CHAPTER 13

 

Speht

 

 

He was gone! Just like that! A roar tore from my throat and I stomped around wildly. As the ground shook and the water surrounding the mother was put into turmoil, I spotted that thin, glowing circle at the base of the trunk starting to form. Grunting, freezing on the spot, I scowled even as hope filled me. Couldn’t be.

“Thaug?! Mind the hearth!” I bellowed, before backing up to try and clear the moat at a running go. I nearly made it, slamming into the knotty rooted side of the island the tree formed. Scrambling as my legs hit the water, fearing a repeat of my almost near drowning, I cautiously made my way towards the shimmering surface. What lay beyond was a surprise, but made me wonder what price was to be had for this boon, what pound of flesh to be extracted.

No words came to me, no terms. I found this quite curious but it didn’t deter me.

It was no matter. I had to get Puhkke back before it was too late. Whatever madness he’d fallen into, I was sure I could murder, pound a body to a pulp, threaten a way out of this for him. I’d never failed the welp yet.

His face as he’d turned to me… the little fool thought to be rid of me, for good. Once a burrowkin, always a burrowkin. As much as he felt he was stuck with us, we were stuck with him. We needed each other.

This grew complicated, knowing he’d claimed the little witch. No. No matter. he could have her if he so wished. What was it to me? I squirmed even as I thought this and a low rumble built in my throat. My hand flexed, the muscles bunching, tugging at the bitemark on my arm. I’d help him hide her away here if that’s what it took, she meant so bloody much to ‘im. My hand lifted, brushing over the spot on my arm. A grunt left me. For Puhkke, I repeated, though I scowled as I thought it. Ignoring the way gooseflesh crept up all over me at the slight caress, I took a deep breath, gripping the sides of the shimmering portal visage, and prayed like hell we didn’t both end up in the hangman’s noose.

“Goes nothin’. Better not be given’ me guff ‘bout comin’ home, welp,” I grumbled, then shoved off.

No price was ever to be named to be extracted, a thought I hadn’t put much into until much later. I wasn’t to know the witch’s broken word was the catalyst for my mortal realms portaling until it didn’t matter anymore.