I fluttered my hand around us at the destruction and said, "I can't control it. It's too powerful. I tried to hold it back, but I…I just…I'm so sorry."
"You are just coming into your gifts? Just now?" he asked, utter disbelief and anger in his tone.
Before I could answer, I was interrupted by an angry shout. "Sunny!"
I knew that voice. I whipped around and sure enough, it was Leif. He was getting back to his feet from where he had been knocked to the ground. A wave of happiness raced through me at the sight of him, but then horror followed right behind.
As I finally really looked at the scattered remains of my loss of control, I realized a horrible reality. Not only had I taken out Gabriel and all the men that had stood to protect me, but also a group of rebels that had come to save me. Shame. That was the emotion that clogged my throat.
"It's alright, Sunny. Come on. Slow down your breathing," Gabriel said, his hand heavy on my shoulder.
I hadn't realized until he spoke that I was panting so hard I was almost hyperventilating. Gabriel was wrong though. Nothing was all right.
Leif shouted out forcibly as he marched his way over to me, "Get away from her! Traitor!"
He jerked me roughly from Gabriel.
"Ow."
Leif was so angry that his face was red. His light blue eyes snapped, not fire, but ice. I half wanted to cowardly phase into the shadows and skulk away. Instead, I tried to redirect his attention.
"Leif…"
He pointed a furious finger at me and said, "You be quiet."
I flinched back at his words. Excuse me? He did not just say that to me.
Before I could respond, he refocused on Gabriel and said, "You can't have her. She's mine. I found her."
"Hey!" I shouted.
Both Leif and Gabriel ignored me. Gabriel at least seemed calm. He looked at me for a moment and then at Leif. He cocked his head to the side and simply said, "She does not look much like a trinket to me."
That's right! I wasn't a trinket. I nodded my head once firmly at Leif. "Yeah," I said.
"Sunny, you go get back on your horse. We're leaving. Now," Leif said. Only he didn't say it to me, his attention was still focused directly on Gabriel.
"Maybe you should ask her if she wants to go with you," Gabriel said.
"Who are you to tell me anything?" Leif shot back. "You don't know anything about us, or about Sunny. I found her. I know her. She's coming with me."
"Don't you mean she is coming with 'us'," Gabriel asked, "Or are you the only one that has sacrificed for her?"
Leif turned his glare towards me and said, "You told him who you are?"
"No…I," I stuttered.
Leif threw up his hands and said, "Geez, Sunny, why would you do that? How am I supposed to keep you safe if you run around telling everyone that you are the real heir to the throne of Acadia?"
Surprised gasps sounded all around us at Leif's revelation. What surprised me the most, though, was that even the group of rebels didn't seem to realize who I might be. Why didn't they know? Who did they think they were coming to save?
Leif glared at Gabriel as if everything were his fault.
"I know more than you think and I see what you are doing," Gabriel said.
"Oh yeah, and what is that?" Leif spat back. He looked nervously my way before he turned his attention back to Gabriel.
"It just seems a little funny to me. Why would you bring her here when her gifts haven't yet settled? Why was she not prepared for her journey here? Why are you so possessive of her, to the exclusion of others? Why didn't your men know of her possible lineage?"
I turned and looked at Leif. I wanted to know the answers to those questions too. When no one responded, I asked, "My gifts will settle?"
No one answered me. It was as if I were invisible, which for once, I wasn't. Gabriel and Leif just continued to watch the other. Measure each other.
Lucas came at a run and stood next to me. "Gabriel, if she is who you say, then you can't let her go."
Gabriel still didn't show an ounce of emotion. "Sunny can choose her own path. If she chooses to stay with us, she can, and we will make sure that she is able to." He directed his look at Leif when he said this.
"If she chooses to go with these…men, we will allow her to do so. It is not our choice to make."
Both groups were slowly reforming. Taking their sides. I stood in the middle with Gabriel and Lucas and their men on one side and Leif and his group on the other.
I looked at Gabriel for some indication, any help as to what he thought I should do. He only watched me. I then looked at Leif. His face was incredulous. Here he had come to save the damsel in distress and I wasn't acting the way a damsel should. I nodded at Leif.
To Gabriel I said, "Thank you. For everything."
He only nodded. "The road in the forest only leads in two directions. Out and to my keep. If you need me, you know where to find me. Be safe, little one."
"Gabriel, you can't just let her go with these guys," Lucas hissed.
Gabriel only snapped an angry stare at Lucas. Lucas instantly silenced. Although his wide stance and fisted hands indicated he was furious and wanted to say more, he didn't.
"Let's go then," Leif said. He grabbed my arm again and tried to pull me away.
I yanked free and ignored Leif for a moment as I said to Lucas, "This is why I am here. I have to go with Leif. I have to meet the rebels and see where they stand. What they believe and what they expect."
I glanced at Gabriel and then continued, "Gabriel is right. I have to see with my own eyes and make up my own mind as to where I stand. Please understand."
Lucas dropped his gaze to the ground and didn't say another word.
"Lucas," I said, trying to get him to look at me. He didn't.
So I wrapped my arms around him and squeezed gently. I said with my heart what I couldn't say with words. "Goodbye."
With a last look at Gabriel and a wave at the group of men behind him, I went over to my horse. I was happy to note that she didn't seem any worse for wear.
"Hurry up and get on the horse," Leif said. "I want to get out of here."
"Her name is Poppy," I said through clenched teeth. I'd about had enough of his attitude.
"What?" he asked.
I turned back around, firmly ignored Gabriel's grin, and glared at Leif. "My horse. Her name is Poppy."
He sighed at me. "I told you, we don't name the horses here."
I snapped. My hands on my hips, I stepped forward and said, "Well, I do! You gave me this horse which makes her mine and I am naming her Poppy! Got it!"
Leif's eyes flew wide. I am not generally a shouter but enough was enough.
"Whatever," he said.
I turned back to Poppy and heaved myself up on her back, without any help. Anger is a wonderful motivator. I grabbed the reins firmly and then said, "Let's go then."
I didn't look back once we started out of the forest. I stared straight ahead. I admit that my vision was a little blurry for but a moment, but I quickly sniffed back any sadness I felt at leaving the others. Right then, I was where I needed to be.
Chapter Eight
Rebel Camp
No one introduced themselves to me. It was just as well as I sulked for the first half of our trip, but then so did Leif. We plodded along at an easy pace for a while before Leif picked up the speed. I didn't say a word. I just held on. Poppy, thank goodness, was in a good mood too and didn't give me any trouble. She just did as she was supposed to do and followed behind the horse in front of her.
Rebels surrounded me, two in front, two in back, and three along each side of me. I had thought that it was all boys but I was wrong. There were two girls. Since I didn't have anything else to do, I stared at the people that had risked their lives for someone they didn't even know.
From far away I would never have realized the two were girls, as they both had brown short-cropped hair and wore the same pants and shirts as the men in our grou
p. It wasn't until I saw their faces that the realization hit. Although not in the category of gorgeous, they had potential to be pretty, if they wanted. I didn't think they cared one way or another what I thought of them and that was just fine with me as well.
At our lopping pace, it didn't take us all day to make it out of the forest. We stopped now and then to rest the horses, and I think, me, but even so, it was still early afternoon when we made it out.
We took a break at the edge of the forest and had a quick snack. Since camp was only about ten miles away at that point, we didn't stop long as we were all anxious to get there.
It had been a long day, and my injured leg had started to complain and ache again. It was a bit of a struggle to get back up on Poppy.
"Do you need a hand?" Leif asked me. His voice was hesitant and gentle.
I still snapped his head off and said, "No. I can do it myself."
I mustered up what strength I could and forced my way up on that horse. It wasn't pretty, but I got the job done. "See."
I saw Leif's lips twitch, but otherwise, he didn't say anything. I sighed.
~ * ~
My first sight of camp came about an hour later. After my last night spent on the ground, it was not what I expected at all. Leif had called it a city and that was exactly what it was. Tents, huge tents of all colors and patterns, decorated an area of at least a square mile with a small stream running aside. I wondered idly if that little stream was the same one that flowed within the forest.
As we came into the camp, I could see people everywhere. There were groups of two and three chatting together happily, men and woman alike, working at chores. And children. There were children everywhere. They ran, they yelled and screamed and played. It didn't look like a camp at all. It looked like a small town. It amazed me. I'd never seen anything like it.
I followed behind Leif and tried to look as normal as possible, not that it mattered. People stopped and stared and whispered. I didn't know what I was supposed to do or say so I took to smiling. I am sure I looked stupid and fake, but the only other thing I could think of to do was the princess parade wave. I stuck with smiling.
We stopped once we reached an enclosed field. It housed several horses and along the side was a barn. It was a solid building, which seemed strange next to the temporary feel of the camp and its tents.
"You can leave you horse here. Taylor will take care of her for you," Leif said. He slid down from his horse and wrapped the reins around one of the fence posts, as did the others.
I climbed down from Poppy and looked around before I replied, "Nah. I'll take care of her myself."
"Why?" He asked.
I was not overly surprised at the confusion I heard in his voice. I was not the outdoorsy type and considering my attitude upon first realizing I would be traveling by horse, I couldn't blame the guy.
I shrugged. "I need to learn this stuff. Besides, she likes me to do it."
Yes, I was making that last part up. From what I could tell, Poppy didn't care who un-tacked her as long as it was done, but Gabriel thought I should do it myself, so I would.
"Well, how long do you think you will be then?" He asked.
"Aren't you going to take care of your horse," I asked back instead of answering.
"No, I have things I have to do, but if you are going to be a while, I can come back for you."
"What things?" We just got there. What could he possibly have to do that was so important?
"I have to let all the leaders know that I have you. That we made it back safely this time," he replied.
I frowned at him. 'Have me'? "Sure, whatever," I said. "I'll be here for a while. I'll just wait for you."
"Great. I'll take you to your tent when I get back."
"Kay."
Leif hurried off without a glance back. I sighed. Acadia certainly wasn't what I thought it would be. I turned to Poppy and said, "Well, come on girl. Looks like it's just you and me for a while."
Poppy blew out a huffy breath. I don't know what that was supposed to mean but I took it as agreement, nonetheless.
I opened the gate and led Poppy inside the field. "Hello?"
A tall skinny guy poked his head out from the barn. He looked young to me. He had long shaggy blond hair, and I could see that acne still dotted his face. "Yeah?"
"Are you Taylor? I'm looking for Taylor," I shouted in his direction and headed over with Poppy in tow.
"Yeah, that's me. What do you want?" he asked.
I hesitated at his defensive tone then put on my new fake smile and said, "I need a place for my horse. They said you were the one to see."
He came out and inspected Poppy. "Oh, you have the mare. Yeah, she's got a stall already. Here, I'll take her."
He reached out to take her reins from me, but I stopped him. "I'll do it, just show me where. Oh, and her name's Poppy."
"You named her, did ya?" he asked, a grin splitting his face.
"Yeah, and why is that so bad? I mean, seriously."
Taylor shrugged, "Not many do here, is all. Well, follow me then. I'll show you the way."
"I'm Sunny, by the way, not that you asked."
He tossed a grin over his shoulders and that was it. I wondered grumpily if no one in the land cared about names and people and stuff.
Taylor led us into the barn, which aside from the filtered sunlight that came in through the door, was almost dark. It was dim and full of shadows along with the sounds of horses. You know breathing, stomping, that kind of thing. I expected it to smell bad in the barn, but I was pleasantly surprised. It smelled like clean cedar chips. My respect for Taylor began right then.
He pointed me to an empty stall. "You do know what you are doing?"
I gave him a sheepish smile and said, "Sort of. I've only done it once before and actually I just mostly watched."
He didn't demean me in any way. Instead he said, "Just start yanking that stuff off and hand it over to me. I'll show you where it goes when you're done."
I did as he said and started undoing everything. Together we made quick work of it and soon the horse was bare and I knew where everything went.
"Here," Taylor said, and handed me a round hard disk with plastic ridges on it.
I just looked at it. "What am I supposed to do with this?"
"Brush her down with that first then use this other brush," he said, holding up a horse brush that I recognized.
"O-kay." I turned to Poppy and tried to brush her with the funny oval.
"No, like this," Taylor said. Then he showed me how to use circles with it.
I did as he said and then asked, "How old are you, Taylor?"
"Fifteen. Why?"
"I guess you look fifteen but you have more patience than some adults I know," I explained.
Even in the dimness of the barn I could see his face turn red at my words.
I finished up Poppy while Taylor took care of Leif's horse. Then I went out to wait for Leif. Taylor came with me. I leaned over the fence and looked out over the land. Horses dotted the landscape within the enclosed field but after that, it was openness. It was pretty in its bareness, especially since that the sun was setting.
"What do you think of camp, Taylor?" I asked.
He came over to lean against the fence with me. "It's all right."
"Do you like it, though?" I persisted.
"It's a place to be, and there's always work to do. So, yeah, it's fine."
That wasn't a resounding yes, but it also wasn't a direct no either. I tried another tactic. "Is your family here with you?"
"No."
I finally turned and looked at him. He was at a gangly stage. All long arms and legs, but he was already starting to fill out in the chest, probably from working all the time with the horses. His eyes were a nice clear blue, almost like mine. I looked into those clear eyes and asked, "What are you doing here with the rebels, Taylor?"
He shrugged at me. "I don't know. There wasn't really any other place I could go."
"What do you mean? Why not?" I asked. How could this be the only place he could go?
"I don't want to be a soldier," he said.
"Is that your only choice? Be a soldier or be part of the rebels. Aren't all the rebels soldiers too?"
"Pretty much," he said. "I'm a guy, so I don't have many options. If you stay in the kingdom, once you reach a certain age you are required to be part of the Guard. At least here I get to take care of the animals and I don't have to fight. I don't get much respect from anyone, but…"
"Oh," I said. Acadia was sounding less and less wonderful. "But if you are part of the rebels, do you at least believe in their cause?" I asked.
"You mean, the thing about the lost princess that's out there somewhere that will save us all," he replied. The sarcasm that dripped from his voice was surprising. "No, I don't. Most people in the rebels don't believe that load of crap. We just wanted out from under the King. This is as good a place as any to do that."
My stomach dropped sickly. I was a phantom, a story. These people, my people, didn't even believe in me. "Most of the rebels are just hiding out here? You know there are certainly other places you could go," I said.
"Oh, don't get me wrong," he replied, "there is still a big group that continues to search for the 'lost one' but it grows smaller all the time. People give up and lose hope. There are always these rumors going around that she has been found or seen or discovered, but until I see it with my own eyes, I'm not buying into it. I have better things to do with my time than listen to fairy tales."
"But, what's the point of the rebels then if you guys don't even believe in m…this lost one?" I asked.
"Don't tell me you believe that crap. For someone older than me, you sure don't know very much. You don't always have to believe in something. Sometimes you just need something better. Most of the people here are looking for that. A better life, a better place for their children to grow, just, something better."
I heard a shout from behind me. Both Taylor and I both turned around to see Leif heading our way.
"I guess it's time for me go," I said. "I'll be back tomorrow to see to Poppy, if you don't mind.
Shadow Dancer Boxed Set Page 21