Lyra I could feel my legs ready to give out but I dared not stop.
I hadn’t come this far just to give up especially since I knew Darius and his men wouldn’t think twice about going back.
Everything had happened so fast.
One minute, Felix and I were talking about his daughter and her graduation and the next minute, the bus was surrounded with wolves and not just any kind of wolves, the best in all kingdoms.
This was all Darius doing, that much I knew but yet again, I wouldn’t put it past my father not to also be involved in this.
That was how vengeful he was, I had seen it times without number.
“Just a few more miles Lyra.
You can’t give up now…” I mummured.
My wolf had helped along the way but she had given up control and as i trudged along the bush path, my vision became very faint.
I could hardly see where I was going and to make matters worse, my stomach grumbled in hunger.
I collapsed on the ground, using my bag as a pillow as i struggled to catch my breath.
Around me were several hoots from bush animals and some from the birds that chirped in the sky.
My whole body was weak and I knew I couldn’t stay here for long.
Darius’ men were bound to find me sooner or later and I wasn’t about to give them the chance to take me back to where I had escaped from.
“How did they find me so quickly?” I muttered.
The more I thought about this, the more confused I got because this was definitely not something they had planned for long.
How did they even know to find me here?
On the road to the human world?
The more I thought about it, the more confused I got.
I managed to sit up, my eyes scanning everywhere but still finding nothing which had me sighing in relief.
Whoever had followed me had either given up the chase and gone back or worse, they were waiting somewhere, bidding the moment I walked out.
I needed to be ready, that much I knew because Darius men never gave up so why should I?
I stood to my feet, swaying for a bit before I finally found my balance.
I grabbed my bag, swinging it on my shoulder as i took the first step then the second and before I knew it, i tumbled to the ground, completely exhausted from everything I had gone through.
“Hey, I got you.” a voice said.
Strong arms carried me before I could hit the dirt, keeping me close.
I nearly screamed in relief when I felt warmth very close to my cheek.
I hugged the figure closer, wrapping my shaking hands around him.
I didn’t care if I looked helpless.
Whoever this was had just given me another chance at life and i’d be a fool not to take it.
“Here, lean on me.” That still didn’t stop the shaking going on within me and it was not just from the cold but from the fact that I cheated death in more ways than I could count but yet again, I knew I wasn’t still out of the woods yet.
“We’ll get you back on the bus.” Bus?
What bus was he talking about?
I struggled in his grasp, trying to escape but the more I did, the more he held me tighter, refusing to let go.
“It’s me Lyra…
its me.” I stopped struggling when I recognized the voice.
Felix.
I looked up at his face and jusrt like I had thought, he smiled down at me, giving my hands a gentle squeeze.
“How?
How did you find me here?” I must have ran deeper into the woods and I was quite sure no human would be brave enough to follow me but here he was, holding me close and in the middle of nowhere like this was the most natural thing for him to do.
“What the hell is this?” “I guess I didn’t tell you everything about me.” he chuckled.
“You shouldn’t be here…
You shouldn’t even have-” “Let’s get you out of here first and then you can ask all the questions you’ve been meaning to ask,” he smiled.
I didn’t know if I could trust me but twice now, all under one day he had saved me.
He lifted me up, carrying me bridal style, my bag on one of his shoulder as we began walking back towards the direction of the bus.
“How are you this strong?
I don’t understand.” “Please, let’s just get you settled in first.” he said.
My head was bursting with numerous questions.
I could hardly keep up with them because I wanted nothing more than to understand what the hell was going on.
With each minute that passed, I was getting increasingly impatient with my questions not being answered.
Felix saw that too and he only smiled which just made me all the more angrier.
“There she is!
Oh thank goodness!” We finally got to the bus and true to his words, the passengers were outside, distraught but seemingly fine.
“Poor thing.
She must have been through a lot,” another voice said.
“I need a collapsible seat for her.
She’s worn out and needs to rest before we get to the nearest hospital.” Felix said.
I watched with half-closed eyes as the driver and some men did as Felix said and soon, I was inside the warmth of the bus.
Now, finally in the safety of the bus and surrounded by people whom I thought would have my head on stake, I was able to breath easily.
“Thank you,” I muttered.
“You don’t have to thank me.
I just need you to get better, that’s all.” This Felix was quite different from the man I knew before the attack.
Something had changed within him but I still couldn’t understand what it was and that annoyed me the most.
“Will you still be in time for your daughter’s graduation?” I managed to ask.
“Yes.” he simply said.
There was more to his words and a few minutes later, as the bus finally continued its journey, I realized more than ever before that I was exactly where I was meant to be.