章 13: Chapter 13: The Sorceress Rides With Me
Damian's POV
I continued kissing her, deeper, feeling her melt into me. Time felt suspended, and the world around us faded into oblivion.
My fingers threaded through her silky white hair, pulling her closer, while her delicate hands wrapped around my neck. Her small chest pressed against mine, and my entire body ached with a longing I hadn't felt before.
Her lips were cold but soft against mine, and for a brief moment, everything felt perfect—until the distant sound of shouting shattered the tranquility.
Screams echoed from afar.
I cursed under my breath. Wrong timing!
The voices grew closer,
"Your Highness! Your Highness!"
I reluctantly pulled away from Agartha, turning to see where the noise was coming from.
Five familiar figures were rushing toward us through the fog.
My heart lifted. It was my warriors—Barrette, Aiden, Murdock, Zander, and Bade.
Zander, the first to reach me, was nearly in tears.
"Your Highness!" he cried, almost breathless. "We – we thought something had happened to you!"
Murdock wrapped his arms around me, in a tight embrace.
"We really thought you were dead, damn it!" he exclaimed, gripping me like he never intended to let go.
I hugged him back, relieved to be alive and also relieved to see them.
"I'm fine, I'm fine."
For a moment it was a hearty reunion.
The warriors looked at me, then at Agartha, who stood silently beside me. The moment they laid eyes on her, they tensed. Their hands instinctively reached for their weapons, eyes filled with suspicion.
I could see why they felt she could attack me. Agartha looked extremely beautiful and outwardly, she had a young white pale skin but her hair was stark white.
"Stand down," I commanded, stepping between them and her.
Zander, his hand still resting on the hilt of his sword, glanced at me warily.
"Who is she, Your Highness?"
Before I could respond, Agartha stepped forward, her eyes flashing with defiance. "I'm Agartha," she stated firmly, her tone sharp.
Zander narrowed his eyes.
"What are you doing here alone with our highness?"
She shot him a deadly glare.
"I should be asking you that. Why are you here in this forest?"
I held up a hand, trying to calm the situation. "Enough," I said, turning to Agartha. "They're on my side. No need to be defensive."
Aiden, still trying to be cautious, added,
"Your Highness, you shouldn't be mingling with strangers."
SIGH
"She's not a stranger," I interrupted, my voice firm. "She's the sorceress."
The effect of my words was immediate. Their eyes widened in disbelief, jaws nearly dropping.
"The sorceress?" Barrette asked, his voice incredulous. "You found her? Alone?"
I nodded proudly.
"Yes, I did."
The crew exchanged stunned glances.
As we began walking back toward the northern gate, they bombarded me with questions, eager to hear how I survived and managed to bring the sorceress back.
All of a sudden I looked like a legend in their eyes. I could help but narrate my ordeals as I told them about the wolf attack and defeating Grimtooth, often exaggerating my stances in the stories, but who could debunk my stories. I had come with the sorceress in the clutch.
Maybe even closer than my clutch. Wink.
As I spoke, they kept glancing back at Agartha, unsure whether to be amazed or cautious.
Bade finally broke the silence.
"So... are you her master now?"
"No," I replied, shaking my head. "I freed her."
The warriors nearly exploded. "WHAT?!"
"You heard me," I said, my tone brooking no argument. "I became her master to set her free."
Aiden looked horrified.
"Your Highness, what if she doesn't help us? What if she turns against us?"
"She won't," I said, getting frustrated that they were not getting my reasoning. "We entered into a pact,"
They blinked at me like I had lost my mind.
"She's been in bondage all her life. She deserves her freedom." I added, shutting down any further doubts. "She's not an object or a weapon. She's a person with feelings too."
The warriors grumbled under their breath, clearly unconvinced, but didn't argue further.
As we reached the fogged entrance where we had left our horses, they were still lying there, untouched and with no sign of decay. Agartha glanced at them and then back at me.
"I can heal them," she offered.
"No!" I blurted out, startling her. I knew what raising the dead—anything dead—cost her. I didn't want her to suffer more.
"Why not, Your Highness?" Aiden asked, confused. "She can bring them back, and we'll be faster."
"I have my reasons," I muttered.
The warriors exchanged confused glances, clearly irritated by my decision.
"But it'll take longer to reach Akrifous if we go on foot," Murdock argued.
"I know, but—"
Before I could finish, Agartha had already knelt down beside one of the horses. Her eyes began to glow with that familiar eerie light as she placed her hands on the creature's body.
"Agartha, stop!" I yelled, rushing over to pull her away.
"Did you not hear them?" she said, her voice strained but determined. "It'll take us too long if we walk. We need the horses."
"You don't have to push yourself—" I began, but she cut me off.
"You're the prince of Akrifous. You should be more responsible!" she snapped, going back to reviving the horses.
I clenched my fists, knowing she was right but hating how much strain this would put on her. I watched helplessly as she finished the spell, the horses slowly coming back to life. The moment the last horse stirred, Agartha collapsed, blood dripping from her nose.
"Agartha!" I shouted, catching her before she hit the ground. Her face was pale, her body limp in my arms.
The warriors watched, stunned. They hadn't expected her to fall like that.
I didn't even look at them. My focus was entirely on her.
"Climb your horses," I ordered as I lifted Agartha onto mine. "The sorceress rides with me."
I mounted the horse, securing her against my chest, making sure she wouldn't fall as we rode.
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