Path To Madness

Chapter Five: Black and Blue

The sun had long set the next time I awoke. I was now in a small tent with a couple bedrolls beside me. I was still chained but the ground felt softer than last time. As my vision continued to adapt to the darkness. I noticed I was also on a bedroll, close to the edge of the tent.

My body ached, and my neck still stung so I quickly called to the healing flames within me. The tent was brightly lit by my blue flames as I sat up on the ragged, grey bedroll. New-found energy surged through my body as it healed.

"Olysseus! Damnit! You're heavy man!" Tone complained, shuffling into the tent with my wounded mate leaning into him.

Panic struck me as they both just took notice of me. Olysseus looked like they had broken his spirit. His eyes had dulled, and he was covered in lashes. Tone lead him to one of the bedrolls and helped him lie down.

"Olysseus? A-are you okay?" I gently spoke and cautiously crawled over to the two males.

Neither of them answered me but they made no move to stop my approach. Tone had started to use his healing magic on Olysseus, but he was struggling. I gently moved Tone's hands away and looked my mate in the eyes. If I didn't have our bond, I would have thought him dead. He seemed so lifeless. Tone quickly pulled out a handkerchief and coughed, moving away from us.

"He was beaten back into submission by Master Flare. His emotions were coming back faster than ever before, a-and it frightened the elder Mayjie in our group." Tone explained before making a quick departure.

Tone was very ill and it worried me. Even though he may be the offspring of my enemy, he was Olysseus's friend. I wanted them both to be okay, but my mate took first priority. I demanded more healing energy from my flames and projected it to cover Olysseus. It took all of the energy I had just gotten back from healing myself to maintain the flames.

"Peace? Is that you?"

I looked down at my mate in relief before losing the flames and collapsing on my mate's chest. He was healed! Probably still sore but he would be able to move now.

"Y-yes. I-it's me, Olysseus." I huffed out, taking in deep breaths of air.

His scent hit me hard, almost making me reel back in shock. My entire body buzzed with electric energy as I felt larger amounts of skin against skin. His sculpted chest and abdomen made my face flush bright red as I realized the predicament I was now in. Neither of us had enough energy to move.

But I don't think either of us wanted to. He was warm to the touch and I could feel my feathers ruffle in delight. Olysseus suddenly lifted one of his hands to my head. I braced myself to be thrown off of him but what he did instead shocked me. He combed his fingers through my hair, taking it out of its ponytail.

"Thank you, Little Mate."

As he continued to play with my hair, I couldn't help the quiet purr that escaped from within me. He was being so gentle with me like I was too precious to touch.

"It was worth it. I remember everything now and I will never stop protecting you. I'm not going to stop fighting against the Masters, Little Mate."

I took in a sharp breath from his confession and moved the little I could, so I could look into his eyes. He was indeed telling the truth as the fire once again burned within those orbs I loved so much. Olysseus smirked at my shocked face and quickly flipped us so he was hovering above me. Heat pooled between my legs as our lips slowly inched closer to connecting.