Rider (A Kili/ Hobbit novel)

Chapter 13: Darkness Rising

"Okay fine I give up, you have won," I concede, setting the bow I hold down in exhaustion.

My arms ache from drawing the bow string back hundreds of times, and my right hand's fingers feel numb because I had not worn a glove. The harshness of the now string sliding off the tips of my fingers over and over again has left them raw and slightly stiff, but I pay it little mind; I have become used to the feeling.

We had shot target after target, neither of us missing for the longest time. I had stopped counting how many arrows we both fired, but after some time I began to grow careless, not taking the time to fully draw the arrow back and sight down it. It caused my last arrow to hit slightly off center from the bullseye.

"We must have shot over a hundred arrow each before you missed!" he exclaims, not really seeming to care he won our little competition.

"It is not as hard when the target is standing still and so are you; I have to shoot from Kinjal's back while she's flying when I hunt with," I pause for a second, but then rush to get the rest of the words out. "when I would hunt with Rilin."

I wonder if he is still out there somewhere, hiding. Perhaps he and Father have taken refuge with others.

"Who is Rilin?" he asks gently. "You do not have to tell me if it is too painful though." he adds, sensing it is a delicate subject for me.

"No it is alright; Rilin was, is, my brother. My sister Del and I were separated from him when the orcs attacked our kingdom. I do not know if he is still alive or not."

"I would think you would know if he was dead or not, don't you? You would feel it inside you." he says earnestly, and I look up from my white knuckled fingers wrapped tightly around my bow to glance at Kili. "Do you feel anything like that?"

"No," I say slowly, "I believe he is still alive, perhaps hiding with others somewhere else."

"There will always be hope." Kili states, placing a hand on my shoulder.

"Castor needs to see you. He says it is urgent and refuses to talk to anyone else." I hear Kinjal's voice in my head say urgently.

"What is it? Is he hurt?" I ask her frantically, feeling my eyes grow wide.

"Kinjal is speaking to you again through your, your bond is it? You have a faraway look in your eyes just like the last time she did so." Kili says, watching me carefully. It is understandable; the last time I was spaced out a bit was because of a large side wound.

"Yes, she is." I respond absentmindedly, taking the empty quiver off my back and placing it next to the composite bow I had borrowed. "She says Castor needs to speak with me urgently."

"Is he alright?" Kili asks with concern.

"He is not hurt, but there is something wrong. I must go now, I will see you sometime later?"

Though it is rude, I do not even wait for an answer from Kili before running out of the room and all the way back to Castor and the others.

Kinjal shows me a map in my mind of a shortcut to reach them, sending me up multiple flights of stairs that make my legs burn. I begin to mutter curses at her in both the Western language and our own tongue.

"Not all of us have wings, my friend." I think to Kinjal, gritting my teeth and continuing up the stairs, pumping my legs faster and ignoring the fiery feeling in my legs.

When I do finally arrive at the door, worn out and breathless, I pause for a moment before slumping the rest of the way inside.

"What," I pause to take a large breath of air, "is so important of news that you had to tell me right away?" I question Castor in a rush, before bending over slightly and breathing in and out through my nose to get my breath back under control. Both of my hands are planted firmly on my knees, supporting my weight.

"I do not want to tell those two; I do not wish to alarm them unnecessarily." he replies, pointing over at Del and Mae, both of whom sit curled up against Mae's dragon, Altair's, side. Both are far enough away from the two of us that they will be unable to hear our conversation. Still, I lower my voice. "And do you not care if I am alarmed?" I asks, and laugh breathily, already knowing the joking answer he will give me.

"I figure the Duhului Drakai can handle it. No doubt you already know of what I will tell you." his lips quirk up into a lopsided grin.

"Well go on, share whatever it is you needed to tell me so desperately." I encourage, sitting next to where he lies on his cot in the infirmary, my legs crossed beneath me.

He props himself up on his elbows, leaning to the side so he faces more towards me. "I feel something evil in this mountain, Verath does too." he speaks seriously as he points over to his dragon. "I was not well enough to sense it at first, but Verath noticed it right away upon entering Erebor."

I nod. "I was aware of it the moment we entered the mountain, though I hoped I was imagining things until Kinjal confirmed she felt it as well."

"We should leave," Castor winces, shifting to a more comfortable position.

"And go where?" I lower my voice even more to barely above a whisper. "You are still far too injured to fly, and even if you were not, we cannot risk attempting to find others that will take us in while orcs still search for us. We would bring war upon a race that is not their own."

"We need to find out what that evil is then. It is obvious the dwarves know nothing of it; they do not seem to be able to sense things like we can."

I nod. "Kinjal and I can go scout around. You must work solely on getting better." I smile a bit, bumping his shoulder with mine gently and then moving to stand.

Castor grabs my hand before I can move away though, and I turn around again to look at him. "Be careful, we all need you."

"I will." I respond immediately, but Castor continues.

"The others follow you; I do not know if I have the skill take over if something happens to you."

"Well then I guess it is a good thing nothing will. I will be fine, now stop worrying! You are beginning to make me nervous."

Castor smiles a little, and drops my hand. "Fine, but if you die, I will have to kill you."

I snort as I walk to Kinjal. "You sound like my brother!" I call jokingly over my shoulder, "Oh ye of little faith."

"Let's go do something stupid." I whisper to Kinjal, climbing up onto her back.