The White Werewolf || Season One: Ties That Bind

Chapter Seventy-Four

Robin understood being abandoned. But she also understood that it was possible to find people to care for, even if they didn't share your blood. She would have stayed with Geralt forever, if he would have let her.

Of course, she didn't think saying it so plainly to Yennefer would help, so she was trying to get in through the back door, so to speak.

"Come with us," Robin offered. "The dwarves are showing us a shortcut. We can speak more later."

"Fine," Yennefer snapped. "I'll take your shortcut. But we're done talking. I was stupid to think this would get us anywhere."

Robin sighed as the mage went back to the path. "Well, that was a waste of time," she told Geralt as he came to stand beside her. "What did she think was going to happen? That I'd suddenly change my mind and think letting her cast her ridiculous spell is a good idea? Although I suppose she could make exactly the same argument about me. I'm trying to change her mind too."

"You wouldn't feel right unless you tried, little mage. I know that." He put an arm around her. "Let's go. We should catch up with the others."

She nodded and went with him, desperately hoping that she could make some kind of difference by the end of this journey.

****

The shortcut turned out to be a flimsy constructed footpath haphazardly stuck into the side of the mountain. Robin hesitated as they approached it.

Geralt noticed. "What's wrong, little mage?"

"Somehow, it's never come up in 23 years, and I know this is awful timing, but... I'm afraid of heights," she admitted.

"But we've been on mountains before," Jaskier pointed out.

"On stable paths, Jaskier," she retorted. "This isn't that."

Her heart was pounding and she was shaking. She was afraid that if she stepped out onto that bridge, she would panic.

She was barely hanging on already. Ever since Nenneke's vision, her nerves had been frayed. She was worried about everything. The world, Jaskier, Geralt, herself. She was worried about making the wrong decision at the moment that Nenneke had described as defining her whole future. She was trying to stop Yennefer, and her constant attempts to breach the woman's mind were starting to exhaust her. She was tired.

And she was sad. So, so sad. Keeping her love for Geralt inside for this long was becoming too much for her. It sat like a rock in her stomach all the time. And if it was bad now, it was only going to get worse when he asked her to leave him.

When Geralt saw that she wasn't the only one who had an objection, he tried to dissuade everyone else from it. "We should turn back."

Jaskier agreed. Even Yennefer saw the danger ahead. But the dwarves were insistent.

"I won't let you fall, Robin," Geralt swore. "I promise."

She nodded her head. She didn't have a choice, after all. There was no turning back.

Geralt took her hand and held it tightly. He would have carried her, but the makeshift bridge was far too narrow for that.

Robin clung to the chain that served as a railing as they inched out onto the old boards. She was squeezing Geralt's hand so hard she thought she might break it. Her breathing was shallow, and she'd already started to get dizzy.

When Jaskier slipped and yelled, she flinched. Her vision narrowed and she started to cry. Her fingers began tingling, and she couldn't feel her toes either.

Geralt shook his head. He shouldn't have made her do this. They had to go back.

He glanced at Borch behind him. The board the man was stepping on cracked and he fell. Téa and Véa, who were trailing after him, fell too.