The Hollow Gods (The Chaos Cycle #1)

Chapter 53

Chapter

Fifty-Three

The Wolf Under the Willow

Kai

The last thing Kai remembered was Miya’s laugh—or at least, it was a woman who looked, smelled, and sounded like Miya. She was dancing over his lamb’s body, devoured by flames. What happened afterwards was a blur.

As he raised his head from the leafy forest floor, he felt entirely at peace. Perhaps it was that the voice of Abaddon had finally quieted—and not in a manner that left Kai with the stink of foreboding. Perhaps it was the comfortable feeling of thick, black fur covering every inch of his flesh, or that he had a tail he could whip over his nose when it was cold. Or perhaps it was that the villagers were gone. He was in the forest, alone, and neither his wriggling nose nor his twitching ears detected danger for miles.

Jumping up on all four paws, Kai dropped his nose to the ground and took in the multitude of scents. He knew which one he was looking for. It was sweet as honey, but with a touch of tartness, like spiced apples. It was Miya’s scent, and he knew he’d find it if he was patient. The forest was a living maze, especially here, in this foreign realm, and yet it was one that felt frighteningly close to home. He remembered crossing the threshold every now and again, often upon waking or falling asleep, often beneath the willow tree where he found himself without explanation. The willow always found him, and he always returned to its protective embrace.

The caw of a raven alerted Kai to its nearby presence, and he huffed in turn, hot air blowing out of his nostrils as he swished his tail in greeting. Shit-for-brains still knew where to find him, no matter how far he travelled. The raven, he had to admit, if nothing else, was a loyal nuisance. He canted his head and chortled, then rushed into the air with a beat of his wings.

Kafka. That was what she’d named the bird, at least in this life.

Kai began to wander, having no use of his eyes. His body and its long, slumbering memory knew where to take him.

Before long, he found himself in the glade with the willow tree. The soft breeze rustled the tiny emerald blades—a warm welcome as the tree’s wispy limbs danced at seeing their old friend.

Kai stepped into the shade, his body transitioning seamlessly from one form to the other. He sat beneath the giant willow’s canopy and looked towards the sky—an expanse of shimmering blues, violets, and pinks. For the first time, he loved that these eyes saw colour. Where the light was warmest, with shades of honey and azalea, a large, white sphere—both sun and moon—hung near the horizon.

Kai knew he’d have to wait. The hanging star would traverse the endless sky many times before the girl from the village would return. Even though he’d promised to find her, he knew seeking her out was not his place. Returning would be her decision alone.

But he would wait, nonetheless. And if she found her way back to him, he would fulfill the rest of his vow, and remain with her, as promised.