Shaman - An Enchantress Novel Book 2

Chapter 6

The trail ran at a shallow slope, widening as it twisted gently through a thick layer of trees bordering a large green pasture that was dotted with a herd of grazing buffalo. A lake gathered running water from the mountain peak in a natural reservoir, before the overflow tumbled over a sheer cliff. Their descent into the valley was unhampered. Adie picked up the pace hoping to extend the lead they had on the shifters chasing them.

Rick ran easily alongside her. “It’s not far now… stop once we clear the trees… I need to signal her… so she knows we’re friendly… and won’t attack us.”

“Okay… no problem.”

Within minutes, the trees thinned and Rick signalled for her to stop. She pulled her water bottle from her backpack and sipped the cool liquid before doing a lot of leg stretches. Her calves and thighs were burning with a ferocity she hadn’t felt since a couple of months after she first started her self-moderated training programme. She welcomed the feeling; welcomed the knowledge that she could push herself beyond her limits. She was a survivor.  No one would hurt her as Uncle George had ever again. She hadn’t thought about the years of abuse she and Callie had suffered at his hands for almost a year, putting the resurrection down to the visit they paid him the previous month. His death brought her no regret; what did, was not stopping him sooner. Her reluctance to confront her torturer had resulted in the loss of so many innocent children.

Rick stood in front of her waving his hand in front of her face. “Earth to Adie…”

She shook herself from the morbid thoughts clouding her mind. “Sorry, I was daydreaming. What did you say?”

“Just that she hasn’t signalled back yet. It’s not like her. She always knows when someone’s coming,” he repeated, scanning the rocky path ahead that led down the edge of a vast waterfall, the fine spray forming a mist that cooled the air. “We should keep moving.”

“I thought you said she’d attack us?”

“That’s the thing, her first line of defence is an overwhelming need to turn back the way you came. I don’t feel that. Do you?”

“No.” She pondered his question for a moment. “If anything I want to get down there as quick as possible.”

“Then let’s keep moving.”

He helped her up from the rock she was resting on and directed her on a narrow path, virtually hidden by the undergrowth. Holding several small branches back, he allowed her passage without disturbing the camouflage. Rick led the way along the path that ran parallel with the main trail before turning toward the waterfall.

Adie glanced up from watching where she stepped and stopped dead in her tracks. Spinning in a circle, she searched for Rick, but he’d vanished without a trace.

“Rick?” she called softly. “Rick, where’d you go?” She jumped a foot in the air when a hand reached through the wall of water, pulling her into the stream by the wrist. She slammed against chest, making them both stumble into a small opening in the rock face at Rick’s back.

“This way,” Rick instructed, leading them deeper into the cave. “The entrance is completely hidden. Only people from our pride know of its existence,” he explained. The tunnel split numerous times left and right as they made their way forward. “There’s only one way through to safely reach the other side. Some of the tunnels lead to dead ends and some to death, so if you lose sight of me at any time, don’t wonder off on your own. Okay?” He stopped and frowned at the opening ahead.

“What’s wrong?” Adie asked.

“The torches lighting the tunnels have gone out. They’re lit by the Shaman’s magic not fuel, so they should be lit.”

She called a small orb of flame to her hand. “Which one?” she asked, unconsciously heading for the one on the right.

“Right.”

Flame flickered a few times before bursting to life, followed by every torch in view along the passageway in rapid succession.

Sometime later, they emerged from the darkness of the caves into bright sunlight, blinking and shielding their eyes from the blinding light.

Rick took off without warning, running full tilt toward a dark mound in front of a wooden hut.

“Shaman,” he called, panic lacing his words. He dropped to his knees as he reached it. “Adie quick, she’s hurt!”

Before Adie could react to his plea, he toppled over. She too fell forward from the force of a blow to the back of her head. A split second later, she felt the sharp sting of a needle in her arm and everything went painlessly dark.