DARKNESS

DARKNESS | Chapter 29

CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE

When I awake the next morning, I'm alone in the tent. The sun is only just beginning to rise, casting an almost-surreal glow across the sky.

A low murmuring of voices emanates from somewhere nearby, the words indecipherable from my current position.

Immediately I slip out of the tent, clutching my sapphire-encrusted dagger in my right hand as I walk toward the voices I know will be Brayden and Kale. Their words become distinguishable the closer I get, until I step out from behind a tree and freeze in my tracks.

I don't know these people.

"Excuse me," I try, hoping they won't recognise me, "I'm a little lost. I was wondering if you could-"

"Harper Bryant, the Saviour," one of the two men drawls, his bald head managing to reflect the morning light. "Well, well, well. What luck we have."

The other man, sporting unruly black hair and a noticeably crooked nose, moves to the side a bit, as though they're intending on circling me. Ditching my lost-girl charade, I bolt into the trees, ensuring I stay away from where I know the Rebel encampment to be. Small branches whip my cheeks as I run towards who-knows-where, their sting bringing tears to my eyes that serve to blur my vision. My mind is racing, continually wondering where Brayden and Kale could be or whether those two men had already found them.

I glance back over my shoulder as I weave around a tree trunk, noting the bald man to be rapidly gaining on me. Still drowsy from sleep and not yet able to see properly with the sun not yet risen high enough, I stumble various times as I'm relentlessly chased by my pursuers.

"Harper!" I hear a voice yell, looking over to see Brayden and Kale running towards me, and in turn beckoning me to run towards them. Relief floods through my veins and I glance back over my shoulder one last time.

When I turn back around, however, it's too late. The tree branch seemingly comes out of nowhere and quicker than I can react, I run into it at full-speed, my head sustaining a massive knock that leaves the world around me black.

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"I thought you both would have had more of a tactic than to come back here, knowing how dangerous it is," comes Marcus' unmistakable voice. "And now you've failed."

"Just let us go, Marcus," Kale tries. "Harper is the Saviour and the last thing she needs right now is another hinderance."

I force my eyes open, blinking slightly as the world around me comes back into focus. The canopy of the trees is the first thing I notice, before I realise that I'm moving. With an agonising pain, I lift my throbbing head up to see one Rebel soldier carrying my feet, and the other has his hands under my arms to carry my torso. It's clear I haven't been out long at all. Kale walks in front of us, a Rebel guard on either side of him restraining his arms. Brayden is also restrained. Marcus, surprisingly, doesn't lead the pack. Instead, he walks just in front of Kale.

"Sir," the soldier holding my torso speaks up. "She's awake."

"Halt!" Marcus commands the group. Everyone stops immediately.

Marcus walks over to me, the leaves crunching loudly underneath his feet as he does so. He claps his hands together, smiling down at me with a grin that is not at all friendly.

"Harper, I'm so glad we could meet again." He then looks to his soldiers, barking, "Let her down, but don't let her go. If she escapes, you both pay with your lives."

The soldier in front of me drops my feet, the impact causing a jarring pain to spread throughout my ankles and shins. The soldier behind me urges me upwards, pushing me into a standing position before they both restrain an arm each. My head feels heavy, throbbing like it never has before. My vision spins and a feeling of nausea crawls into my stomach. None of the soldiers appear to care.