Chapter 311 Beginning the journey home

Chapter 311: Chapter 311 Beginning the journey home

Talia’s POV

We walked through the green grass, and I felt the sun on my face for the first time in what felt like forever. The sky was blue, and the air was clean.

I had forgotten for a moment what fresh air felt like, and what it felt like to breathe without the weight of silver pressing down on my lungs. For so long, the only air I had known was thick with darkness and magic and the suffocating presence of Malachai’s hold. But this? this was different. This was the air of home, of freedom, and of everything I had been fighting for.

And I could smell the flowers blooming in the distance, but my body was giving out.

Each step was harder than the last, and my legs were shaking beneath me. The blood magic had drained me, and I had not fully recovered before using my voice magic in the tunnel to stop the guards. I was running on empty, and I knew that I could not keep going.

"Talia," Kaelen called, and his voice was filled with worry. "Are you okay?"

I nodded, but I could not speak because my throat was too tight. I took another step, and my leg buckled beneath me.

"Talia!" Kaelen yelled, and he caught me before I hit the ground, and I felt his arms wrapping around me. "Talia, look at me." He said in a worried voice, drawing me closer to himself.

I tried to open my eyes, but they were too heavy. "I am sorry," I whispered. "I cannot..."

"Shh," he said. "I have you. You can rest now baby, I have you."

He lowered me to the ground, and I felt the soft grass beneath my back. The sky was spinning above me, and I could hear the voices of my pack around me.

"Is she okay?" Piper asked, and her voice was shaking.

"She is exhausted," Kaelen said. "She used the blood magic to break the silver bars, and then she used her voice magic in the tunnel to stop the guards from catching us. Both of those drained her completely, and she has not had time to recover."

“Oh, Talia.” Piper’s voice echoed with choked sobs.

"I have never seen her this weak before, to the point where she can barely speak," Kaelen said, his voice cracking with fear. "Not even after the blood magic, and not even after she broke through the silver bars. This is different. She gave everything she had in that tunnel, and then she gave everything she had left at the border, and I do not know if she has anything left to give."

Jax knelt beside me, and I saw the worry on his face. "Luna, you need to stop pushing yourself so hard. You are going to collapse one day, and we are not going to be able to catch you."

Piper shook her head, and her voice was thick with emotion. "Jax, this is not the time for your jokes."

Jax placed his hand over his heart. "I am not joking, Piper. I am genuinely concerned. She is our Luna, and she keeps doing things that make me lose years of my life."

Piper snorted, and I saw a small smile breaking through her tears. "You are impossible, Jax."

Jax grinned. "I know, Piper. That is why you love me."

Piper rolled her eyes. "I do not love you, Jax. I just...tolerate you."

"Tolerate me?" Jax repeated, feigning offense. "Piper, I have been your best friend on this whole journey. I have saved your life at least three times, and I have carried you through rivers and pulled you out of caves and listened to you talk about your soft feelings for fluffy rabbits for hours on end. And all I get is tolerate?" Jax placed his hand over his heart again. "That hurts, Piper. That really hurts."

Piper sighed softly. “Please Jax, give me a break.”

Jax held up his hands, and I saw the grin spreading across his face. "Fine, fine. I will give you a break, Piper. But only because you look like you are about to cry, and I do not want to be responsible for that."

Piper glared at him, but I could see the tears still shining in her eyes. "I am not going to cry, Jax."

Jax raised an eyebrow. "Really? Because your eyes are red, and your nose is running, and you keep sniffing like you are trying to hold it all in."

Piper wiped her eyes quickly. "That is because of the dust, Jax. The Ashen Lands had a lot of...dust."

Jax nodded slowly, and I saw the mock seriousness on his face. "Of course, Piper. The dust. I forgot about the...dust."

Piper shook her head, but I saw the small smile tugging at the corner of her lips. "You are impossible, Jax."

Jax grinned. "I know, Piper. But you love me anyway."

Piper did not answer, but I saw the way her eyes softened when she looked at him. And I knew that she did.

I felt my chest warm at the back and forth between Jax and Piper.

Then I felt someone beside me take my hand, and I heard my mother’s voice. "Talia, my brave girl. You have done enough so far. Please rest now."

I tried to shake my head, but I could not move. "I am fine," I managed to say, and my voice was barely a whisper. "I just need a moment."

Kaelen looked at my hand, and I saw the worry in his eyes. "Talia, your palm. It is still bleeding."

I looked down, and I saw the wound on my palm. The blood was still seeping through the cut, and I could see the raw flesh beneath. I had forgotten all about it. I had forgotten about everything except getting us out.

"It is fine," I said slowly. "It does not hurt."

Kaelen shook his head. "It is not fine, Talia. You are bleeding everywhere."

He tore a strip of cloth from the hem of his shirt, and he took my hand. His fingers were gentle as he wrapped the cloth around my palm, covering the wound.

"Keep it covered," he said. "It will stop the bleeding."

I looked at him, and I felt the tears burning in my eyes. "Thank you, Kaelen. Thank you for everything."

Silas stepped forward, and his voice was calm and steady. "Luna, you need to rest. We will set up camp here for a few hours."

I shook my head weakly. "We need to keep moving. The guards might find a way through."

Silas shook his head. "They cannot cross the border, Luna. Your magic is protecting us. So we are safe here."

Jax nodded. "Silas is right. We have been running for days, Luna. We are all exhausted."

I looked at my pack, and I saw the exhaustion on their faces. They were all pale and tired, and they needed rest.

Cain did not speak. He just walked to the edge of the clearing, and he stood watch, with his eyes scanning the horizon, and his hand resting on his sword.

Kaelen looked at him, and I saw the gratitude in his eyes. "Thank you, Cain."

Cain nodded once in response.

I watched him stand there, silent and unmoving, and I felt a surge of gratitude so strong, it almost brought tears to my eyes. He had followed me into the darkness without question, fought beside me without hesitation, and stood watch over us without complaint. He did not speak much, but he did not need to. Because his actions said everything.

That was all he ever did, as he was not much of a talker, but I knew what it meant.

I smiled softly with so much effort, and I looked at Kaelen. "Thank you, Kaelen. Thank you for everything." I saw with a grateful heart.

Kaelen pressed his lips to my forehead. "You have nothing to thank me for, Talia. You saved us. You saved all of us."

I closed my eyes, and I felt the exhaustion pulling me under. The grass was soft beneath me, and the sun was warm on my face.

I was free, and we were all free. And now, I could finally rest.