.Eyes Of Void.

-14-

I felt Mystery tense a bit and I looked back at her in wonder as she stopped the cortege.

Amalia opened the door to the carriage, looking at Mystery as she looked back at her and nodded.

"Highness please head to the carriage." She said while looking back at me.

"What is it mage?" A hint of worry bloomed in my chest.

"Uncertain but I do not want to risk your life" She got off Arial and helped me off as I saw Amalia on alert.

She lead me to the carriage along with the coach and made us both enter it.

"Do not let anyone inside." She told Amalia as they closed the doors and heard one of them climb on top of the carriage before the windows of it got covered in a grey layer.

We sat in complete darkness, I leaned against my mother, a bit scared as we didn't know what was going on outside.

I leaned away after she gently pat my shoulder and pressed my ear onto the wall to try to hear something.

"--age Mystery?" A guard asked but I didn't hear the start of it.

"I sensed something." She answered before I heard a loud thud against the carriage and crooked scream that was soon gargoyles.

I covered my mouth, hearing a man die for unknown causes is scary but I couldn't back away, I wanted to know.

"Bandits!" Yelled one of the guards, finally giving the attackers a face even if it was barely anything.

"Kill every last one of them!" I shivered at Mystery's order, voice so cold and authoritarian.

I pulled my ear away from the wall as the sound of blades clashing and screams outside were loud enough to be heard from inside.

"Kill them all and grab the riches!" I heard from right by the door before a scream followed before it could be opened.

"Are you alright?!" I bit my knuckle gently in worry, that's Amalia's voice, is Mystery hurt? She can't be she is strong.

"Yes I am!" I sighed in slight relief.

I heard a thud and something fall, oh no, did they take out one of the mages?

"Snap out of it!" Yeah they did, Amalia is down. "I am done with this shit!!" I heard Mystery cuss for the first time since we met so this must be bad as I didn't see her as the type to do.

I worry for her life, for our lives.

"Fuck!" There was an edge of pain in her voice and I reached for the door before stopping myself from opening it, realizing what I was going to do, it would just distract her.

"Perish you rotten bastards!!" She added, she must be hurt, no questions now, I just hope it is nothing too bad and she is just really angry at them.

I heard nothing more so I stuck my ear back to the carriage wall and heard muffled coughs and chocking sound followed by heavy thuds.

I heard voices too soft to be made out before a loud scream came with sobs following.

"Come on man wrap it up and help me!" Mystery was alive, I sighed at that, she's alive. "Help me get mage Amalia out from under the carriage and wrap her head!" She is really angry still to be yelling and heard clearly inside of here.

"Mage Mystery that bolt should be removed." What? What bolt? Did she get shot with a bolt?

"Under no circumstance! It's a pronged bolt only the healers can remove it without killing me and don't think of breaking off the end to free my arm, the feathers on the end are the only things keeping the bolt from digging deeper, just help me wrap my arm in a sling so it doesn't move around, now!" I felt my blood freeze, she could die? No, she can't leave me.

I grew more worried at the coughs, more worried then when the danger of bandits was still here.

"M-mage Mystery!"

"Hurry the fuck up!!"

I saw the grey layer crumple away from the window and Mystery opened the door.

"Threat eliminated." She said "Coachman get back in front to guide the horses we need to move." 

"Mage are you alright?" I asked softly, looking at the visible part of the bolt.

"As good as I can be Highness, only I and a guard remain, Amalia out for head injury. They used wild magic to mask themselves from us and to disable us while they took care of the guards." I wanted to help as I watched her cough but I could do nothing. "We need to move now; I will not stop the carriage until we arrive as the risk is too great with so little people remaining to protect you."

"If that seems the safest do it mage Mystery." Mother told her, she nodded.

"Could we please have Amalia resting inside, I fear for her head injury, might be far greater than we can tell, she wouldn't make it on horseback."

"Yes and will you?" Worry seeped into my voice, she wouldn't make it on horseback long either.

"I must, I cannot leave you without protection, the guard cannot properly stand so I am the only and last line for defense, I MUST make it." She said as the guard who helped lay Amalia on the seat did look ready to collapse to his knees.

"Be careful." I said.

"As much as I can be Highness." And with that she closed the door. "Guard get saddled and ride next to the carriage, I want you to be dead before any enemies come close to opening that door and if you aren't dead you stand to protect it! We won't be stopping until we arrived got it?!" She yelled at him.

"Yes mage Mystery!"

I cannot get the sight of the bolt out of my head, the shortest bolts made are seven inches and the longest fifteen, both really bad for Mystery.

"As fast as you can with the horses coachman!" She yelled and we started moving again.

"I am worried." I admitted to mother.

"I know but trust in her strength."

"I will but I still worry."

"I do too dear, I do too."