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

Chapter Thirty-Seven - Race to the Bridge

The dying embers of the fire flickered restlessly as dawn approached, reflecting Lizzie’s own emotions, that were still racing from the past few days events. She knew she should have been resting, but her mind would not switch off, churning over everything that had happened; just how close it had been, and she dreaded to think what would have happened if Lucas had not woken from his nightmare.

She could still feel him pressed close against her, the taste of his lips, the harsh look on his face; the anger, the hate and she shuddered at the memory, her hand straying unconsciously up to the bruise on her face as she glanced over to where he lay, curled beneath his travelling cloak.

She knew it hadn’t been him, trusted that he would never do that to her but still there was an awkwardness between them and apart from the brief exchange when they had first met Mac, Lucas hadn’t said a word to her, keeping himself at a safe distance, as if they were strangers. As if he had left part of himself in that cell and somewhere deep down Lizzie could not help but feel as if she had done something wrong.

As if she had caused him to pull away from her. Maybe it had been the kiss.

She shuddered again, pulling her cloak tighter around herself and as she did so, pricked her finger on something sharp. She looked down and saw the silver brooch she had returned to her cloak, in the tunnels.

A sudden wave of sadness washed over her as she thought of Marley. How could they have left him? She would never forgive herself if anything happened to him.

She unpinned the brooch, feeling the smooth, cool metal in her hand and sat staring at it as it lay in her palm. She could feel it pulsating gently through her skin, energising her and filling her with hope as it always did. She had never wondered why until now, but she could still hear Marley’s words clear in her head. 

Its magic is not for me he had said; you just need to believe.

Need to believe what? She had no idea what he meant. How could her brooch be magic, it was just a piece of metal.

But as she sat stroking the silver, tracing the lines of the dragon with her fingertip, she wasn’t so sure. It felt so comforting, so familiar like it reminded her of something; something she couldn’t quite remember.

 Like a dream or a memory faded and distant just waiting for her to make it solid, to be made real.

The sudden rumbling of the ground as Mac returned startled her, and she realised she had almost drifted off, the fleeting images of her memory scattering, as she looked up to see Lucas silently watching her from the other side of the camp. He flinched when he realised she had noticed him, sending a sudden ache rushing through Lizzie’s chest, as she watched him close his eyes again and turn away, leaving her all alone once more.                                       

******

Lucas didn’t know what to do!

He had been slightly alarmed when they had been scooped up into the arms of the giant but as they disappeared from sight and watched the warriors pursuing them through the woods, unable to find them, he had relaxed convinced at last they were safe. For now!  Exhaustion had taken over as he and Lizzie slept, curled in the palm of Mac’s hand, whilst he travelled through the woods but as the day wore on, and they had made camp he was aware of the tension in the air, the awkwardness between them and he didn’t know what to do. What to say.

In the end, he had said nothing and pretended to sleep but no rest came as he tossed and turned reliving the past few days over and over again until giving up he opened his eyes to see Lizzie, sitting huddled in her cloak beside the fire, staring at the silver brooch she held in her hand. Her face was blank, serene as if she was remembering something happy, the flames of the fire flickering shadows across her face, but even from where he lay, curled beneath his cloak, he could still see the dark purple bruise spreading across her face, up to her eye, and it made him feel sick.