Beyond Fear (Book 1 in The Element Wars) (Published on Amazon - Sample)

Chapter Twenty-Six - The Dark Wood

It felt like forever since Lizzie had stretched her legs; the muscles cramped from endless days of riding. She didn't really known what to expect after leaving the castle, but the reality was a bit of anti-climax if she was honest with herself. She had thought it would be a great adventure, but instead it had just been days and days of trekking through the wilderness, much like before they had entered Castle Valista, but at least they hadn't been in danger. Yet.

She looked over at Lucas riding beside her, his face serious, staring at the map in his hands, and she smiled to herself.

It was funny how much her opinion of Lucas had changed over the past few months. She had always thought of him as confident, arrogant almost, self-assured in his designer clothes and with his model good looks and sometimes he was but then out of the blue he would surprise her. It would be something small, like the way he messed with his hair when he was concentrating or the way he said something or a simple gesture and it was in these moments that she saw the boy behind the mask. The sweet unsure, nervous boy who made her heart flutter for reasons she still didn't fully understand.

It wasn't like with Tae.

Tae was her friend, he made her feel strong and in control, gave her power to be who she was but Lucas made her feel safe. Like she had finally found someone she could trust, and who would be there for her no matter what. She liked how that felt.

"Lizzie, are you listening to me?"

Lizzie jumped realising she was still staring at him daydreaming.

She blushed, feeling the pink spreading to her cheeks, and turned away quickly.

"Yeah," she muttered. "I was just wondering how much longer before we get somewhere."

"Oh, in about ten seconds," he answered smugly as they turned a corner in the track to find themselves only a few feet away from a large rushing river.

They approached carefully; fear spreading across Lizzie's chest, her breathing becoming shallow until they neared the bank, and the horses bent their heads to drink from the cool fresh water.

"It seems okay," Lucas said, jumping down and laying flat on his stomach to splash the refreshing water over his face and neck, but Lizzie didn't move.

"Do we have to cross that?" she asked, her voice sounding high.

"Yeah," Lucas answered, standing back up "But we may as well eat first and rest. It's going to be a hard swim for the horses, it's quite wide."

Lizzie clambered down from her horse and sat down opposite Lucas.

"Is there no other way?"

"Lizzie what is it with you and water?" Lucas asked, seeing the panic on her face, but she just shook her head shrugging. "I get it that you can't swim, but the horse can just carry you." She stared at him for a few seconds but didn't answer. "Or is there something else?"

She looked down unable to keep his gaze and then answered in a whisper.

"My Dad drowned when I was little. I've never been in the water since. Well, not until now and look how well that's going."

"Lizzie, I'm so sorry," Lucas blurted out. "I didn't... I would never have..."

"I know," she said, looking up at him "I don't really remember much."

"You were with him?"

"Yeah, he'd taken me fishing... We used to go all the time. He loved the water. There was a storm, and we fell in. I remember him holding me and feeling so safe and then he was gone."