Chapter 484
A howl, full of pain, echoed in the distance. We exchanged glances and ran towards the sound. A second howl ripped through the air, this time broken and exhausted, sounding close to breaking. "We need to make it there," I called to my wolves.
"We will," Nix gasped, her breathing ragged. We'd pushed ourselves to the brink; any further, and we'd be the ones breaking. But we couldn't leave Rick and his wolf to die.
We burst into a clearing and stumbled to a halt. "What the fuck?" Megan panted, collapsing beside us. I turned to her. "Are you okay?"
"Just tired," she gasped, rolling onto her belly. "What is he doing?"
We looked back at Rick's wolf. He was circling the clearing's perimeter, a worn dirt path marking his frantic run, replacing the green grass of the field.
We watched him stumble and roll. I winced at the clear pain, but he howled again, popped up, and resumed running. I couldn't see what was happening, but Megan and Nix hissed. "What's wrong?" I leaned forward, but the brown wolf was on the far side of the clearing. He stumbled again, injuring his paw, yet still hobbled on three legs. "Why doesn't he stop?"
Nix ran towards him, and as we approached, I heard buzzing. I spun around, searching for the source, but Nix continued towards the injured wolf. We reached him, and I saw giant bees, the size of my thumb, chasing him, his body covered in welts.
He glanced our way, his survival tenuous. He sighed. "Is it time?" His voice was choppy, resigned. He was ready to let go.
"Time for what?" I asked.
He looked at me. "You're the goddess, aren't you? Is it over?" He looked over his shoulder, stumbled, and fell hard. His yelp was painful, but his howl, when a bee struck, was staggering. Every sting was torture. "Please let this be over."
"Nix," I slid off her back, and she nodded, running to his side, earning a sting. We both screamed; the pain was like being stabbed with a red-hot poker, the sting instantly swelling. But something strange happened: after the pain subsided, an incredible rush of power surged through us. "How is this possible?"
"The rune," my grandmother's voice surprised me. "The creatures are a manifestation of the rune. The leech was one thing, but this creature injects pure power. But if a wolf or person can't handle such power, it burns them away. His wolf is at the brink." Nix and Megan were at his side. I watched another bee strike, but Megan took the sting. I screamed again, my mind clearer.
The leech needed to be overfed to clear it, but that wouldn't work with the bees. Nix looked at me. "I need help." I nodded, running over and earning a sting myself. My wolves howled as I screamed, but they seemed more alert. "Help me get him on my back." Nix nodded. I wrapped my arms around him and lifted him onto her back. Once secure, she began circling the clearing, with Megan running behind, intercepting stings whenever she could.
"Nix!" She looked at me. "Find out where the bees are coming from." I looked; each bee that struck fell, but was immediately replaced. The ground was littered with their bodies.
"Somewhere in the woods," she called. I turned to run back the way we came, but Nix called, "They come from the north." I spun around and ran, screaming every few seconds, pushing onward. The dark trees hid secrets I needed to unravel. I threw a ball of light, saw a bee heading towards the clearing, and followed it to a massive hive.