by Andra Leigh
“I had cold feet,” she said to the bunny.
“I remember,” Drae muttered.
She stared at the bunny for a moment longer then returned him to the shelf where he sat between a sparrow and an open book.
●
Drae left for Eltarn the next morning, but only after he had made her promise she would still be there when he got back. And that if anyone besides him came to the clearing she would hide. He had then listed a variety of potential hiding places and made her try to fit in a small alcove in the lake’s boulders. Then he had decided it was too much of a risk for him to leave her, despite only a handful of people knowing the house’s location. Finally he ordered Chief to stay behind, with the strict instruction to look after her.
Eliscity settled into a day absent of Drae by keeping herself busy. She washed some clothes in the lake. Put what she was confident would end up being a goat stew on to simmer over the outside firepit. Checked the snares positioned just outside of the clearing and tossed a stick for Chief a few times before her broken ribs complained.
Even without Drae nearby she never once felt like she didn’t belong there. It felt like home. It didn’t matter that she had only been there days. It was where and how her life should have been lived. Not being hit with lightning and injected with the blood of Bloods. Not burying friends in the desert and killing horrible men in their own estates.
She found she wanted this life with Drae more than anything. It was safe and comfortable. She laughed and smiled and even though Drae hadn’t kissed her or mentioned being with her like that, they still slept next to each other and talked of being in each others’ lives. In fact the only discomfort the home brought was any time she touched the oak tree growing through the middle of the sitting room. It made her skin itch and burn, sometimes to the point where she would need to go stick her hands in the lake’s water. She had started avoiding touching the tree.
Eliscity was checking on the stew’s progress when Chief’s ears cocked up and his tail thumped excitingly against her leg.
Since he wasn’t barking or growling she assumed she wasn’t in any danger. She only had to wait a few minutes before Drae appeared in the same gap of trees he had left through that morning.
She smiled when she realised he had made it back even earlier than he had promised.
“You look like you ran all the way back,” she called out with a laugh.
“I did,” he panted, coming to a halt in front of her. He should have been flushed from the long run but he looked pale; his eyes serious, mouth tight. “The town’s being searched.”
“What! What for?” she asked, afraid she already knew the answer.
Drae shoved his hand in his pocket and drew out a crinkled and folded piece of paper, handing it to her.
Numbly she unfolded the paper and found herself looking into her own eyes.
“That’s a lot better than their last sketch of me,” she muttered to herself.
Drae pushed a nervous hand through his hair. “They clearly had some good information.”
Harmon Reinhold’s friends, she thought with a wince. They had all gotten a good look at her, more than enough to provide guards with the details of who had killed their friend. Now her face was on display for the whole town to see. “Bloods, my family’s going to see this, they’ll recognise me.”
Drae was shaking his head. “They’re not posting them around town.”
“At all?”
“No. I had to steal this one from the guard wagon. Look at it, there’s no reward or message. No warning. I don’t think they intend to post them. It makes no sense.”
Eliscity agreed with him. She had killed someone. Someone close to the Reigner. And they knew her face. It should’ve been more than enough reason to post the Realm with her image. If they weren’t doing that it meant they didn’t want the people to know of her. The poster was just for the guards. So they knew who to look for. They knew her face, they had her name. Which meant…
“It’s the Clinic,” she finished the thought aloud, her entire body trembling. “The Clinic knows I’m alive. I’ve put my family in danger. Oh Bloods, it’s all my fault.”
“It’s their fault,” Drae countered quickly.
“No.” She let the sketch of her face drop to the grass, no longer wanting it near her. “I was a fool to…this is one of those times where they won’t hesitate to disappear my entire family. I need to tell them,” she decided. “I need to make them run or hide. I have to get to them before the guards do. Then…then I need to leave. I have to be seen outside of Eltarn. I’ll go to the cities again. From there, I don’t know. But if they know I’m not here…they’ll go.” She had begun pacing at some point during her planning. Now she stopped, shooting a cautious glance towards Drae.
His face was set in a determined expression. “Remember when I said I wouldn’t let you walk away from me again?”
“Please don’t stop me, Drae,” she begged.
It broke her heart to plan to leave the only place she had ever felt at home. To walk away from Drae. Again. If he asked her to stay, she would. She knew that. He had asked her to stay once before. She hadn’t and everything had gone wrong. She couldn’t bear the thought of repeating that. But if she didn’t she couldn’t lead the search away from her family.
“I’m not stopping you,” Drae told her softly. “I’m saying I’m walking away with you this time.”
She searched his face for any hint of uncertainty but found only determination. Was it selfish of her to let him go with her? She wasn’t just being chased by guards anymore. She was being chased by the Clinic. They knew she was alive. She was in more danger now than ever. If he was with her, he too would be in danger. Yet…the thought of having him at her side eased the fear that was gripping her chest. It wouldn’t matter how far from home she went, he would be with her.
That was better than home.
“It’s not safe,” she said.
“Exactly,” he replied as if that decided something. He dug into his bag extracting a bundle of clothes. “I only got to the Stitches before I spotted the guards. Here, change while I pack. Is that stew?”
She nodded.
“Smells good, I have some cow skin flasks somewhere. We can take it with us.”
She went to change into the clothes Drae had brought her. There were simple breeches which fitted well and a button up shirt that was only slightly too large. Something she was grateful for. It was always a smothering feeling having the veins to her wings covered.
Drae had also brought her a replacement satchel, which she started stuffing with supplies the moment she was dressed.
“I know I said I’m walking away with you this time,” Drae called over to her. “But may I suggest we ride away? Kitten’s still on the farm and your Da’s got Chaser which, given the situation, I don’t have an issue borrowing for an unseen amount of time.”
“What am I going to tell them?” she sighed.
“I was thinking about that. I can talk to them. Tell them it’s not safe to be in town because – I’ll figure out the because – I’ll tell them they need to get out for a while, until they see me again. They can stay here. And my Mam too. I don’t like the idea of her being in town with this happening.” Drae cast his eyes toward Chief, chewing his lip like he was struggling with a decision. “Chief stays too.”
Chief whined up at his master.
“I know, boy, but you’re better here looking after everyone. Someone you don’t know approaches, you take them down.”
Chief barked his understanding, but Eliscity was certain she heard a begrudging tone to it.
“Will they listen to you?” She was sceptical. Her family had no reason to believe they were in danger. Why should they take Drae seriously?
He gave her a worried smile. “I don’t often overreact, so hopefully that’ll work in my favour.”
They left as soon as they had everything packed. As they breached the forest line and left the small, perfect
home behind, Eliscity felt as though they were simply going for a walk. That they would return soon. Drae seemed less optimistic. His face was grim as they fell into a steady pace her ribs complained at but she was able to ignore. Twice she gave him an out. Told him to stay. That she wanted him to. But twice he refused, beautiful determination flaring in his eyes.
Making it to the edge of the Glycine Forest, Eliscity’s palms became sweaty, her heart hammering in her chest. Her family was so close.
Looking out across the rising field she could see the house in the distance. She could see the porch wrapping around the blue and white walls. The large bay window with a trellis of honeysuckle growing up one side and the puffs of smoke coming from the low chimney she knew sat over the kitchen.
“Drae.” She grabbed his arm in a panic, pointing toward the long dirt road. A guards’ wagon was barrelling down it, heading for the house.
“Stay here,” Drae said as he surged forward.
“I can help,” she argued.
“The horses,” he said suddenly. “Kitten and Chaser should be in a stable around the other side of the house. Try to get to them. Hide them in the forest line. But you can’t be seen. The guards –”
“I know,” she said. “Go.”
Drae nodded, gave her a swift kiss on the temple and sprinted for the house.
Eliscity set off too, sticking to the tree line as much as possible and trying not to think about the new swarm of butterflies flapping around in her stomach. Now was not the time to smile foolishly at being kissed on the forehead…
She lost sight of Drae as he reached the house’s back door and tore through it. She felt a wave of relief. The guards’ wagon hadn’t yet pulled to a halt. It wasn’t long before she had to leave the security of the trees. Keeping low she crept through the field until she met a fence she could remember repairing in one of her memories. Following it around in a wide arc of the house she found the stables Drae had mentioned. She could also see the front door of the house and the three heavily armed guards flanking the two people who were knocking on it. A rush of anger hit her as she recognised the two knockers. It was the man and woman who had taken her off Harmon’s hands at the top of the deadly cliff. The Clinic’s people were here for her family.
Only the door wasn’t opening.
Eliscity watched as the emotionless female turned to one of the guards and said something she couldn’t hear from her hiding spot. Since the guard’s reaction was to shoulder barge the door until it splintered open it wasn’t difficult to guess what the order had been.
Eliscity ran for the stables as the front door was shoved aside and stormed through. Reaching the stables she heard no yells, so knew she hadn’t been seen. There were two stalls inside the stables which, lucky for her, currently housed two horses. She had briefly worried that they would be empty and she would have to attempt to round the animals up in the very open field. Not an activity conducive to staying out of sight.
The first stall had a large black stallion in it, the second had a brown mare with a white speckled nose she guessed was Kitten. Eliscity offered the mare her hand, hoping that if she was remembered it was with fondness, rather than as someone Kitten liked to bite. Kitten snorted, tossed her head and butted into Eliscity’s shoulder, excitedly.
Eliscity took that as a good sign.
“Shh, girl,” she soothed when Chaser picked up on Kitten’s enthusiasm. “We’re going on a little journey. All of us,” she gave Chaser a pat, “but we’re going to need to be quiet.”
Kitten neighed loudly, hooves stamping the ground. Chaser copied the action a second later.
“Wonderful,” Eliscity winced. Wasting no more time she grabbed the bridles and reins hanging from each stall door and secured them onto the horses. She was just finishing tightening Chaser’s bridle when shouts reached her ears. She couldn’t make out what was being said but decided there was no time to stand around securing saddles on. A second glance at Chaser’s tall frame confirmed this. He stood higher than her. She would struggle to get the heavy, rigid saddle on him, let alone tied down. Instead, she flung a saddle blanket over each horse’s neck and palmed both sets of reins. They followed her from their stalls without argument, Kitten bumping her head against Eliscity’s side.
Hiding herself between them, Eliscity walked them across the field, genuinely shocked when they made it down to the tree line without being seen, chased and shot. Tethering the horses to a tree far enough in to the forest that they were hidden, she ducked from tree trunk to tree trunk until she could see the back of the house again. Her heart leapt as she spotted four people crouching beneath the porch’s overhang. Her family. Drae had gotten to them. Though whatever he had said to get them this far was clearly not getting her Papa any further. He and Drae seemed to be locked in an argument, Drae restraining him as he tried to move back toward the house. Her Ma had Celosia held tight at her side. Her sister looked all grown up, certainly older than fifteen. She was beautiful and fierce with wild hair. Her Ma and Papa looked older too, though not with the same freshness as Celosia. They seemed weathered. Tired. Old.
There was a crash. A bang. Things were being moved around inside. Her Papa increased his struggles to get back to his house, but this time whatever Drae was saying made him stop. Her Ma and Celosia made for the trees at a low run, forcing Eliscity to retreat further into the forest to keep out of sight.
The sounds of searching were still tinkering out of the house and across the field to where Eliscity was watching her family intently. Her Papa and Drae followed a few moments later. The instant they joined the women, Drae was scanning the trees. Searching for her. He didn’t find her in the shadows and was forced to stop looking as his attention was drawn back to the house. The woman from the Clinic had just burst through the back door, a guard a step behind her sour expression. Her cold eyes swept the surroundings. From porch to trees to the field in between. Even from a distance Eliscity could see the confidence radiating from the woman and the tension wrapped around her family as they remained still. After what felt like a long and torturous week – or was it a minute? – the woman turned from her search and stalked around the porch where she meet the Clinic’s man. They spoke in hushed tones.
Drae grabbed her Papa’s arm and quietly, slowly, pulled him a few feet deeper into the trees. Celosia and her Ma followed. Eliscity held perfectly still as they neared her position but didn’t reach her. Drae began talking; only the low hum of his voice travelling back to her. She couldn’t hear the words, couldn’t hear her Papa’s responses or her Ma’s mutterings.
And it was driving her crazy.
What were they saying? Would her parents hide? Would they believe they were in danger? What was Drae telling them? She wanted to lean forward, creep closer and listen in. But she was afraid that if she so much as breathed deeply she would be heard. She watched as her parent’s faces flittered with different emotions. Confusion, rage, fear and sadness. All the while the guards and their bosses were patrolling the house.
The Clinic’s man was pointing at something. And Drae, busy with her family, hadn’t noticed.
Eliscity squinted across the distance but as far as she could tell he was gesturing at the house. That wasn’t strange. What was strange was the increase in smoke spiralling out of the kitchen chimney. It was growing into thick black clouds. And it wasn’t just coming from the chimney anymore. Eliscity, unable to do anything, watched in horror as she realised the house had been set on fire. Celosia was the first to notice. She gave a shrill yelp that Drae immediately silenced. Eliscity squeezed her eyes shut as a scared sob from her Ma reached back to her. Opening her eyes she watched, numb and alone, as Drae and her family held on to each other.
Suddenly Drae was moving. Not forward or backwards, but to the side. Her family followed a few steps until Drae said something. He was telling them to stay, she was sure of it. Just like she was sure he was going to get his Ma.
As Drae disappeared in the direction of his old home
Eliscity couldn’t stand and watch her family cry as their house quickly flickered into flames. She decided to go back to the horses and wait until they could escape. It was a slow process. She could only move in painfully small doses, trying not to announce her presence to the three people only just out of earshot, but definitely not out of sight. The horses were in the opposite direction to what Drae had just taken off in, but it was still slow going. Finally Eliscity inched far enough away to feel safe and retraced her steps back to the horse at a careful pace.
Kitten and Chaser were exactly where she had left them, only they had company. Eliscity froze as a young girl with dark wavy hair and round eyes stepped around the horses to stare straight at her. Her face had matured in the four years, slimming around the cheekbones. She had grown a foot. But there was no denying her. It was Delora.
Delora looked at her like she was something from a dream. As tears pricked her eyes, Eliscity realised that to Delora she was a dream. A dead dream. She had only been seven when she had been told her sister was dead. Since then she’d had years to let Eliscity fade into the memories of a child. Delora wasn’t like Drae or her parents. Or even Celosia who had been old enough to retain some semblance of her eldest sister. Delora had been offered every chance of forgetting her over the years. So had she?
Eliscity hadn’t spoken, hadn’t made a sound since she had spotted Delora. Not because she didn’t want to, but because she didn’t have a clue what she was supposed to say in this situation.
Hi, remember me? No? Your dead sister? Maybe Ma and Papa still talk about me sometimes. No? Oh.
“I was feeding the birds,” Delora said, her voice a whisper. “And I saw you. Taking the horses. I followed you. I…” she tapered off, gaze swinging in the direction of her burning home. “I’m frightened,” she told Eliscity carefully, making it clear that Eliscity was part of the reason.
Eliscity’s cheeks were wet. She had started crying the moment Delora had begun to speak. While Celosia had looked fierce, Delora radiated kindness and vulnerability.