by J. G. Maltos
Another rider, with tattoos across his neck, moves his horse closer to me. His eyes narrow, "That is of no concern for the likes of you, Miss." Nathaniel balls his fist in anger. Bash wastes no time and pulls out three long daggers and holds them in front of him.
The leader blocks the rider's path and looks down at us. He raises his hands, “Now, now, let's all calm down.”
Koura had pulled Zee behind him, protectively. He too has pulled out his sword. This will not end well.
My nerves rise through my body again. My palms heat from my powers and I instantly place my hands inside my coat to hide them from view. They need to leave. Now. An idea comes to mind and I lean in further into Nathaniel just as Zee did with Koura.
"You know what? I am tired of this trip. All I want to do is go to sleep for a few hours before we see our family!" I cross my arms, careful not to expose them from the oversized sleeves. I turn to Nathaniel. His expression has become wide-eyed with my outburst. "I am sweaty. Hungry. You told me this was going to be a fun trip, but so far, it has been a complete and utter inconvenience!" I finish, giving Nathaniel an exaggerated scowl. The one person I didn't expect would find this amusing was the leader. My palms stop burning, letting me know my powers have subsided.
"You have your hands full with this one," he chuckles as his dark hair flows around him.
I bite back a sigh and cringe at the fact that now I made myself to be a self-absorbed, pampered girl. Albeit, a small price to pay in order to get these people off our backs.
Bash stifles a laugh, while Koura and Zee both only look at me with masked amazement.
"You have no idea," Nathaniel says through his surprise. He pulls me closer to him, rubbing circles at the curve of my back.
I bury my face in his chest to block the sudden, chilly air that wrapped around me.
"It seems you are low in supplies," calls out the leader after my dramatic scene. "We have a resting camp not far from here. Follow us and we can set you up with supplies for the rest of your journey."
Not the outcome I wanted. I turn my head slightly from Nathaniel's chest and peek at Koura beggingly. Please say no.
"That won't be necce—"
"Nonsense!" The leader looks between Zee and me. "You must be well prepared for the women in your group. I insist you come back to camp with us."
I hold back rolling my eyes at his misogynistic jab. As if I'd die without a man's help.
Koura glances back at me, his voice strained. "That is very kind of you."
The leader nods his head and turns his horse around, signaling for us to follow. I look up at Nathaniel whose face has become stone cold. He does not approve of us going to their camp either. I look at everyone else and they hold the same expression. Nathaniel, Bash, and Koura glance at each other having their conversation. After a while, Nathaniel finally separates himself from me and leads me to my horse.
"We aren't going with them, are we?" I whisper to him, really wanting to head back the way we came towards the Frost Kingdom.
He sighs. "It would be unwise to head back. They are still suspicious, and they would most likely follow us. Either way, we are trying to head out smoothly, Althea." He places his hands around my waist to lift me, but I slap them away, refusing to get on the horse. He raises a perfectly arched eyebrow and reaches for my waist again.
"I don't want to go," I hiss, stepping away from him.
His blue eyes darted around him, cautious of the onlookers. "Please don't start this."
I glance behind him and freeze when I catch the silver hair girls glancing in my direction. Maybe my little theater show wasn't convincing enough. I roll my eyes. "Fine, honey. We'll go," I say in defeat.
"Up you go,” He pauses before lifting me to the saddle. "Honey."
Everyone else has already mounted their horse and are waiting on Nathaniel and myself. I grab the reins on my horse and move forward. We move in formation similar to when we left the Frost Kingdom. I turn to look at Zee. She smiles at me, but it doesn't quite reach her eyes.
We ride in silence for an hour or so. Their camp is not as close as they made it seem. The guys know this will push back our return. Their eyes remain on high alert as they constantly watch our surroundings. Eventually, we pass a ridge that lies between two large mountains and an uneasiness fills my stomach.
A few yards after passing the mountains, I catch sight of lights dotting ahead. The settlement looks quite large for a camp. I shift in my seat, nervous as to what we are walking into. I place Bash's gloves back onto my hands. Not like they will stop my powers, but it will at least hide my green or red light that glows. This is the last place I want to lose control. They feel as if they have a mind of their own, fueled by my emotions.
I catch a slight glimpse of Aries' silhouette within the shadow of the night. To anyone, it would seem like anyone's shadow trailing behind but the slight off rhythm of the steps I know it's Aries. Did he know about this camp?
Entering the camp, I see kids running around without a care in the world. Women are trading baskets and carrying supplies back to their homes. The men are also carrying supplies and freshly killed meat. Beyond them sits a bonfire where even more people huddle around. Some notice our arrival and turn to whisper amongst themselves. Everyone's clothes are tattered and stained from their work. They are barely getting by themselves.
It makes me wonder why they would offer their already limited supplies to strangers. There has to be an alternative motive for them to escort us here. I notice no Lightning Guards are patrolling the streets or any form of official uniforms.
I fiddle with the rein strap in my hands. This is not any regular camp. I look around even more closely. Mountains and trees surround the camp, hiding it well from any of the kingdoms. I doubt we would have ever found it on our own. The air shifts as we near the largest tent. Bash reaches into his pouch again, tense.
As we stop, I look at Koura for instructions, but his eyes are as lost as mine. The leader tugs at his reins and turns his horse to face us. His demeanor becomes more relaxed. He scans our group and his brown eyes land on me in question.
My horse shifts from under me, causing me to deter my eyes.
"Allow me to properly introduce myself. I am Rowan. Do not hesitate if you need anything. I will retrieve more travel supplies. Davina will escort you to your resting grounds," he finishes, giving me one last glance before leaving.
I sigh a breath of relief.
Davina, the silver-haired girl, sits higher in her seat. "Follow me please." Her voice sounds strong and heavy with an accent I can’t place. She guides us past a few tents. Not as large as the main tent in the middle of the camp but large enough to fit a small family. Davina stops in front of two large tents and one small one.
My cheeks redden as I suddenly realize the arrangement.
“Here you go. The two large tents are for the couple, of course. The restrooms and showers are five tents down." She points to a large facility, to our right. "The kitchens are across the fire pit, you won't miss it. The tents are already filled with the necessities. Like Rowan said, if there is anything missing or if you need more don't hesitate to ask. Oh! And there is a small stable with food and water for the horses towards the back of the camp. Feel free to use them tonight." She smiles warmly.
Koura is the first off his horse."Thank you for the hospitality, but we won't need more than a few hours of rest. We will be leaving as soon as the horses are well-rested."
"Rowan will be stopping by later today." Davina's smile remains on her lips, but it’s a tighter smile. She says nothing else as she tugs at her reins and pulls away.
Nathaniel lowers me from my horse, agitation visible across his face.
"I did not want to come here," I said loudly.
Koura's eyes hold firmness. "We were outnumbered. And we are trying to get to the Earth Kingdom as quickly as possible," his tone holding no room for disagreement, “I will not put any of you in danger, nor would we use force when they haven't
shown any."
This wasn’t the plan.
"Something doesn't seem right about this camp." I scan the camp around us. Feeling uneasiness creep up my bones the longer we stay here.
"I know it's not ideal but let's all rest, we won't be leaving soon. Might as well be well-rested," Zee explains, her eyes visibly tired.
I turn to look at Bash, who has been quiet throughout the whole ordeal.
He simply shrugs a careless shoulder. “I follow orders, Princess.”
“Fine,” I huff. “We’ll rest here. But come sunrise, we are leaving. A few hours is all we need to get back on the road with fresh minds.” I force myself to walk toward the tent where I catch a very relaxed Nathaniel leaning near the entrance.
He pulls it open, offering his cheeky smile. “In we go, darling.”
I catch Koura’s glance as he enters his tent. I grind my teeth and look away. I shove Nathaniel's shoulder. “Don’t push it,” His laugh follows me into the tent, dying down only when he sees the single bed that spreads out in the center. Pushed up against the tent walls are small drawers with a pair of presumably spare clothes.
I fiddle with the straps of my leather vest. Unspoken awkwardness fills the room as we realize the gravity of our situation.
“Well,” Nathaniel scratches the back of his head. I swear there is a slight redness to his face, though it could also be because of the small lantern that burns near him. “You should get your rest, Althea.”
I stand awkwardly in the center of the room. “What about you?”
He rummages through his bag and pulls out a large blanket, most likely the one he would have used had we camped out by the Black Lake as we had originally planned. He lays it on the ground near the entrance of the tent. “I’ll sleep here tonight and keep guard. Something about these people seems a little off. I don’t want to take any chances. I’m sure Koura and Bash would be doing the same.”
The image of Koura and Zee in the tent alone sparks a feeling in me I am not familiar with. I do not care who Koura is with, or plans to be with in the future. I am not his girlfriend, and I do not need to be worried about who he is protecting.
“Princess?” Nathaniel breaks me from my thoughts. His face holds an eerie concern as he studies me. “Is there something wrong?”
I shake my head a little too eagerly. “Nothing at all!” I shift my gaze away from him and they land on the pile of spare clothes folded neatly on top of the dresser. It must be a simple cotton shirt and pants, but it is more comfortable than the heap of gear I have on now. Unfortunately, there is no privacy in this hollow tent and the lanterns flickered too many shadows for the thin material that makes up this tent.
“If you were needing to change…” Nathaniel trails off, noticing where my sudden attention has drifted to.
“I’m perfectly fine,” I lie. “I’d rather sleep prepared. You know, in case anything happens.”
“Well, that’s why you have me,” he points out. “I’ll turn around if you want to–”
“If you would please.” The relief escapes me in waves.
His chuckle returns, enveloping the room as he turns around.
I unhook the daggers from my waist, placing them beneath the pillow for easy access, and change into the clothes provided. “All clear.”
Nathaniel doesn’t turn back around, but instead moves to lay on top of the bed he created, his back still to me. “I’ll be right here if you need me.”
The whole “keep guard” idea is quickly thrown out the window—or so I think. Nathaniel’s snores echo through the tent like thunder. I am sure nothing will wake him from his deep slumber, but he stirs awake and grips his sword any time there is a slight sound that rustles from outside the tent.
I know this because I can’t bring myself to fall into the temptation of slumber myself. Too many things can happen, and even though I don’t doubt Nathaniel’s abilities as a soldier, there’s a fear that has settled in the center of my chest, fear that if I close my eyes now, I’ll wake up back in the cells—broken.
I stare at the ceiling, seeing the shadows dance with the flicker of the candle. My mind drifts into their hypnotizing dance when I feel a familiar presence in the air around me. I look at Nathaniel and hope he won’t notice the new presence the way I did.
“You should rest, Princess,” Aries whispers through the dark corners of the room.
I hug the covers closer to my body. “I can’t.”
One of the shadows moves, and the next thing I see is Aries standing at the foot of my bed. The corners of his eyes wrinkled with worry. “Do the dreams still plague you, Princess?”
I chew at the corner of my lips, unsure of how honest I should answer. “They’ve become almost unbearable,” I confess below a whisper. I feel him get closer and the edge of my bed dips beneath his weight.
“If I overshadow you, I may be able to scare the nightmares away.” There is a forced lightness to his tone. He must not be used to comforting someone.
“Could you?” Although he means it to lighten the mood, a part of me feels genuine curiosity.
He peers down at me in surprise. “They truly do plague you.”
I sit up and lean against the headboard of the bed. “The nightmares feel more real than this reality now.” I sigh. “I’m afraid that if I slip back into the nightmares, I may never wake up from them. It’s still so hard for me to believe I’m no longer in the cells.”
He inches closer to me and I tense beneath his intense gaze. “Princess, this. Now. —” He reaches toward my hand, wrapping it in his warm palm. “This is real. Should you need the reminder, I won’t hesitate to give you that assurance. You are no longer a prisoner. You are free.”
“Free?” I scoff, but I surprise myself by keeping my hand comfortably where it is. “If that’s what you call, constantly looking over my shoulder.”
“Those shadows that follow you,” His voice hardens with what I can only think of as determination. “I’ll fight each and every one of them.” The candles flicker across his face, deepening his features into a sharpness that causes an unfamiliar emotion to trap itself in my throat.
My lungs fill with his smoky scent. I freeze as I hear Nathaniel shift in his sleep.
“I will be gone before he wakes, I assure you. Now, rest Princess,” Aries whispers.
I nod and sink further into the bed as Aries pulls the cover and tucks it beneath my chin. It is strange seeing him this way. I close my eyes and breathe him in once more, feeling my body more relaxed than before.
The sound of a very loud Nathaniel rummaging through his supply bag wakes me the following morning. Men really don’t have courtesy for anyone else sleeping, now do they, speaking of men. Aries! My body jolts in fright, looking around frantically for Aries. But, he is gone.
“Good Morning, Sleeping Beauty. Or should I say ‘Good Afternoon?” Nathaniel laughs to himself.
“Afternoon?”
Nathaniel curses as he drops something from his bag on the floor, “Yes, afternoon. We slept almost the whole day. We were really tired from traveling all night,” he stifles another laugh as he looks away from me.
I raise an eyebrow. “What is so funny?”
“Ohhhh nothing,” he mumbles through closed lips.
I grip a spare pillow from the bed and throw it hitting him square in the face. Nathaniel stops laughing as it slides off his face. “There is another one with your name on it if you don’t tell me why you are laughing,” I threaten.
He leans forward and picks up the pillow from the floor. The mischievous look brightens his sapphire blue eyes as he remembers why he was laughing. “You snore and talk in your sleep.”
I look at him mortified by what he confesses. “Excuse me? No, I don’t.”
The scar that trails his chiseled face wrinkles as his smile broadens, “Oh, yes you do.” He already has his coat and gear on, making him look much more intimidating as he shakes his head moving his dirty blond hair.
I look at him co
nfused as he tilts his head and places his hands to the side of his face to show he is sleeping.
“Mom, I promise not to touch… snore... your necklace with dirty hands... Snore, drool, snore… I promise to drink my orange juice...snore, drool, snore… no, no, not again.”
He snaps his eyes open pure enjoyment of his little theatrical moment.
My mouth hangs open as anger starts to boil in my veins. “Why you little!” I grab another pillow and coil my hand to swing it at him again.
But, he quickly reads my movements and ducks under the bed. “Stop! Stop! It’s adorable that you snore and talk in your sleep!” he yells from under the bed.
I crawl to the edge of the bed and say, “I do not sound like that in my sleep!” I seeth from pure embarrassment. I’ve slept around the girls and Aries.
Aries! My mouth opens and closes from the loss of words. He never mentioned me being a dream talker. My face reddens as I think back to what else I could have said in my sleep. My hand grips another pillow tighter as I hear him shuffling moving from under the bed. “What else did I say?” I ask slowly.
“Nothing, you just kept going on about the necklace. I swear!” He peaks from under the bed. His bright blue eyes shine bright with excitement as I zero in on him. “I surrender.”
I sit on top of the covers; I can’t be mad at him when he gives me the puppy dog look, “Fine! But not a word to anyone or I would be throwing you something much sharper.”
“Deal,” he says as he lifts himself from his crouch and walks toward the tent opening. He waits for me to change into my gear and we exit our tent. The rest of our group huddles outside Nathaniel and mine's tent to decide our next step.
A few of Rowan's people pass and give us strange looks before continuing with their conversation. No one else approaches us, but that didn't surprise me. We are outsiders to them. They must have their doubts about us as we have about them.
“Hello everyone,” I stand stiffly to the side of the group.
“Good Afternoon, Princess,” both Koura and Bash reply.