“Caelan is having some problem with the gods running loose in his head,” Drayce explained.
Rayne’s eyes blinked open, and Drayce was faced with startlingly clear jade eyes. Oh yeah, the man was awake and in full control of his faculties now. “What? What’s happening with the gods?”
Drayce flinched at that hard tone. He nearly hugged Rayne. He needed the advisor in the driver’s seat. He knew he was not the type to take control and make big decisions. That was Rayne and Caelan. He was the muscle. The last line of defense. And if necessary, the sacrifice. He was fine with all that.
“Lots of bad shit. Caelan killed…well, pretty much everyone, and then I think he had an argument with Tula; then he ran off. Also, this happened,” he explained while waving a hand at all the new surrounding forest. “He sort of grew this.”
“What?” Rayne demanded again. Poor guy couldn’t get past that question. He struggled to sit up and Drayce slipped an arm around his shoulders, helping him.
“Yeah, in about thirty seconds before disappearing into the woods.” Once he was sure Rayne was steady on his own, Drayce darted off to look for a weapon for Rayne and maybe himself. Going into the woods to talk Caelan back from the edge probably wasn’t best done while armed, but he wasn’t entirely sure that Caelan was the only thing living in those woods.
“We need to go after him!”
Drayce sighed with relief as he snatched up a gun. He checked the magazine for bullets as he rushed to Rayne’s side. He pressed the weapon into his hand and flashed a smile. “You need to stay here. I doubt you’re going to get all that far right now, and I can move quickly.”
“But—”
“I’m serious, Rayne. He’s incredibly upset and unstable right now. I don’t know what the fuck those gods are doing to his head, but it ain’t good. Both of us closing in on him probably isn’t the best thing.” He held Rayne’s cold gaze. “You know I can talk him down.”
Rayne stared at him for several seconds before finally lowering his eyes to the fire. A low, weary sigh left him. “Be careful. Kaes has made him impulsive, and Tula…” Rayne drifted off, his attention moving up the trees. He didn’t need to say it. This clearly wasn’t the doing of the God of Storms.
“Watch your back,” Drayce admonished before jogging off in the same direction he’d seen Caelan move minutes earlier.
The last of the light from the late-afternoon sun was almost immediately swallowed up, and his heart lurched in his chest. This was far too similar to trekking through the darkness that night in the Ordas. Were there eyes watching him here too? Were those eyes attached to sharp claws and very long teeth?
His best friend had easily created all the plants and trees around him. Was it possible for him to suddenly have cats and bears and other deadly creatures spring up from the dirt to rip his face off?
Lovely thought.
Trembling started in his hands and tried to ripple through his knees, but Drayce didn’t let his fears slow him down. He tried to keep moving in a straight line. The trees and vines grew denser, and the forest became darker. If Caelan wanted to hide from him and all the world, this was the best spot.
“Cael!” he shouted over and over again. It felt like he couldn’t lift his voice loud enough. The leaves muffled the sound as if trying to silence him. “I swear, I’m not leaving until I find you. Come out, Cael.”
He stopped moving, letting the absolute quiet of the place swallow him. There was no answering call from his friend, and panic tightened in his chest. He couldn’t imagine what might happen to Caelan in a forest of his own creation, but Drayce had no intention of leaving.
“I’m unarmed. No knife. No gun. I’m completely defenseless if something tries to eat my face!”
Still nothing.
“Caelan Talos, get your ass out here! I’m not leaving! Do you hear me? I’m not leaving. I will find you. I will die in these fucking woods if I have to.”
He stood, breathing heavy, preparing to continue stomping through the undergrowth. He meant every word of what he said. No matter what happened, he was not leaving Caelan. Even if the gods fucked with his mind and made him frighteningly dangerous, Drayce was not leaving the man who owned his heart and soul.
Where was Caelan? Darkness sank into the new forest, making it nearly impossible for him to even see the trees before he walked into them. He didn’t have his phone or a flashlight on him. Not even a damn pack of matches.
“Drayce?”
Caelan’s voice had been low and soft, Drayce froze. Had he actually heard him or was it wishful thinking on his part?