Their Warrior Luna
Chapter 76

Harley:

“Look, she is waking up.” A deep male voice broke through the pounding in my head like shining a flashlight into a dark space.

“I still think Selene made a mistake. Look how small she is.” A grumbling female voice made the neat white lines in my mind that the male’s voice had created jump around like wave lines.

I g*****d, trying to fight my eyes to open, but they just kept talking like I wasn’t there.

“The goddess makes no mistakes, Erudite. You would do well to remember that in the future. Besides, I was there when the portal spat her out. Even while dying she was magnificent. This is her.” His baritone voice soothed my brain once more, making waking up a smidge easier.

“Of course, Arsen.” I could hear how pissed she was even with my eyes closed.

“Go get her something to eat, poor thing looks starved to death.” The man she had called Arsen grumbled.

I could hear the sounds of his hand running across a stubbled chin, but not knowing where I was or who this man was that is looking at me made me want to run for my life.

“You can open your eyes. You are safe, your highness.” He spoke so kindly that for a split second, I regretted the scoff that fell from me on its own accord.

“Harley.” I winced, trying to move again.

“Excuse me?” He sounded as curious about me as I was feeling about him, but I need to make sure that when I do open my eyes, my body will cooperate with me needing to run if I have to.

“My name… I don’t like being called Your Highness. My name is Harley. Where are my men?” I needed to see them. I know they are mad at me. What I did was downright suicidal, but I had to save them… I had to save them all.

“You are in the holy realm, Harley. I assume by men you mean your mates and they are all three safe and sound in your realm. The goddess has spoken to them. They know you are safe and where you are, but until you are completely healed you must stay here where the goddess can ensure your health.” He speaks so properly. It almost made me laugh. A man with a badass name like Arsen shouldn’t sound so kind.

The way he spoke to the woman. The deep baritone, the gruff grouch… that is who he really is.

“Drop the act. I like the other you better.” I reached up to touch my face and an ice-cold wave of devastation rocked me. I was right. I would be blind in my left eye. My finger traced the elongated scar that ran from my temple, across my eye, kissing my nose only a half of an inch or so.

“It gives your face character.” His deep baritone bounced around the room and I smiled.

“There you are. I like this version better than the prim and proper one.” I could hear his eyes rolling from across the room.

The door opened and I still hadn’t braved opening my eyes yet, but the smell of hot food made me want to m**n. Before they could ask if I was hungry, my stomach roared to life. Arsen laughed at the sound, helping me sit up. I still hadn’t opened my eyes. I am too scared of the differences. Will I still see the same as before?

I heard a bedside table slide in front of me. I could smell coffee, and… pancakes? My eyes shot open, making me wince at the unfamiliarity of the scar stretching. My mouth watered at the plate in front of me and I dug in without even looking up. I could have been surrounded by monsters and I wouldn’t have cared because of the buttery-sweet goodness in front of me.

“Ugh. Can you slow down? It isn’t going anywhere.” The snob of a woman Arsen had called Erudite said from the corner.

“Suck a chode.” I growled, shoveling another bite of the pancake into my mouth. Arsen’s laughter broke me from the shoveling and I looked up finally.

My jaw dropped.

In front of me were two creatures I hadn’t had the pleasure of meeting yet.

Erudite, a centaur. Her long brown hair fell waves around her back in soft curls, her eyes were that beautiful brown color that turns honey orange in the sun, and her toned torso that was on display had me chewing a little slower.

“You’re a centaur!” I blurted thoughtlessly.

“Yes, and you are disgusting. Wipe your mouth.” She replied with enough snark to make me flush.

“A bitchy centaur… and here I thought I had seen it all. Now, if you are done being an a*s, I will finish my food.” I snapped back.

Arsen, an elf with long white hair that was pulled into a half bun while the rest flowed down his back, and his piercing silver eyes were outlined by a scar on his chiseled face that is very similar to mine, had busted out laughing again at the interactions between her and me.

“You two will learn to get along eventually. After you eat, I would like to take you for a walk. The goddess would like a word.” He never left the room, but those were his last words before turning away in silence.

I quickly gulped down the last bits of my coffee and pancakes. Slowly, I stood on shaking legs. Someone had dressed me in soft black joggers and a black tank top. I stretched sighing as my tired body readied itself to move for the first time since it was mutilated.

“We did a good job. No matter what anyone says, I am proud of us and your quick thinking that got us out of there.” My wolf’s sweet voice dulled the rest of the ache out entirely with her sleepy yawns.

“We did good,” I agreed.

“Let’s get to it then. It’s rude to keep a goddess waiting.” I smiled, running my fingers through my surprisingly clean hair, finger combing it in hopes my goddess would replace me presentable.

Arsen and Erudite followed behind me while I found my footing. I wasn’t sure why both of them were tailing me, but when I stepped out of the small building that put me in mind of Clearwater’s pack hospital, any other thoughts faded. This realm had two suns and three moons that framed the sky in a circle. In the circle were the same dancing lights that lit the sky the night that I merged the realms. I knew it was a sign from my goddess, but my heart fluttered. Seeing this confirmed her satisfaction with my choices and, for once, I felt like I was on the right path.

“Wow! She is tiny AND has the attention span of mud. Just great.” Erudite ridiculed.

“I’m sick of her already.” My wolf said.

I turned, baring my fangs at her. If she doesn’t like me, that is fine, but I am still a queen and will be respected as such. My body ignited in flames as I faced her. The bright lights of my fire ignited that warm honey glow in her large brown eyes. My wolf fronted sharing my form with me and even though my left eye was jacked up, I could tell by the paling of her perfect skin she knew she f****d up.

“Do you know what happens when horses break their legs?” My voice made the demonic growl that makes my mates break out in goosebumps when I use it.

When she didn’t answer, I nodded at her.

“Fine then, I can tell you. They are put down. Now, are you going to be a good little girl, or do I need to put your a*s down?” She swallowed hard at my question and, with no answer leaving her painted lips, I was fearful I would have to kill this centaur in the holy realm.

“I apologize, my queen. It won’t happen again.” She uttered her response quickly once she found her voice.

I lowered the heat of my flame down to a bit more than the heat of a summer sunburn. I cupped her face gently, smiling when she winced from the tingling heat against her cheek.

“Good girl.” I pulled my hand away from her face, noting the redness on her cheek from my hand. I turned on my heel, walking happily in the direction I had been before her smart mouth interrupted my gawking.

Man, this place is spectacular. The flowers smell better, the air is warmer, the waters are bluer, and having that constant show of lights in the sky must never get old. I inhaled deeply, kneeling at a fishpond. Beautiful rainbow flowers danced on the waters, seeming to never stop. I reached my hand out to pluck one for myself.

“Harley, I wouldn’t-” Arsen’s hand reached for me but he was too late.

I pulled the flower up and was floored when a beautiful little creature was attached to it. I stumbled over myself, astonished at her blue-hued skin and rainbow-flowered hair, her little three-fingered hands, and in her arms you could see a tiny baby fish. She was feeding the little guy with what looked like a tiny baby bottle full of algae. Before I could even break out my baby talk and coo at the little guy making big eyes at me, she snapped.

“What de feck are you doin you dumb broad? Can’t ye see I’m feedin de babies?” she spat in a thick Irish accent with slitted eyes in my direction.

Quickly, I put her back into the water, plopping back onto my a*s in astonishment.

Arsen and Erudite busted out in laughter at my mistake, my cheeks heated with embarrassment at their mockery.

“That was a water sprout. They take care of the baby aquatic creatures but they all have sour attitudes. They are good people though.” Arsen said, patting my head like I was a child.

A buzzing started flying around my head and the urge to smack at it was instinctual. Arsen grabbed my hand as it flew to smack at it and a glittering blue water sprite landed on my leg.

“Hi there.” I lowered my head to be closer to the grinning creature who was motioning for me to put my hands out. I had never seen one other than pictures in a book and it reminded me of how our realms had been split for so long that some of them had probably never seen a wolf before.

The little creature filled my cupped hands with bubbles of water, making them dance gayly in my hands. With the flap of its wings, it sped off again, taking the bubbles of water with it.

“This place is incredible,” I whispered to the waters.

“Yeah, it is. Too bad that, thanks to you, it won’t exist pretty soon.” Erudite crossed her arms, acting like a bitter b***h.

If the confusion wasn’t written clearly enough on my face, the fact that Arsen scolded her for her actions before dragging me up and putting me back on the path to the goddess, I should have made it clearer.

“I have no idea what she is talking about. I could never destroy something so perfect.” I pouted at her words.