Chapter Five

Elise had finally caught up to the wagon a couple hours back and had picked up the patterns the guards took. They kept the horses at a walk so they didn't tire as quickly, and rested them every few hours. They went slow enough that Elise could easily keep up at a fast jog. She kept around 50 yards away at all times so they didn't see her. The wagon slowed to a stop and a cloud of dust blew up into the air. Elise had thought about freeing the prisoner when they were resting, but the guards never strayed far from the wagon, so she would definitely be caught. She picked up a leaf and crunched it in her fist. Velvety ashes spilled through her fingers like a waterfall. This was a trait all Asherians had. It was the same with the Cindarians and their shapeshifting, and the Emberlians with being able to see people's pasts. I guess I'll just have to release the prisoner when we get to the castle. She thought. Then I'll be able to search the dungeons for my father too. The thought of having her father back seemed to give her more energy. The far-off neighing of horses shook Elise out of her reverie. She looked ahead towards the gray-brown rocks and gasped in horror. The wagon was a tiny speck on the horizon. They must have started back up when she was planning her rescue. She jumped up, all thoughts of her father flew from her mind, replaced with panic-filled ones. She took off like a bullet, her feet barely touching the ground as she ran. The wagon had fully disappeared by then, but Elise kept on running at full speed. After a few long seconds, the wagon came back into view and she slowed her pace a little. She was so focused on catching up to the wagon, that she didn't realize she had neared closer than before. Her footsteps echoed off the rock walls like a drumbeat. She froze. The wagon stopped too.

"I think I heard footsteps," said one of the guards.

The other one nodded and replied, "I'll go check it out."

One of the soldiers climbed off his shaggy mount and started inspecting the nearby boulders. Elise felt her heart hammering rapidly inside her chest. She was sure he could hear it beating. She swung her head from side to side, looking for a spot to hide from the guard's prying eyes. There was a little cave hidden by three big boulders that she could hide in. She quickly darted away from the wagon into the small cavern. It was damp and smelled of mildew, but it would do. She slowed her breathing and stilled her muscles, hoping the big man wouldn't find her. After a moment, his footsteps receded and she let out a big breath of relief. The receding footsteps stopped. They started getting louder again and Elise chided herself silently for her carelessness. Another pair of feet joined the first.

"What's takin' so long? Have ya found anyone?"

"Not so far. But I did hear something suspicious," was the reply.

"All right, but we have to leave again soon."

The pounding steps grew even closer, and Elise sucked in a silent breath as the guard's feet came into view. In one big stride, he was close enough that she could see the brown smudges of mud and dust on his inky black boots. Suddenly, she felt a sharp flare of pain in her left foot and clenched her teeth together to keep in a yelp. The guard had stepped on her toes with his heavy foot. The huge man then turned away and got back on his chocolate brown horse. Elise waited until she could hear the squeaks of the wagon wheels fade, before climbing out of her hiding spot. Her limbs were cramped and tired from crouching, and her toe hurt where it had been stepped on, but she continued to follow the wagon anyways. Maybe it was because she'd never had a mother, or maybe it was for more selfish reasons, but she was determined to bring Dean's mother back to him.

Almost an hour after her near encounter with the guards, she had a strange feeling that she was being watched. A faint noise echoed softly off the rocks around her. At first, she passed it off as her own footsteps, but a couple of minutes later, she heard it again. Elise squinted to get a better look at the bumpy gray-brown surface of the enclosing walls and peeled her ears for any slight sounds. Her imagination usually wasn't great, but it seemed to take off into full power mode. She imagined great big wolverines or mountain lions jumping out of the rocks, bearing their sharp canine teeth. It wasn't the thought of what they would do to her, but the thought of losing the wagon that scared her. In the dying afternoon light, she saw a slight movement on the cliff walls and stopped walking. The echoing continued for a moment, then stopped too. Now she was almost sure someone or something was following her. She spotted a tall shadow standing very still. Elise couldn't make out the shape very well since it was being contorted by the rough surface of the boulders. She started walking again, this time at a faster pace. She glanced at the blue-gray horizon. There would only be around an hour or so left of daylight. In the distance, she could see plains and fields where the rocky passage stopped. She was currently walking through a big cavern thing. The rocks parted in a wide oval so every little noise and rustle of clothing was amplified through the cliffs. Suddenly a series of loud noises -that sounded suspiciously like footsteps- rang out through the cavern like a thunderclap, ringing down the pass. Luckily, the guards leading the wagon didn't seem to hear the clamor, but Elise had. She hadn't made that noise which meant that someone else had. She walked at the same brisk pace for a few more minutes, staying on high alert. After about ten or so minutes, she hadn't heard any more footsteps or suspicious noises. She was just starting to think that the person or animal that had been following her had fled when she saw a dark shape in her peripheral vision. The person was attired in a weird brown and gray cloak that camouflaged perfectly into the rocks. That was probably why Elise hadn't seen them before. The mysterious individual was darting expertly through the cliffs, moving with the shadows and ease of many years of practice. The camouflaged figure seemed to be watching Elise intently, watching her every move.

* * *

Lyra felt tears come to her eyes. She was sitting on the patchy mahogany armchair in her living room. The floors were unswept, the sooty fireplace was cold and there was no lunch on the table. She had sent her brothers out to pick fruit in the nearby meadow. She was thinking of her mother; she had been for the past day. After her mother had spoken those four words, she had passed out again into an ill sleep. Lyra hadn't slept that night and now it was noon the next day. Bright daylight spilled through the open curtains that she hadn't bothered to close. Her mother had never seemed to recognize Lyra until that moment, yet Lyra could never forget the loving hands tucking her hair behind her ear, or the protective arms always ready for a hug. Even playing in the garden, chasing fireflies through the rows of fragrant smelling flowers while laughing as the dew-soaked grass stuck their clothes to their bodies. Her father and toddler Tristan had been there too, though she had no recollection of her father. Her family had been happy then. She had searched for a remedy everywhere, even tried reaching out to her one, unmarried aunt. But nothing would help. Her mother stayed passive and sick as ever. A single tear rolled down Lyra's cheek. Usually, these memories made her feel bitter and hurt, but today she was grieving, which she hadn't let herself do before. The front door creaked open and a shout shook her out of her sad thoughts.

"Lyra! We found sproutberries!" Haylo's excited voice called.

Lyra wiped the tears from her face and got up out of the chair.

"Good find!" She praised her younger brother.

He beamed proudly at the compliment while holding up a handful of pellet sized blue berries. While Haylo went to put the sproutberries away, Tristan drew her aside. His face was serious and he was fiddling with a loose string on his tunic sleeve.

"We found something other than sproutberries in the meadow," he reported grimly.

"What is it? Are the triberries blooming yet?" She asked, knowing the answer wasn't fruit, considering Tristan's obvious stress.

"Well, I think it would be easier if I just show you," he said quietly.

"Haylo! Come downstairs! We're going for a walk!" Lyra yelled up the stairs.

The small boy came racing down the creaky old stairs with a bunch of bright objects in his little hand. Lyra realized they were wildflowers. He must have found them in the meadow. He quickly stuffed the bundle into the pocket in his breeches. Lyra chuckled at his carelessness. Lyra took Haylo's hand as he skipped along beside her and Tristan led the way. The three of them hiked up to the meadow together in an amiable silence. The meadow was located behind the village in a spot untouched by man's hands. They wound their way through green hills and yellow sunflower fields. They finally came to a stop in a large grassy clearing with an assortment of wildflowers growing everywhere. At the edges, there were little shrubs and bright leaved trees growing, peppered with flowers and fruit. A few colorful butterflies flitted around, enjoying the summer light. She felt a sigh of pleasure escape her lips. She loved coming here when the sun was just setting and the fireflies were coming out. She started to feel her eyes droop, then remembered why they were here. Tristan hadn't wasted any time and was walking across the meadow.

"Why don't you go pick some more fruit from the trees over there," Lyra told Haylo while pointing to the other side of the clearing.

Haylo nodded and skipped happily over to a group of purple-leaved trees with big red fruit hanging off the branches. She smiled to herself as she watched her baby brother. She looked back at Tristan. He was gesturing for her to come over. She quickly jogged over to him and instantly realized what was wrong. There was a small patch of gray. The grass was dead and all the flowers were wilted and dull. The body of a small rodent lay among the dead plants. Lyra gasped in horror at the sight of it.

"What do you think it is?" Asked Tristan anxiously.

Lyra shook her head. "I don't know," she replied. "But I think we should check on it tomorrow too."

Tristan nodded. "Okay."

When he still looked worried and anxious, Lyra walked closer to him. She reached out her arms and he walked into them gratefully.

She ruffled his pewter gray hair. "I'm sure there's nothing to worry about," she reassured him.

He rested his chin down on her shoulder and relaxed visibly. Over his shoulder, Lyra could see Haylo "picking fruit". In truth, he had obviously gotten distracted and was now chasing a red and yellow butterfly. Lyra chuckled to herself.

* * *

It was near dusk on the second day of travel, when the wagon stopped for its evening rest. Elise stumbled to a stop and collapsed onto the dusty ground, breathing hard. Her throat was as dry as a desert and her eyes were stinging from the dust from the ground. She felt dizzy and light-headed. Her head also hurt and her hands were shaking slightly. All of a sudden, she felt a wrenching pang in her stomach and winced. She instantly recognized it as hunger. She realized with a start that she hadn't eaten in almost two days and she'd been traveling the whole time. She needed to find food and water somewhere. Maybe they would pass a town on their way and she could get some food there. She held her hand up to her eyes to shield her face from the glaring sun as she looked into the distance. There wasn't one trace of habitation anywhere. Without notice, her vision started to go a little fuzzy around the edges. She blinked hard a few times, but the world kept on darkening at a steady pace. She felt herself fall backward and was faintly aware of a dark shadow passing over her face before she hit the ground and her vision went totally black.