As much as it does feel so insanely good being in his arms, against his chest, I remind myself he’s a monster not to be reckoned with and that being this close to him when it’s no longer necessary is only playing a dangerous game with our hearts. I know that I must establish boundaries and prevent our bond from deepening further. It is a decision I must make for both our sakes.
’You can put me down now,’ I say to him, my voice soft but resolute.
A hint of sadness flickers across Warrick's features as he frowns, reluctant to let me go. ‘What if I don't want to?’ he confesses, his voice tinged with vulnerability.
I meet his gaze, understanding the depth of his emotions but resolute in my resolve. ‘Warrick, I can't allow any chances of us developing feelings towards each other. It wouldn't be fair to either of us,’ I explain. Warrick comes to a halt but doesn’t put me down.
‘Besides, I’m almost completely dry, and I believe we're almost at the camp, aren't we?’ I ask, glancing around and recognizing the familiar surroundings.
With a sigh of defeat, Warrick reluctantly lowers me to the ground, releasing his hold on me. The absence of his touch leaves an ache within me, a void yearning to be filled. But I push those feelings aside, knowing that we cannot be.
As we approach the camp, the soft glow of the antlers adorning our glowhorn stags comes into view. Xander retrieves a small glass canister from his belongings and offers it to me.
‘Here,’ he says, ‘Place the flower inside, and I will cast magic to preserve it.’
I nod in gratitude and carefully slide the precious flower from my grasp and into the jar, watching as its vibrant hues are captured within the confines of the glass.
Xander places the canister in my hands, its lid securely sealed to protect the precious flower within. With a swift motion, he retrieves his small, ancient tome from the depths of his long trench coat, its weathered pages brimming with arcane wisdom. Balancing the book in one hand, he extends the other over the open page, his gaze focused and intent.
A hushed silence settles over the camp as we watch Xander, his hand hovering over the flower, his lips moving in whispered incantations. With each word, a soft, radiant light emanates from his palm, intertwining with the magic that pulses within the jar. The air crackles with energy, and enchantment fills the space around us.
As Xander completes the spell, the first rays of dawn peek over the horizon, casting a golden glow upon our gathering. Now infused with the power of preservation, the jar shimmers and glows with a vibrant luminescence.
A sense of relief washes over me, knowing that the flower is now protected. As I walk towards my glow-horn stag, Warrick quickly takes my free hand, turning me around to face him.
‘The poem you told Nagia,’ he begins, his voice delicate. ‘You spoke of sadness, of being hurt and broken, of never wanting to find love again, and of being fearful of a love that once stood by your side. I need to know the reasons behind these words.’
My eyes meet his with a mix of apprehension and resignation. In his gaze, I see a genuine desire to understand, to bridge the gap between us and unravel the tangled threads of my past.
‘Warrick,’ I begin and pull my hand away. My voice trembling with emotions. ‘They are just that, words. Nothing more. The words have no meaning,’ I lie, turning my back to him.
‘You're lying to me, Rose,’ Warrick interjects. ‘I can sense it and smell the lie seeping from you. The words came from your heart. You would not have passed Nagia's test if the words were untrue. So, I am begging you, Rose. Please tell me. It could help our situation if I knew your past. There's more to why you don't want to be with me, and I need to know why. I know it has something to do with your poem with something that happened to you, so please, let me in, tell me,' Warrick pleads.
I open the saddle bag on my stag and carefully place the glowing canister inside before turning to face Warrick.
But before I respond, Xander chimes in. ‘We will leave immediately so that we can make it to Sunfire Plains by nightfall,’ Xander declares.
I pause. My heart is heavy with the weight of the decision I must make. Warrick's eyes, filled with bittersweet sorrow, meet mine.
‘I think it’s best you don't come with us, Warrick,’ I finally speak, my voice tinged with a touch of sadness that I fail to hide. ‘I believe it's for the best if we depart now instead of travelling together all the way to Gravehaven. Although I know it will be hard on you now, it will only become harder as we spend more time together.’
Xander mounts on his stag, Imogen sits upon her broom with Mister Kal, while Orelious and Imogen mount the same glow-horn stag. They stare at Warrick and me and wait.
Warrick's eyes blaze with an unyielding fire, his voice filled with an unwavering determination that matches mine. ‘No,’ he states firmly, his tone brooking no argument.
I ignore him and mount my stag. ‘Goodbye, Warrick,’ I say, refusing to turn and look at him. I flick the reigns and race forward.
The others follow alongside me, but Warrick’s alluring scent follows. As I look over my shoulder, he runs up beside me and grabs the stag’s reigns, bringing my mount to a complete stop.
‘Let go of the reigns, Warrick,’ I growl with frustration and desperation.
‘No,’ he huffs, his chest heaving with rapid breaths. His unwavering stare meets mine, defying my every command. ‘You didn’t even wait to hear me say goodbye. You didn’t even answer my question about the poem you told Nagia,’ he says.
‘What are you doing, Warrick? Just let the reigns go. Let me go,’ I tell him.
‘What am I doing?’ he retorts. ‘I’m fighting for you, which I told you I would do. I will not let the reigns go. I will not let you go!’
I sigh heavily, knowing he won’t release the reigns until I answer. ‘I didn’t wait for you to say goodbye because I knew you wouldn’t be able to bring yourself to say the words. As for the poem, it’s none of your concern- ‘
‘It is my concern,’ he growls, angrily pulling the reigns closer to his chest.
We lock eyes in a silent standoff, my ears flattening against my head as my tail sways with unsettled energy.