“...Mila…” Isabel noticed it immediately.

“I am fine.” Mila lied. But when she looked at Isabel, she realised her attempt at appearing calm and collected had backfired. “Ah, I didn’t mean to-”

Isabel trembled, her body appearing to lose control as she stumbled a step back. Her face twisted into a mix of worry and anger. She flared her barrier, momentarily cutting herself off from the world.

“Isabel,” Mila tried to get to her girl, but the invisible wall in front of her prevented her. She could only watch while Isabel was struggling. “ISABEL!” She forgot about the danger and the importance of staying quiet. “CAN YOU HEAR ME?”

To Mila’s relief, Isabel nodded while falling to her knees. She fingered the pearl bracelet around her hand as if counting the beads. Her laboured breaths robbed her of the small voice she was left with.

“Isabel…” Mila planted her palms against the barrier, trying to push it. But despite her improved body, she could do nothing but watch.

The line between them remained for a few seconds longer. Isabel was sweating and clenching her teeth. It appeared to be a struggle to reign in her power to allow Mila’s approach.

“...” Isabel leaned to the side, almost falling. Her eyes met Mila’s while she mouthed something. It appeared she wanted to scream, to release her emotions.

But they were contained. Mila paled, noticing the pearls around her girl’s wrist growing darker, dull and dirty. She banged her fists against the solid air barring her way. Her throat was coarse, and she was unable to find words. She simply pushed forward, no matter what - only forward.

Mila opened her mouth to scream her girl’s name again, but suddenly there was a change. As her fist came down to bang against the wall, it suddenly gave. Her hand partly passed through the barrier.

Instead of giving Mila hope, it scared her even more. If Isabel’s barriers began to fail like this…

Mila shook her head and continued to push, slowly at first, but quicker the longer it went, her body phased through the barrier. “Isabel!” She called again, this time from within the secluded field.

Now, she was unimpeded. Mila shot towards Isabel, wrapping her hands around her. “What’s wrong? What can I do? How can I help?” She cradled the taller girl.

Isabel felt so small right now. Mila gently combed the brunette's hair. There was nothing else she could do. Her senses didn’t tell her anything useful.

But it seemed to help. While Isabel’s fingers were still cramped into Mila’s cloak, she was calming down. Quiet apologies - uttered between wheezes began pouring out of Isabel’s mouth.

“It’s okay,” Mila pressed Isabel’s head against her chest. “You did nothing wrong. Everything is fine. I am here.” She continued to speak, knowing her voice helped her girl.

“Is she alright?” Mortimer’s voice felt sudden and inappropriate.

Mila glanced back at the men, having forgotten the company. He was glancing around, remembering Mila’s warnings. His hand held Vatim while Kanna was poking Isabel’s barrier but had no luck with getting through it.

“Isabel, your barrier…” Mila had to agree with Mortimer. They had to move. “It is still up.” She hesitated. “But I somehow got in. Did you let me?” She lowered herself to meet Isabel’s teary eyes.

“...no…” The trembling girl shook her head. “...it was…”

Mila stiffened as her mind raced to account for all the consequences this could have. She would have to…

But Isabel wasn’t done. She struggled, her breathing refusing to calm down and continued to speak. “...it was…” She continued to shake her head. “...because… it’s you…”

“Me?” Mila looked at Kanna again. The girl was still trying to get inside the barrier. “What… What does that mean, Isabel?”

“...I…”

Mila’s heart tightened. “This isn’t time,” She tried to pick up Isabel. “We should move.”

But the suffering women refused. Isabel continued to hold on to Mila. “...it was for you…” She coughed out. “...I made it…” Her voice was barely there - meant for Mila only. “...for you… only… for you…” She confessed.

It wasn’t hard to piece it together. Mila clamped down on Isabel, hugging her tightly. She pressed her lips against her girl’s ear. “Thank you. Thank you for letting me in.”

Mila’s whisper had a profound effect. Isabel collapsed in her arms, powerless but calm. “...to… protect you…” She mouthed. “...always…”

“You foolish girl,” Mila caressed Isabel’s cheek and picked her up. She now understood. She had gotten through the barrier, and not just because Isabel had let her.

It was also because Isabel had awakened the ability by thinking about Mila.

“You are too selfless… And foolish.” Mila didn’t stop stroking Isabel’s face. “What if I didn’t return your feelings?”

Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.

“...” Isabel simply blinked, then buried her face into Mila’s bosom.

“You didn’t even think about it, huh?” Mila guessed.

While Isabel didn’t reply, Mila knew her guess was on point. She sighed, not knowing what to do about it.

Behind her, Mila felt the burier collapse. She turned around just in time to see Kanna lose balance and faceplant from the sudden change. “Let’s go…” She sighed again. “We-”

A bloodcurdling scream pierced the forest. Mila’s head whipped to the side, peering into the foliage. She realised it came from the direction the group she had promised to protect had gone to.

Another scream followed. Then another.

But there were no sounds of a fight. Only the sounds of people going through their final moments.

Mila was torn. She felt Isabel’s weight in her arms and knew her girl was vulnerable right now.

But the mother and her son. They…

“...Mila…”

The faces of the two people who had left the last were so clear in Mila’s memory. She could still hear the mother’s words. She had never learned their names. They simply wanted to live. They simply wanted to survive after losing everything they had.

And now…

Mila lifted Isabel a bit higher, then turned away from the screams. “Move.” She ordered. “Move. I will cover the back. Go.” Her senses scanned the treeline. She glanced at the ground, knowing the traces of the group’s passing were there.

The hunters would trace them to here. It wouldn’t be that quick. They still had a few minutes, at least. If those people scattered and served as-

Mila cut off that train of thought. They were people. Humans. She had promised to protect them, and now… They didn’t deserve to be thought of as just distractions.

The screams didn’t stop either. Mila pushed the weaker trio ahead, ignoring their limping run. “Don’t break any branches. Step on rocks or roots when you can.” She drove them harder. “No sound. I will make a fake trail. Keep moving. Don’t stray, and I will join you in a minute.”

After sending one last glance at the place where the slaughter was taking place, Mila split from the trio, trusting Mortimer’s cowardice would keep them safe. He was very good at sniffing out danger.

“I hope you don’t mind.” Mila changed her grip on Isabel, ensuring her girl was as comfortable as possible. “Just a small detour…” She kicked a patch of grass and snapped a lone flower.

It was important for her passing to be apparent. It would hopefully distract the hunters for long enough. And this wouldn’t be the only fake trail she would be making.

Mila’s speed allowed her to be very efficient in this - even with Isabel in her hands. And…

“We can’t, Isabel…” Mila shook her head while dropping a scrap of clothing. “If we go back… With your condition…”

“...hurt…”

“Yes. You are…” Mila purposefully misunderstood Isabel’s words. “And that’s why…” She sighed as her girl touched her cheek. “We can’t. But…”

“...sorry…”

“It is not your fault… I…” Mila swallowed, deciding to turn back and find the trio. “I… I regret it now…” She admitted, scaling a tree and ending in its canopy. “I regret helping them now. Does that make me a bad person?”

“...no…”

“It’s just so shit! Why couldn’t they understand? I had… I had thought it was logical to listen. I made sure they were safe. I brought food. I scouted and…” Mila suppressed her unfair anger. “And they didn’t listen.” She finished, finally running out of steam. “They didn’t listen…”

Isabel still held her palm on Mila’s cheek. She mouthed a few words, which included another apology.

“As I said, it’s not your fault… It’s…” Mila hesitated while jumping from branch to branch, never landing on the ground. “It is no one's fault…” She finally uttered, not finding anything wrong with the conclusion.

But it didn’t feel good. And neither did Isabel’s poking.

“We couldn’t go back. You know that. We will just have to live with this.” Mila finally addressed the unsaid. “And before you can say it - not because of you. It is because of all of you. And because I am still not strong enough.”

“...excuses…” Isabel bitterly remarked.

“They are still true…” Mila finally spotted Kanna’s mana signature. “We… We have a lot to consider. You and me…”

“...yes…”

“We just have to get out of this forest and then have a talk.” Mila jumped down to where Mortimer was already looking towards her. “Switch to that direction she pointed. We are repeating this.”

“Right, right… But-”

“Is Isabel alright?” Kanna tried to approach.

“Yes.” Spinning around, Mila curtly replied. She vanished in the treeline again. Her steps remained silent while she mulled over the bitter thoughts and regrets.

The screams had ended a while ago. Mila assumed the pursuers were now on their way and considered whether or not it was worth risking interfering with them directly.

It was a possibility. While Mila couldn’t afford a direct confrontation, she believed she could make their life hell if she tried.

The issue was finding her way back to her party. It would have to be a solo operation. And it would leave Isabel and the rest in a vulnerable position.

But after making another two fake trails, it became apparent that Mortimer and Kanna couldn’t continue at this pace. They needed a rest. And she knew Isabel had to lay down as well.

“I am going to see if I can delay them.” Mila finally announced. She had explained her plan to Isabel beforehand.

While reluctantly, Isabel had agreed - which was a strong word for the disapproving look she was giving.

But it hadn’t resulted in Isabel’s emotions running wild, so Mila took it as a tacit approval.

They were now scaling a small hill, and large rocks were scattered around, making for a good hiding spot.

The boulders and trees make for an excellent cover. They had found a crevice hidden from all sides by bushes and squeezed inside.

Mila overlooked the exhausted group, waiting for their input, but there was none. They just looked at her with tired eyes.

“Good…” Mila leaned down to kiss Isabel, who was lying down on the flattest spot they could find.

After their lips parted, Mila stood up. “I will buy as much time as possible.” She headed out. “Rest the best you can.” Her senses spread out.

Mila made sure there were no traces leading to this place and left. Her dagger in hand, she shot back from where they had come. She hoped to reap as many lives as possible and lead any hunters away from this spot.