Ike Penworthy

Chapter |~ 27

Ike stood on the steps of the courtyard, watching the hustle and bustle below as students greeted parents and said goodbye to classmates. The sun was warm in the cold air which had melted the snow into slush under the hundreds of feet slipping and sliding in it. She didn't look at Sorn when he came to her side, but he watched her, studying her face and noting the relaxed, at peace gleam in her frost-eye.

She leaned on a crutch, her leg so bad they'd threatened to cut it off if she didn't use the handled stick. A patch was over her left eye, but it'd be fine in a couple days. The gash was stitched along her hairline. She looked like a war-victim.

Looking out over the crowd Sorn found his family. He'd yet to explain anything to his father, but they had an entire eight hours home to discuss it. And Dutch could use some time alone with the old man.

"Will you come back with us?" Sorn asked.

Ike looked at him, then back over the yard. "No." She answered strongly. "There are things I need to do."

Sorn deflated slightly. "Will you at least let us take you as far as Riddle?"

Again she turned to him. That one eye studied him. "I don't see any harm in that."

He smiled.

<–––––<<<

Hours later the Dashlyn carriage landed at the port, juddering to a stop on the wooden dock. Sorn was the first one out, feeling suffocated. Ike was on his heels, her cane forgotten and limp present.

Without thinking (and not wanting his father to stop him) Sorn grabbed Ike's wrist and tugged her away from the carriage. She stiffened, looked uncomfortable, but didn't pull back. He took it as conformation and led her toward the stables. Inside the Dashlyn's white steads were being harnessed for the journey home. In the back was Sorn's horse.

The grey stallion greeted his owner with an enthused nicker, banging against his stall door. Sorn cringed as the door groaned, the wood already magnificently dented and warped.

"This is Pomuel." Sorn introduced, scratching between the great beast's ears. For being such an overpowering creature, Pomuel's dark eyes were calm.

"Is this the horse you tried to compare me to?" Ike reached out, rubbing his soft nose.

Sorn coughed. "I was giving an example."

Her mouth twitched in a half-smile.

Watching her as she ran her hands over Pomuel's face, Sorn was finally able to say what he'd wanted to say that morning. "You didn't kill Liam."

Everything about her paused. "No." She finally said.

And now to ask the question that he'd been holding in for a long time. "Did you know he killed my mother?"

"Yes." She said quietly.

Sorn swallowed. "How long did you know?"

"Liam bragged about it last night." That frost eye met his gaze. "As much as I deny it, my revenge was completed when Crest died. Liam's life wasn't for me to take."

"Would you have taken it if I hadn't?"

"You mean if you'd tried to take him to trial?" She scoffed. "In a heartbeat."

They both went quiet, Pomuel's breath collecting between them.

"Sorn!" Keen's voice echoed around the barn. Cloud followed it, sliding to a stop beside her human.

Ike sighed, backing away from the horse and owner. "Thank you Sorn." She smiled and then limped away.

When Sorn had tacked up Pomuel and left the stable, she was nowhere in sight. But leaning against the waiting carriage was a white-bone bow and a jeweled dagger.

Ike Penworthy was finally free.

©JJHays2017

[Note]: And it's finally over!!! (There's an Epilogue but it's short). Can't believe how quickly I wrote this. I started it June 6th, 2017 and completed it August 15th, 2017. Of course I wasn't working on it every day, but still, that's a really short time period for me to write a book. It is a slightly short book compared to my 5D stuff, only approximately 31,500 words and nearly 75 pages. WORD recorded my time at just over 52,000 minutes which is about 36 days. So not bad.

Will there be a sequel? Probably not. I might write a short or something but I like how this ended. If I think of a really good plot that can rival this ones then I'll definitely think more on a second book.

I want to give a big shout-out to ExotiqNerd (WP is being annoying and not letting me tag you here, but I did dedicate the chapter to you, so maybe that'll work) for sticking with me and my books and for always giving me awesome comments (along with making me laugh... a lot).

Until next time,

JJ

09.04.17

[Ps]: One month till my birthday!! :) :D