“Stop your blabbering, young Hakken. Go take your place as our commander.” Ancient Hua had the nasty habit of appearing out of thin air. “Everyone is working their hardest to save your people, but they need a leader.” The stag stood in front of him, and the pressure of his piercing gaze was enough to stop any kind of protest from Hakken’s mouth. “You do not get to choose what life offers to you. I gave you free will, so you decide the path you will walk.”
Those were supposed to be words of encouragement, but Hakken stared down in shame. He had led a bitter life, one of many regrets. He could only feel proud about loving his mate deeply and rescuing Maeve.
But he let her die, and he lost Maeve’s trust.
He looked up when a calming hand landed on his shoulder. Hua gave him a heartfelt glance. “There’s no need to be a god to see the strength in you. Ashamed as you may be of your past, there is always a future. Rise, boy, and become the man you long to be.”
When he took in those words, a weight lifted from his shoulders, and as he watched the god stride away to the training grounds, he felt, for the first time in years, hopeful.
It was different from the feeling Maeve stirred in him. This was detached, settled, and unfailing. He was at peace with himself. He could do this. He turned to Kniv to let him know he was ready to help with whatever they needed but found his friend crying his eyes out.
“What the hell, man?” He was too startled to be polite.
“I-I’m so... *sob* so proud... *sob* of you, my b-boy!”
Hakken stared at him in awe for a moment before bursting into boisterous laughter and falling into a tight hug with the man who had been his best friend for so many years.
“Come on. We have work to do!”
For the next couple of days, he sat with the tribes’ leaders, Elven riders, and every healer they reached. They needed to form a plan that guaranteed no mountain half-breed would be killed, none of them would face unnecessary danger, and every wounded would be healed with haste.
The half-breed’s task was to disperse the horde far and wide and individually restrain each mountain warrior, to allow the riders enough space to tie them and hold them for as long as possible. A handful of warriors would guard each healer while they scout the battlefield, aiding those who sustained injuries.
The most crucial task was protecting Maeve. A small group of warriors would escort her to reach Dröm and hopefully bring forth the goddess. “For the last time,” Tyst didn’t seem convinced, “are we certain that reaching Dröm and releasing him from this dust will free all the others?”
Hakken shook his head. “I will not lie to you, Tyst. We can't know for sure. But this is our only chance to save them before their numbers are too great.” He took a good look at the gathering. “We could sit here today, planning how to kill them,” he said. “We chose to save them instead, and that does not come without risk.”
Heads bowed in agreement as a new resolve washed among them. A young patriarch spoke. “We should plan for an emergency retreat then.”
Before anyone responded, the wind grew restless and powerful, shaking the top of the trees and startling everyone in the village. They all turned to witness a colossal bird descending near the top of the ridge by the river. Soon enough, joyful screams replaced the alarm when they saw Regn and Maeve riding the hawk.
Hakken’s mind stopped functioning.
As soon as the magnificent bird touched the ground, Regn jumped and turned to help Maeve climb down. It felt like ages since last he saw her, and one look was enough to embroil his mind and leave the reliable leader behind. “Maeve...”
He took a step forward, longing to reach her, but instead, he did the exact opposite.
He ran away.
CHAPTER XXXX
HOME SWEET HOME
Hakken
He was a coward. A ridiculous, pathetic coward.
He grumbled across the village, gaining many odd looks and a few snickers.
How pitiful! After two weeks of yearning for her company, he reacted like this? He had spent every waking moment thinking about her, on what he needed to achieve in order to be ready for the commitment. So many things he needed to fix. So many doubts to overcome. Even so, Hakken wanted to face Maeve and ask her to choose him. To be his mate.
But it took a glimpse to break his resolution and ran away. You gutless bastard! He chastised himself.
He couldn’t go far. He had responsibilities with the warriors, and abandoning his duties now to hide in the Forest would be unthinkable. So he decided on the second-best place to hole up—his cave.
Ever since his arrival, he had been tidying up and dusting the place. In the old days, Hakken would have slumped in his bed and move only to eat or avoid dying covered in foulness. Maeve did this to him. She forced him to take better care of himself, even if he only meant to provide a lovely home for her.
Will she move in with Regn now? Or Mynte? He wondered.
The thought of Maeve living her life apart from him was disheartening. How would he deal with that, after experiencing how perfect it was to come home to her? Fighting the lump in his throat, he looked outside. Maeve’s little garden thrived since Mynte worked hard in their absence. Perhaps Maeve would keep the garden and visit every once in a while.
What an awful idea.
There was no chance it would satisfy him seeing her every other day, not after living the best months of his life with her. He had to win Maeve back! He had to let her know he would try to become someone worthy.
Driven by this new resolve, he got up and moved to the entrance. And he stopped.
Because a tiny figure stood there, fidgeting with
