I stop breathing.

  The creature circles the tree, not releasing its gaze from me for even a second, despite the loud noise of the men in the distance.

  Unlike the others, this one doesn’t charge blindly into battle. It doesn’t lunge, doesn’t snarl or snap. It’s watching me. Pacing. It knows I'm trapped and weaker than the others. I slowly bring my knees to my chest, gripping onto the tree as I move. Caspian…Where are you?

  A low guttural growl rattles from its throat. My stomach sinks. It's smart, it knows I’m defenseless. Where is he?! The fight continues in the distance, swords clashing, men shouting, but they’re too far away to see what’s happening over here.

  It takes a step forward, gauging the height of my branch. I inch back along the branch, a twig snapping at my staggered movements. The creature tenses. Shit…

  The creature suddenly lunges and a strangled scream escapes me as I tighten my grip on the tree. Its claws scrape the bark as it leaps up. But it miscalculated, missing me by a few inches. It lands on the ground with a thud, snarling at the loss. But it doesn’t leave, circling the tree once more.

  “CASPIAN!” I scream upon the sight of the familiar face racing towards me.

  Caspian reins his horse to a sudden stop, the horse rearing as a result.

  Keeping his eyes locked on the creature, he uses one hand to swing off his horse onto the ground. His armour is covered in blood and dirt, he looks as if he’s been fighting for hours. As he steps dangerously towards the creature, his sword slowly drips a small trail of fire as he walks.

  The creature jerks its head towards Caspian, knowing it met its match. It flicks its gaze between Caspian and I, judging who it should go for first. I shuffle closer to the tree, but in the efforts of doing so, I accidentally knock Caspian’s cloak onto the ground. The creature makes its decision, turning to me.

  “Tsk.” Caspian lets out a slow, deliberate disapproval at the creature. The creature’s ears twitch. Its head jerks toward the sound.

  “Not her.” He murmurs. His tone telling. It wasn’t a warning, nor a plea. No, it was a fact. As if the creature would be foolish for even considering otherwise. My breath catches, as the beast lowers its body, snarling, inching closer to Caspian. It listened to him? Of course it does. Even a wild animal would recognise a predator standing before it. Caspian doesn’t react to the beast closing in on him. He simply watches, his eyes squinting, taunting the beast to attack him. And he knows it will.

  The creature lunges and Caspian doesn't even flinch. Instead, he lifts his sword, slashing the beast clean in half. Its body igniting, and left to burn on the ground. Caspian kicks the body out of the way, slowly raising his head to catch my eye. Scanning me briefly, lips clamped shut. Assessing me.

  He looks back onto the fight, the chaos is dying down. With his hand, he wipes his flaming blood off his sword, and the flaming heaps his sword once created, immediately dies out. Ash now replaces where the flame once stood. Caspian locks his gaze back onto me, walking under the branch.

  “Jump.” I freeze, my body uncooperative to his words. The drop below suddenly appearing much farther than before.

  Caspian steps closer, his face unreadable. He lifts his hands, waiting. “Genevieve.”

  “I will catch you.” He states, reassuring me. But unconvinced, I grip harder onto the bark, tears still dripping down my face from the earlier panic.

  “Now.” I close my eyes and slide off the branch. Air rushes around me briefly until Caspian’s hands clamp around my upper thighs, absorbing the fall as if it was nothing. I instinctively put my hands on Caspian’s shoulder to hold myself up. He takes a step back and slowly guides me to the floor. His fingers press into my sides, lingering for half a second longer than necessary. I try to pull away from his grasp, but he pulls me closer. He tightens his grip as he drags his eyes over me, assessing for any damages. His thumb unconsciously brushes along my ribs before he finally lets go. His eyes flick up to mine, something hidden behind his gaze. Intrigue. He’s curious about me.

  I calm my breath with a frown on my face. He fucking left me to die. Without even thinking I punch his chest and walk towards his horse, picking up his cloak along the way. Fucking asshole. Caspian exhales, barely acknowledging my attack. I feel his eyes watch me as I stomp over to the steed.

  Piece of shit. I throw the cloak on the horse and grapple the tall saddle, attempting to climb the horse. I refuse to ask for help, but my legs ache from the ride, making it hard to move in an efficient way to get on. As I’m debating my next move to climb the giant horse, I hear him step forward. He better not help me. Before I can turn and berate him, his hands are on me. Clamping on my waist, my feet suddenly leave the ground and my thighs meet the horse once again. My hands scramble against the saddle for balance, as I clamber the rest of the way.

  His warmth leaves me to adjust my position. Like before, his hand moves to my clothed thigh, tugging it into place, then moves my lower back forward so I’m sitting properly on the horse.

  “There.” His tone is laced with irritation and impatience. “Sit right this time.” My face flushes with embarrassment and hate.

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  I scowl, gripping the saddle tighter. Caspian swings himself up behind me, adjusting himself, his arm then reaches past me and grabs the cloak. He flicks it out, and attempts to wrap it around us.

  “I don’t need it.” I hiss at him, swatting his hand away.

  Caspian doesn't sigh or argue. He just stares in an authoritative gaze, and wraps the cloak around us anyways.

  The thick fur engulfs me before I can stop it, his movements strong and firm.

  “I said I-” His hand tightens the cloak around us, securing it with a knot, locking us in.

  “Enough.” His words soft, yet commanding.

  I freeze at his domineering voice. He doesn’t spare me a second glance, pulling the reins, his arm brushing against mine as he urges the horse forward. The sudden movement jolts me forward. Caspian instinctively snaps an arm around me, pulling me closer to him. Heat radiates from his chest, pressing against my back. He doesn’t say anything, he just keeps a tight grip around me, as if I’m due to fall off the horse again. I distract myself by gripping onto the saddle, so that the need of his help lessens, but Caspian doesn’t let go.

  We regroup with the army, and the men are quick to get themselves back in order. The clerics quickly heal soldiers, and others help them by wrapping up- Bodies…I gulp at the realisation that not everyone made it out of the assault.

  Sir Leiman rides up beside us, his expression grim. His armour is splattered with dirt and blood. I look uneasily at him. Everyone went through hell, just to find it again on the way home…Leiman’s steed falls into step with ours, and he speaks from under his helmet.

  “We lost fifteen, out of three fifty.” He states in a low tone, ashamed he couldn’t do more for his comrades.

  Caspian exhales through his nose, his grip tightening on the reins. Yet he doesn’t curse, or show his frustration. He keeps a stoic appearance, but I can feel his breaths slowing at the information.

  “More than I wanted.” His grip on me closing in, ever so slightly. “But not enough to stop.” Being in charge of an army must be so hard…Putting your mourning behind so your men can mirror a brave face and push on.

  Leiman nods, his gaze shifting to the men behind us. Caspian continues. “We can’t stay out here. The rations we were given won’t last, not with what they threw at us.” His jaw tenses at the continuous maltreatment being piled onto his men.

  “And the Krehvins?” Leiman hints at something he noticed in the strange behaviour of the beasts.

  “Crazed. I’m not sure how it spread so far west. But they don’t hunt in packs, and I don’t doubt more will come, with so much blood in the air.” Leiman nods, thankful that he wasn’t the only one that noticed the ‘beast craze’ affecting the creatures.

  “We need to reach Arleigh before dawn. We’ll ride through the night.” Caspian, already pulling the reins forward, states in a commanding voice.

  Leiman salutes, turning his horse away to relay the orders down the line of scattered men. The soldiers don’t complain, nor hesitate. They just finish up their after-attack duties and press forward.

  I bite the inside of my cheek, watching as the world around us darkens and the blue stars watch over us from above. A twinkle of fireflies flutters through the tall grass as we ride on.

  The air feels heavy.

  This world has monsters. Of course it bloody does.

  cxxx{}::::::::::::::::::::::::::::>

  We travel along the edge of a vast lake, the water dark and glimmering with the light of the moon. The path starts to become sloshy with damp soil, the air thick with the scent of wet earth. This must be a marshland.

  Then, in the distance, a village emerges.

  Half of it is built on the marsh land, but the majority of it lies on wooden stilts built above the water. The ground too soft for the whole village to lay on its ground. The flickering glow of lanterns reflects off the lake’s surface, casting long streaks of gold light along its rippling surface.

  The soldiers sigh a wave of relief. Their voices mutter about ‘how good it feels to be home’ and for some, at least ‘close’ to home. Even the more war-weary men among them seem to breathe easier, being in their own land again.

  As we approach, some of the soldiers break away from the main group. A handful of them, turning towards the village, greeted by families who heard the army’s commotion. While others disappear down winding paths that lead to nearby settlements, the army’s total lessening.

  Caspian and Sir Leiman pull ahead, conversing in low voices as the soldiers begin setting up camp outside the village boundaries. Some begin unloading what little provisions they have left, while others settle into their bedrolls beneath the open sky. It being too late in the night to restock, or take on other duties besides sleep.

  “We’ll take the inn?” Leiman asks, dismounting. “There should be enough room there for the high command.” Caspian nods in response.

  “Set up guards around the perimeter. The rest of the men will stay outside.” Caspian turns to the weary men. “It’ll give them some time to relax without restrictions.”

  I frown, shifting in the saddle.

  What about me?

  Before I can dwell on it, we move into the village with the other high command. Passing through the sleeping village, we arrive at a tudor style tavern. The smell of smoke and alcohol emanating from it. Caspian unknots the cloak and without warning, grips my waist and lifts me from the horse. I tense as my feet hit the ground and yank myself from his hold before he can steady me. He says nothing, just raising a brow at me, before turning back to Leiman.

  Caspian, bracing his wounded arm, swings down from his horse. He hands the reins off to a very sleepy stable boy, adjusting his gloves as if this was just another routine stop.

  “The maiden?” Leiman asks, taking off his helmet, barely glancing at me.

  I stand with my arms crossed, warming my arms up at the sudden heat loss.

  “She stays with me.” Caspian states, removing a bag from his horse before handing a coin to the stable boy.

  “What?” I snap my head towards him, disgust written all over my face. “No.” My voice sharp in defiance.

  Caspian tilts his head ever so slightly, frowning his eyebrows. “Oh. You’d rather sleep outside?” My thoughts go back to the creatures out there. My jaw clenches and I turn my face away from him with a huff.

  Without another word, Caspian guides me into the tavern holding the door open for me.

  I can’t believe I have to share a room with this asshole.