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It has been weeks since the failed attempt at getting into Emperor Belos’ mind and Darius hadn’t seen Hunter since that day. It was actually beginning to worry him, it’s all he could think about “where is my little prince?”. And it’s not like he could ask the emperor himself, Belos practically didn’t even care at all about his missing nephew. So after a covenhead meeting Darius decided to take matters into his own hands, tracking down Eberwolf who was with Raine, with Hunter’s scroll in hand.
“There you are Eb.”
Eberwolf saw the look on her good friends face and knew something was up.
“Listen, I need you to sniff out Hunter! I have his scroll so that you could get a start.”
Raine piped in.
“Are you worried about him? Darius I know you’re worried believe me, I am too, but we can’t blow our cover.”
“I know that, I just want to know if he’s okay.”
Eberwolf got a scent trail and is ready to lead the two to the teenagers location.
“Follow.”
She scampered down the hall, prompting Darius and Raine to follow her. Taking them outside of the castle into the woods and to the owl house and Raine paused.
“Why are we here?”
“I lost his scent. And we know that he was here last. So technically this is a good starting point.”
“Okay. So go get his scent back.”
“Alright alright I will Whispers.”
As Eberwolf ran to the door of the owl house, she made sure not to alert the weird bird owl tube thing. But failing not alert a little cardinal palisman that was sleeping on the window sill before being woken up. The cardinal hovered over her as she sniffed the dirt hoping to get the trail, back and low and behold, she picked up Hunter’s scent again. She scurried back to Raine and Darius, cardinal palisman following her.
“This way come on.”
Darius and Raine ran following Eberwolf’s trail before finally Eberwolf stops. Darius managed to see the look on her face and it one of fear, and he during all of this time knowing Eberwolf, he’s never seen her scared. Raine gasped and then Darius looked up. There was Hunter alive and well, but his relief turned to dread as he saw the teen standing at the edge of a cliff looking out over the boiling sea. Eberwolf whispered her voice trembling.
“What do we do?”
“I’ll talk to him, alright you two?”
Raine mouthed a small good luck to Darius as he walked towards Hunter, the boys cardinal palisman on his shoulder.
“Hunter?”
Hunter stops and turns around to see Darius walking towards him, flapjack flew towards his witch in record speed. Hunter looks at Darius trying to read the man’s face, it’s one of concern for him.
“Sweet flea, you don’t have to do this, just step away from the edge, everything is going to be okay.”
Darius extended his hand for the boy to take, Hunter contemplated his options he could end it all right here and now. But something about the way Darius said that last bit “everything is going to be okay” made Hunter believe it and he took Darius’ hand. In response Darius pulled Hunter closer and away from the cliff.
Then he broke down, hugging Darius like a lifeline, he was crying and struggling to breathe as Darius soothed him. Raine started performing a calming spell on their flute. Eberwolf curling up near Darius as he embraced the sobbing teen in his arms.
“What happened in there, little prince?”
Hunter then told them everything that he saw in Belos’ mind in grave detail.
To say that all three of them were shocked would be an understatement. Darius made his decision then and there when Hunter said that if he went back to the castle Belos will kill him.
“You’re not going back to the castle, in fact we’re not going back either.”
Raine immediately spoke up.
“While I agree with you Darius, where are going to go?”
“We’ll find somewhere okay?”
“Well we’d better find someplace now it looks like it’s about to rain.”
After walking for about twenty minutes, Raine had motioned everyone to them.
“Guys, I found a cottage, looks it’s been abandoned for a decade.”
It was unlocked too, so they seized the opportunity in front of them. The place was filled with dust, but that could be cleaned up. Hunter immediately sat down looking exhausted from both the panic attack and the walking.
“Get some rest, little prince. Everything will be okay.”
Hunter fell into a deep slumber, soon enough Eberwolf curled up near Hunter and slept at his feet. Raine too decided to rest a little while. So did Darius, his mind still can’t comprehend what Hunter had told him, but he, Raine and Eberwolf knew that they would risk everything for him. And now they’re stuck together, living in a new home.