The Song of the Titan

Chapter Fourteen

"You're such a weirdo." Azura smiled softly, watching him as he slept and snored.

Suddenly, Hunter stirred as he felt something brushing through his hair, softly. He groaned and slowly opened his eyes to see emerald green eyes staring back down at his.

"Welcome back," Azara said, smiling. Hunter noticed that he was lying down in her lap and blushed, his cheeks and the tips of his ears turned red. He quickly sat up only to instantly regret it when he felt a sharp pain in the middle of his back. He looked around and saw that he was lying on a bed. He noticed the portal key was sitting on a small desk next to the bed. Okay, he hadn't lost the portal key. That's good! Much to his embarrassment, Hunter also saw that he was half naked, seeing that his shirt was gone and there was a large bandage wrapped around his torso, but he still had his pants on, his boots were sitting in a corner near the door.

"Where am I?" He asked.

"The owl house," Azara answered him.

"The owl lady's house?" Hunter murmured to himself. The last thing that he remembered was getting away from Belos then he was flying with Orion. His eyes widened. Orion! Hunter quickly began to look around wildly for the little palisman until he heard a small chirp and looked down to see Lil rascal at his foot.

"Your little bird has been by your side the entire time since you were brought here." Azara explained. Hunter sighed in relief seeing that the palisman was alright and picked it up, cradling it in his hands.

"You're okay," Hunter said, happy to see the red cardinal. Lil Rascal chirped in response, it sounded a little angry.

"You scared me, passing out like that! I didn't know what to do!" Then the little bird decided to pull on Hunter's long strand of hair as revenge.

"I'm sorry," Hunter stammered before smiling sadly. "Seems like all I ever do is cause you trouble." Lil Rascal stared at Hunter for a minute before flying up to his shoulder and nuzzling against his scarred cheek.

"Wait, you can understand him?" Azara asked. Hunter nodded.

"Yes, when a witch bonds with a palisman they can talk with them and understand them," Hunter explained. Azara hummed, interested. She began to grow excited thinking about it more as she wondered if she would get a palisman of her own one day. A cute little friend to sit around, have adventures, and talk to all day. Hunter looked outside the window seeing that the sun was going down, it was in the afternoon. "How long was I out?" Hunter asked.

"A year," Azara told him.

"A year?!" Hunter exclaimed. Azara chuckled, seeing his cute reaction.

"I'm kidding!" she reassured him. "You've only been out for two days."

"What happened to you?" Hunter frowned looking down at the floor, silently.

Hunter looked down at the sheets, thinking. Two days...That's a long time that he's been away from the castle, since ever. His uncle probably had sent some scouts to retrieve and capture him. He never wanted to go back there again. For the first time, Hunter was completely lost. He didn't know what to do.

"I'm guessing that you found out the truth," Azara pointed out. "What was he going to do to you?"

"He was going to use me as a new body for himself, which is failing," Hunter told her. "He's slowly dying." Hunter sighed. "I just can't believe that he would do this to me! I dedicated my entire life to him! I know that I should be angry at him but, I can't. He's the only thing that I have that's close to family. Without him, I'm nothing."

"Hunter your not-"

"What am I going to do now?" Hunter interrupted her. Azara stared at him as he continued. "I have no where else to go. I don't even know who I am!"

"Don't be silly. You know who you are, you're Hunter," Azara answered him.

"I know that!" Hunter replied, frustrated. "But, what am I? Who am I a clone of? That's who I want to know. Why was they so important for me for Belos for to make me a clone of them? Why he did he hate them so much?"

"Well, when the time comes and when you find your answers," Azara answered him, placing her hand on top of his. "I'll help you." Lil Rascal made a chirp making Azara and Hunter look down to see the cardinal staring at them. "We'll help you." Azara smiled. "You're not alone in this."

"I'd like that." Hunter made a small smile. Suddenly, the door swung open, bashing against the wall, hard. Hunter and Azara both jumped, startled, and turned their heads to see Luz, Eda, King and John standing at the door.

"Oh, good you're up!" Luz smiled. "How are you feeling?" Eda walked over to the two, but her eyes were focused on Hunter. Hunter could feel his heart pounding with each step that she took. What was she going to do to him? Interrogate and beat him for answers? Curse him with wild magic like it did with his uncle? Hunter began to panic as he saw the owl lady was now right at his side. She placed her hand on top of Hunter's head, making him look at her, then she bent down her face leveled with his.

"Now, I can get some answers from you."

"We're you listening in on us the entire time?!" Azara shouted a little angry and annoyed. Eda ignored her still looking at Hunter.

"I don't fully trust you since you were one of the emperor's stooges," she said. "You're going to have to prove it to us that you completely left them." She stepped back, releasing Hunter, crossing her arms.

"What do I have to do?" Hunter asked. "I'll do anything!" Eda had a determined look in her eyes.

"Where's Raine?"