- This is something completely different. Their spells penetrate our people, forcing them to obey and acting against their own. That is why we suffer such losses. It’s easier to deal with a witch, but it’s more difficult to deal with an equal vampire.

Amanda squeezed the fabric of her skirt so tightly that her knuckles turned white. Her heart ached with pain from the feeling of helplessness that she felt for the first time, being without the care of her brother.

She couldn’t understand how all the time he managed to cope with everything alone. It is not surprising that his psyche suddenly cracked at one moment from just touching the hand of the Riliya princess. She didn’t know who he needed to be to bear all these problems on her shoulders.

- Your Highness. - the count called out to her, noticing how she instantly withdrew into herself, loaded up and thinking. – Please leave it to me and my people, we’ll figure something out.

- No. - she said flatly. – I have to see everything with my own eyes.

Her words abruptly knocked the air out of the count’s chest, who immediately panicked like a stupid teenager.

- With all due respect, Your Highness, but I can’t allow it. – he said firmly, which surprised her very much with his tone.

- Tell me, Nils, who is the princess here and who makes the decisions. Am I or are you? - she said coldly, baring her fangs. – How much time do you need to recuperate?

- It may take a week, we have too many wounded and wounds heal very slowly. - He answered reluctantly, completely dejected by her words. - Nevertheless, I advise you to inform the Duke of your decision.

Amanda gritted her teeth until they squeaked at the mention of Dexter. It was obvious that he would never give her his permission, but she didn’t need it. The only problem was that Dexter would do anything to stop her, so she wasn’t going to let him know.

***

/On the border of Astari/

Small ripples spread across the water, breaking the remnants of the fragile ice crust, when Urum’s head appeared from under the water.

His toned body reflected the sun in the drops of water running down his skin. He shook his head to remove the excess water and walked out of the lake, holding a couple of large fish in his hands.

On a pre-lit fire, he placed several skewers with raw fish, and water boiled in a pot nearby.

- If you get dressed, it will be warmer. – Nicole, who came up from behind, threw his jacket over his shoulders, with which he had previously covered her bare legs while she was sleeping.

-We, werewolves are much more resistant to the cold than humans or witches. – he replied, turning the fish fried side up. – How are your ears?

- Already much better. - She looked confused and avoided meeting his eyes every time. – Adeline’s potions work great, at this rate I will soon stop feeling any pain.

- Maybe so, but you should take care of your health and wear a hood to protect your ears. - He replied dryly.

It had been two days since they were alone together and he was trying his best not to bother her, at least until she recovered.

For two nights in a row she suffered from high fever and delirium, curled up and all Urum could do was lie next to her and stroke her back. She didn’t resist. Maybe she didn’t understand. 𝑓𝘳𝘦𝑒𝑤𝑒𝘣𝘯ℴ𝘷𝘦𝓁.𝑐𝑜𝑚

But today, when she woke up, her behavior towards him softened a little.

They ate in silence, everyone was in their own thoughts and no one wanted to break this silence until the meal was completely over and the last fish bones flew into the fire.

Urum stood up and wiped his hands on his own pants, as if he was some kind of uncouth savage, but Nicole caught herself thinking that this gesture looked so confident and courageous. Although he didn’t seem to have done anything special, but... she shook her head to get this strange thought out of her head.

- Thanks for looking out for me. - she said suddenly, drawing his attention.

- These are trifles that you should not dwell on. – he waved off and was about to go to the tent when she grabbed his arm.

He felt the uncertainty and trembling in her movements, and also saw her wide deer eyes.

- No, listen. I... - she stuttered, nervous. - I... I’m really ashamed. For behaving like a fool earlier, for calling you...

She pursed her lips and they almost disappeared from her face simply because she didn’t want to say those words out loud again.

- A stinking dog? - he burst out laughing at her confusion. – Relax, who would I be if I could be offended by such words? Or do you think that I huddled in a corner and cried out of resentment?

She blinked quickly a couple of times before releasing her lips from her own grip.

- And yet, I made premature conclusions.

- I can’t argue with that. - He nodded, gazing intently into her honey brown eyes. – Let’s just say we both had stereotypical behavior and yet, it’s good that we found the strength to look beyond our nose.

He flicked her nose with his finger.

- Are you sure you’re healthy enough to move on? - he asked, and she nodded.

- But before that, you’ll have to help me get a new wand. - she reminded him of the moment when her magic wand was broken in half by his hands.

- Any stick won’t do? - he frowned in surprise, looking around at the nearby trees.

- It won’t do. Mine was made of cedar and for all the time that I used it, I learned to channel the received energy through this material. If I take something else, it will take me a few years to tame her again.

- Mmm, we’ll find cedar faster. We don’t have a few years left. - he grinned, scratching his head.

Since Nicole couldn’t do magic without a wand, and she also didn’t have amulets with her, the first thing they had to solve this problem. To get to Riliya in a quick and painless way, they needed a portal, and for it they needed witchcraft.

All their belongings fit into two bags. They decided to leave the horses to catch up with the lost time. Urum untied the reins of the horses from the tree trunks and thoughtfully fed and watered them before letting them go free.

- Would you mind taking a ride, little witch? – he made her embarrassed by the affectionate pronunciation, but she just turned up her nose, not showing it. – Turn away. You won’t like what you see.

Nicole, like an obedient girl, did what he asked and only out of the corner of her ear heard a strange rustling and cracking sound similar to the crunch of bones. A chill ran over her skin and she involuntarily turned to see if he was all right, but instead of a man, she found in front of her a huge shaggy black wolf with a single white spot on his ear.

She burst out laughing when she saw this stain.

- You look like a cute pet with this spot. – she patted his ear and the wolf made a chest vibration. – Last time, I didn’t do much to look at any of the werewolves in the vicinity. It looks funny.

The Urum`s wolf was not particularly pleased that she thought he was a funny little animal, while he was a real fighting wolf and in protest, he poked her in the stomach with his nose. Nicole burst out laughing.

The wolf picked up the bags tied together with his teeth and threw them into the air with force, deftly catching them landing on his back, and then approached Nicole so that she climbed on top of him.

Contrary to the direction they were going before, they went in the opposite direction to find an extensive cedar plantation. Riding a wolf was really the best idea, so they spent only half a day on the road, without even making long stops.

- That old tree will do just fine. – Nicole pointed to an old cedar tree, the trunk of which probably reached two meters in girth, no less.

Urum, who had thrown a cloak over himself, hiding his nakedness under it, stared at her in disbelief.

- Really? And something smaller wouldn’t suit you? - he looked with horror at the tree, which reached fifty meters in height with the naked eye.

- No, the bigger the tree, the greater the power. Do it! - she gave him the go-ahead to knock down the old cedar.

Urum regained his wolf form and with all his might crashed into a tree from a running start, trying to knock it down, but it was too difficult, since its roots went deep into the ground.

Nicole stood at a distance and watched with laughter to tears as the black wolf tried to fight the tree, but it seems that he was losing this battle. The tree stood like a dead stand, and did not move an inch in any direction.

Urum stopped only when Nicole could no longer restrain quiet giggles and burst out laughing until her stomach hurt.