Chapter 150: Time Will Tell

Chapter 150: Time Will Tell

Maximus pushed his frozen limbs onward, each stroke through the cold water felt like trudging through wet sand. The snowstorm worsened, the wind howled around them, sending large waves crashing over them.

T-this w-was a horrib-ble idea! Loh yelled through chattering teeth.Updated from novelbIn.(c)om

Just hold on, Maximus gritted his teeth. Stryg! We need help, dammit!

He c-cant h-hear us. Her hands were too cold and numb to grab anything, instead, she wrapped her arms around Maximus and held on for dear life.

A large wave rose towards them. Maximus cursed under his breath and braced himself for impact. The wave crashed over them, yet did not hit them, as if an invisible shield covered Loh and Maximus.

Maximus jaw went slack, baffled as the water flowed over him.

There they are! Strygs voice carried over the water.

The wave dispersed into the sea. Relief flooded Maximus as he spotted a lifeboat sailing towards him. Stryg stood at the bow of the ship, pointing his finger towards Maximus and Loh. Two sailors in blue navy jackets stood behind Stryg, they waved their hands in the air in coinciding gestures. The water curled around the lifeboat and propelled it forward at breakneck speeds.

Blue magi, Maximus laughed. He brought blue magi!

H-he a-actually did it, Loh closed her eyes in relief.

One of the blue magi pulled his arms back, the water shuddered and stopped the lifeboat next to them. The other blue mage casted a torrent spell that formed two enormous arms of water from the raging river. The aquatic arms encircled Maximus and Loh, picked them up, and swept them onto the lifeboat. The duo fell over with grunts of pain.

Young Mistress, are you alright!? One of the blue magi yelled over the howling winds.

Y-you could have b-been easier with the landing, Loh grimaced.

Im glad I found you in time. Stryg walked over and threw some blankets over Maximus and her.

Me too, Loh shivered.

Agreed, Maximus groaned.

The centaur stayed on the wooden floor, content to just rest his limbs for a moment. He could already feel his beard beginning to freeze over and the warmth from the exertion of the swim began to fade away.

I cant believe you actually heard this crazy guy over the storm, Loh shook her head with a smile.

I almost didnt. Maxs voice was very low and the storms winds were very loud, Stryg admitted. Luckily the Ghost Flame was nearby. I got the captain to lower down the lifeboat immediately and I set off with these two blue magi.

Lucky us, Maximus coughed up water.

Thank you, all of you, Loh said.

The blue magi simply nodded and focused on casting torrent spells to turn the lifeboat around and back to the Ghost Flame.

I honestly thought we were done for when Maximus jumped into the water. We had no choice, the docks were on fire and enemy soldiers were right at our backs, Loh rubbed her arms for warmth.

Well, you made it, thats all that matters now, Stryg grabbed her grey hair gently and wrung out the water.

Loh nodded her thanks. I gotta admit though, I never thought there would be someone crazy enough to jump into the Dire River in the middle of winter, much less a storm. Youre one of a kind, Maximus. No other centaur would have been able to make that swim.

Maximus smiled tiredly, Thanks.

Well, not the only centaur, Stryg muttered.

What? Loh and Maximus said.

~~~

I cant believe it, she really did it, Loh stared at a sleeping Rhian.

I helped a bit, but she made it all the way to the Ghost Flame. She didnt stop swimming until the very end, Stryg nodded.

Maximus shook his head, It shouldnt have been possible. I was bred to be the strongest of centaurs and I struggled just to keep my head above water while only carrying Loh. Rhian is a show horse. How did she manage to carry the heaviest goblin alive, along with a second rider, and still make it all the way to the ship?

Stryg smiled weakly, Like Rhian always says, shes the best.

Maybe she is, Loh whistled.

Maximus furrowed his brow. At what exactly? Perhaps being the most eye-catching centaur in the room, thats what she was bred for; to be glamorous and nimble, but she has half my muscle mass. She was not bred for stamina, speed, nor weight. If she made that swim it wasnt because of her physical attributes, but her mental fortitude.

Her body has clearly paid the toll, Loh said.

Rhian gasped for breath as she was knocked backward. Too tight, release, please.

Stryg lessened his grip but did not let go. He laughed brightly, Sorry, Im just happy.

He nuzzled his face against her cheek, Youre finally awake.

Rhians muscles went rigid, he was acting odd, well, odd for Stryg. She quite liked it.

Sooo, I take it we managed to get on the Ghost Flame? Rhian asked.

Stryg sat up on top of her and grinned, Yeah, you were great.

...I knew it, Rhian sighed in relief. It was so cold, I thought we were going to die at the end there, but we made it.

Im sorry I couldnt have done more, Strygs smile fell.

Well, thats mean, she grinded her teeth.

Huh?

You told me to never forget that I was a daughter of Ebon Hollow. I believed you. If you really consider me a part of the tribe, then you need to trust me to pull my own weight.

But you literally just said you thought we were going to die.

Forget what I said! Listen to what I am saying now. Like how Feli always reminds us, we are in this together. Dont go moping around just because I managed to get us back to the ship without you holding my hand every step of the way, gods know you already mope around enough.

Okay? Stryg said hesitantly.

Rhian crossed her arms under her sizable chest and nodded, Good. And what do you have to say to me, the most exquisite of all steeds?

Thank you?

I couldnt quite catch that.

Thank you, Stryg sighed.

One more time, a little louder, please.

Thank you, Strygs eyes wandered off to her large breasts right in front of him.

Rhian caught his look and smirked, What are you looking at?

Nothing, Stryg blinked.

She hugged him close, his face fell between her bust.

Rhian looked down at him with a wide smile. You were saying?

What are you doing? Stryg mumbled.

Feli always hugs you like this, its my turn, Rhian winked.

What are you saying? You hug me like this every time you try to fall asleep, Im not a pillow, he grumbled.

Yeah, youre not. Pillows dont bite your chest every time you look away, she glared at him.

Stryg froze, his open mouth hung over her breasts, his teeth an inch from her skin.

He looked up at her sheepishly, I like biting them, they are quite soft, and I like the taste of your skin.

That sounds like you're going to eat me, she rolled her eyes.

Never, but now that you mention it, I saw a bunch of vampire riders drinking blood from their centaurs at Castle Mora. Does centaur blood taste good?

Not at all? Rhian said hopefully.

You dont sound very certain. It would be easy to find out, I just have to bite down a little harder than usual, Stryg licked his lips.

She groaned, All I wanted was to hug you for a while. Is that so much to ask?

Not at all Stryg closed his eyes and simply enjoyed the warmth of Rhian.

He would taste her blood later.