror. “Marian! What did you do!?”

“I took the other dose.” She shrugs.

I gasp.

“What?” she counters. “You said so yourself, one dose will stop the symptoms, so now I only need a second dose.”

“That doesn’t do much for this injured wolf!”

“So, kill it and move on,” she states, unfazed.

I shake my head, enraged and baffled. “We can’t kill it! And it’s too heavy for us to bring back to the castle!”

“Then, heal it. Use you magic to show you aren’t a threat, let it go, and worry about it later,” she replies.

Beau clears his throat. “Marian, the medicine was meant for the wolf, not you. We wanted to make sure it was ready before giving it to you—”

“You aren’t the one who is dying!” she yells, silencing us.

Her chest rises and falls, fury flaring. But visible tension leaves her body, and I inhale a sharp breath.

It’s happening…

I remain speechless, watching her change before my very eyes, the Marian I know and love creeping forward. Her features smooth out, and she blinks slowly and releases a shuddering breath.

I try to speak—

Marian scrunches her face, all the fight leaving her as she crumples to the forest’s floor. Sobs escape her, and she covers her eyes.

“It’s gone,” she utters. “The pain, the rage, everything.” She cries with relief. “It’s all gone .”

“I-I-I can’t believe it,” I breathe, stunned by the results.

“Rosebud,” Beau whispers, and I twist to him, his eyes shimmering with love and adoration. “Go to her. I can heal the wolf, and we’ll have to cure its infection later.” He summons his magic, starting treatment on the animal.

I bite back my trembling lip, relief crashing through me as I curl into the creature. “I’ll be right back. You’re safe with Beau, and we’ll cure you soon, too.” I caress its snout for good measure, pouring as much tenderness as possible into my touch, earning me another huff of understanding.

I rush to pull my sister into my arms, and her body racks with tremors as she cries.

“Marian,” I murmur when she hugs me back, squeezing me twice.

“Y-You did it, Vi.” She shudders. “You really did it.” She squeezes me again. “I’m so sorry for everything I’ve done, but I always knew you could do it.”

She buries her face into my neck, and Beau fills my line of vision.

He holds up the two arrows removed from the wolf, and I peer to the empty spot it no longer occupies.

I drift my eyes closed, gratitude erupting from my heart for Beau’s gifts. Although we couldn’t give the beast its second dose, I’m grateful Beau was able to heal it to its near-original state. And I can’t help but send the Makers my prayers of thanks.

We’re all walking out of this forest alive.

The cure works for animals.

And humans.

I beam at the love of my life, completely lost to happiness as I sag, the stress over everything falling away.

He breaks into a huge grin. “Let’s hurry back and get you the next dose.” He stands first, extending a hand to us.

Marian wipes away her tears, taking his outstretched palm and yanking him into a hug.

He startles momentarily as she says, “I’m so sorry for everything I’ve put you through as well. Thank you for being patient not only with me but for being there for Vi when I couldn’t be.”

He supports her as his eyes hold mine. “Friends look out for each other. Always.”

They part, and Marian sniffs, conceding, and strides for Beau’s bow resting against a tree.

Beau offers me his hand next, and I take it with a smile matching his own.

My entire world comes back to life, glowing brighter than ever when he draws me close.

“I love you, and I am so fucking proud of you,” he murmurs, brushing his lips against my cheek when he pulls away.

I clutch my chest, and Marian faces us with expectancy. She inclines her head west, and the three of us heave a long breath.

We set our sights back for the castle. Back for administering the second dose to Marian. And back for sharing the good news we can finally— finally —start spreading.