Page 8 of Bound in Flames (The Savage Hearts #1)

Chapter 8

Cleo

T he terrain shifted as we crossed into what Dex called the Shadow Lands, and the difference was immediate and unsettling. The Shadow Lands were darker, more oppressive. The air itself was heavier, carrying a faint metallic tang that caught at the back of my throat. Shadows stretched unnaturally long, curling and twisting as if alive, and the sounds of the forest grew quieter, as though even the animals feared this place.

Dex led the way, his massive frame moving effortlessly through the tangled underbrush, while I stumbled behind, each step a battle against the brambles eager to snag my dress. The isolation of our travel pressed on me, amplifying the sense of vulnerability in the silence. Without a larger traveling party, there was no safety in numbers, no comfort in more eyes scanning the trees. It was just Dex and I, alone in the wilderness. The realization should have been unnerving, but as I watched him move, I felt oddly comforted.

The path twisted into jagged inclines and dropped suddenly into gullies filled with thorny vines, forcing us to climb over gnarled roots that clawed at the earth. The trees here stood taller and denser, their branches reaching for the sky like skeletal arms. The sun was already sinking, its light swallowed almost entirely by the thick canopy above, leaving the world bathed in an eerie half-light. The growing shadows gnawed at my nerves.

Dex glanced back to where I struggled. His golden eyes gleamed in the twilight, sharp and assessing. “You’re falling behind.” The low rumble of his voice carried effortlessly over the distance.

“I’m managing!” I snapped, though my legs burned with exertion and my breath came in shallow gasps. I pushed forward, swallowing my irritation. I wouldn’t let him see how much the terrain was getting to me.

We continued much of the journey in silence, the oppressive stillness broken only by the crunch of leaves beneath our feet and the occasional snap of unseen branches. Every step felt wrong, like trespassing in a place that wanted us gone. The hush unnerved me. Dex must have felt it too. His hand rested on the hilt of his sword, his gaze darting to every shadow that seemed too dark, too still. I reached for my magic on reflex, feeling the connection hum close to the surface, a comfort that hardened my resolve to press on.

The day passed in a blur and trees seemed to close in further, the underbrush thickening until the worn path became a mere suggestion beneath our feet. The whispered warning from Dex about keeping quiet was an unnecessary reminder that we were pushing deeper into dangerous territory. This part of the valley fueled stories of mystical creatures and death at every turn. Having once thought of them as nothing more than scary stories told to poor farm girls, I was angry with myself for having underestimated the forest.

Fatigue weighed on me, my legs aching with a dull, persistent throb. Complaining wasn’t an option. I wasn’t weak. Though his glances had softened over the course of the day, Dex’s wariness was still palpable, a stark contrast to the charged intimacy of our conversations the night before. He was focused on keeping us safe, and I couldn’t shake the nagging guilt that I was little more than a liability, dragging him deeper into danger.

I gasped for air, my words coming out barely above a whisper, my lungs screaming in effort as I scrambled under a fallen tree. “We need to rest soon.” The rustle of leaves nearly swallowed my voice, but Dex’s stride slowed, his movements shifting to something more deliberate, as if to match my faltering pace. I appreciated his consideration, though I wouldn’t admit it aloud.

His sharp eyes swept over me, lingering on my labored breaths and the slight sway of my body. He didn’t speak at first, his jaw tightening as if weighing the situation. Finally, he broke the silence, his voice soft. “Not yet. We need more distance from the river.”

I nodded, though my strength felt like it was slipping through my fingers with every agonizing step. My body felt sluggish and heavy as every muscle a screamed in protest against the trek. The fiery stitch in my side was a cruel reminder of how unprepared I was for hours of constant climbing and trudging through the tangled forest. Though I had strength from years of labor, this was different—an endurance I hadn’t yet earned. Humiliation burned through me at my faltering pace. I gritted my teeth and forced myself forward, one aching step at a time.

The world around me seemed to blur as fatigue began to take hold. My vision narrowed to the path in front of me, dark spots dancing on the edges. I barely noticed the shift in the forest. The way the trees seemed to grow closer together, their branches forming a twisted, unnatural web overhead. Dex stopped abruptly and I crashed into his broad back, my breath catching in my throat as I stumbled to right myself. My heart was racing in my chest, but I wasn’t sure if it was from the exertion or the tension that suddenly filled the air. My magic crackled harder against my skin, my senses rushing back into me, energized by the flow of power.

Every line of his body radiated tension, his posture rigid and alert. The air around us felt different. Dark. It was as if the forest itself had paused, holding its breath in anticipation. The oppressive stillness pressed against my skin like a physical weight.

"What is it?" I whispered, my voice shaking more than I would ever admit to.

Dex’s golden eyes flicked to the shadows between the trees. "We’re being followed," he whispered.

Ice trickled down my spine, stealing the breath from my lungs and leaving my chest tight. Instinctively, I edged closer to him, my trembling hands brushing against my sides as adrenaline surged, setting my fingers into a restless twitch. "By who?" I whispered, my voice barely audible over the pounding of blood rushing in my ears.

He didn’t look at me, instead keeping his eyes on the shadows that seemed to shift and swirl between the trees. "Not who. What."

The ground beneath us trembled with power. It felt like a warning from the earth. The trees above swayed, releasing a cascade of leaves that fluttered down like confetti, obscuring us for a fraction of a moment. His arms flexed in response, his body coiling like a spring as his hand tightened on the hilt of his sword, searching for the source of the disturbance. I could feel the sharp sting of panic tightening in my chest, making it difficult to breathe. Now wasn’t the time for a panic attack.

From the thick shadows, something moved. Large, dark, and unnervingly fast. My breath hitched as it materialized from the darkness, its massive form looming over Dex. It was unlike anything I had ever seen. Easily twice his size, the creature's body was covered in coarse, black fur that rippled with every shift of its weight. Its eyes glowed an unnatural red, piercing through the gloom with a malevolent hunger. Its mouth, lined with rows of jagged teeth, gleamed in the fading light, and its breath came in sharp, rattling hisses.

My heart slamming against my ribs, pure terror gripping me as I took in the monstrous wolf.

"Shadow Hounds.” Dex’s voice was thick with disgust. The venom in his voice was unmistakable. The orcs knew these creatures and they hated them.

"Stay behind me!" Dex barked, his voice commanding, cutting through the fog of fear clouding my mind. His sword flashed in the dim light, his body a solid wall of protection as he stepped between me and the creature.

A guttural snarl ripped through the air, freezing my breath in my chest as the massive creature burst from the underbrush. Its matted black fur bristled like quills, and its glowing red eyes locked onto Dex with predatory focus. It moved too fast for its size, a blur of jagged claws and snapping teeth barreling straight for him.

Dex sprang forward. His sword flashed with a deadly gleam as he intercepted the creature mid-leap. The impact was thunderous, sending him skidding back, boots digging into the dirt to hold his ground. Twisting his blade, he carved into the beast’s flank, spilling a spray of dark, viscous blood onto the forest floor. The metallic tang hit the back of my throat.

The creature’s roars shook the air, a guttural sound that vibrated in my bones. I stumbled backward, my feet tangling in the underbrush. Dex moved with lethal precision, his swing controlled and calculated, but the beast was a relentless force. Its massive claws lashed out, tearing through his arm in a blur of motion, leaving deep, jagged gashes in their wake. His groan of pain escaped through clenched teeth.

He dodged the creature’s next strike, rolling sharply to the side as its claws tore through the air just inches from his chest. With a fierce growl, Dex surged forward, his blade carving a deep, jagged line across its stomach. A spray of dark blood splattered the ground. The creature twisted with a guttural snarl, its massive paw slamming into Dex, the impact launching him backward and into a tree with a bone-rattling thud. He hit the ground hard, and my breath hitched as he lay still. Then, with a growl of effort, he pushed himself up, his jaw tight and eyes blazing with determination. He squared his shoulders, already moving back to engage the beast.

The Shadow Hound’s glowing red eyes shifted to me, its lips pulling back to reveal jagged teeth dripping with saliva. My body was rigid as it began to move, slow and deliberate as it stalked me. Dex would never reach me in time. Panic surged within me, making my knees weak, and my magic responded, a chaotic hum that built into a deafening roar in my mind.

“Cleo!” Dex’s voice tore through the haze, “Pull on your magic!”

My fingers curled into fists, nails biting into my palms as I fought to keep control. The ground beneath me seemed to thrum with life, a pulse of energy that wasn’t entirely my own. My breaths came in ragged gasps as I reached for it.

The earth answered with a violent tremor. Roots exploded from the soil like a living trap, twisting and writhing with a predatory intent. The wolf launched at me with a demonic speed, but my instinctual magic was faster. The roots wrapped around one of its legs mid-air, yanking it down with a shuddering crash that reverberated through the clearing, sending a cascade of leaves and twigs raining down from above. The creature let out a pained snarl, its massive frame writhing as it struggled against the bonds. My desperation fed the magic. It was overwhelming, hot, and burning through me like liquid fire. It tasted bitter on my tongue, as if the very essence of fear was forcing its way out of me. An icy-hot sensation coursed through my veins, spreading to my fingertips in waves. I pushed the power outward. More roots surged upward, coiling tightly around the beast, pinning its legs and forcing its body into a grotesque sprawl. The sharp edges of the roots dug deep, slicing into its flesh and popping joints with a sickening series of cracks. The Shadow Hound thrashed and roared. Its glowing red eyes were wild with fury, but the roots only tightened, holding it in a vice-like grip that left it helpless.

Dex seized the opportunity and lunged with a roar, his blade slicing through the air. The weapon sank deep into the creature’s neck, blood spraying as the Shadow Hound let out a final, gurgling snarl. Its massive body convulsed, shuddering one last time before collapsing in a heap, its weight crashing into the earth. The oppressive tension that had gripped the forest lifted abruptly, leaving behind a suffocating silence punctuated only by my ragged breaths.

I stood, frozen, my chest heaving as the magic within me slowly receded, leaving a hollow ache in its wake that made my entire body tremble. A faint silvery-green glow lingered at my fingertips, shimmering softly before fading back into me, as though the magic itself was retreating to some hidden well deep inside. The roots entangling the creature’s lifeless form slowly unwound, retreating back into the soil as if they had never existed. My hands shook as I took a calming breaths, trying to find my center. The sight of the bloodied ground and the mangled remains of the beast left me cold, but the weight of what I had done—what I was capable of—pressed on me.

Dex turned to me, his broad shoulders heaving with each labored breath, sweat glistening on his flushed skin. The deep gash along his massive arm bled steadily, the crimson streaks trailing down to his fingertips before dripping onto the forest floor. His sword still dripped with unnatural dark blood, and the droplets stained the path beneath him. His golden eyes locked on mine, their intensity undimmed despite the strain etched into his features. “You saved yourself, little shaman.”

Tears stung my eyes as I shook my head.“I didn’t control it,” I whispered, each syllable trembling. “It just… happened.”

Taking another step closer, Dex’s hand came to rest on my shoulder, the warmth of his touch grounding me in a way I desperately needed. “Breathe. The magic is part of you,” he said, his tone firm but not unkind. “It answers to your emotions, yes, but control takes time. You’ll learn.”

His words settled over me like a balm, soothing the raw edges of my panic. I looked up at him, searching for any trace of doubt or fear, but all I saw was determination—an unwavering belief that I could rise to meet this challenge. It was a lifeline I hadn’t known I needed, anchoring me against the chaos that still swirled inside.

“We need to move.” His voice was gentler now, though no less resolute. “More will come, drawn by the scent of blood. The hunting party cannot be too far."

I nodded, swallowing hard against the lump in my throat. A small spark of resolve began to flicker within me. If this magic was mine, I would master it. I would control it.

And I would never let it control me again.