Illuminated: Book One of the White Road Chronicles

Chapter 13

"No!" She searched for something, anything, to scare off the beast. At her feet, several gray rocks peeked through the forest debris. She grasped one in each hand. Both glowed with a dim light. Surprised, she nearly dropped them.

The wolf's angry bark and Jerin's yell snapped her back into action. Hurling the fist-sized rock, she gasped at the speed the projectile flew. The glowing stone hit the monster's skull. A blinding flash burst the wolf into a powdery dust.

Jerin scooted away, grabbing his sword. The last hound received a deathly stab directly to the heart.

Shouts came from deep in the woods as several torch lights appeared through the shadowed trees.

"You never listen, do you?" Jerin shoved her forward. Blood drenched his shirt and arms. She wondered if any of it was his. "Go, go, go!"

Her feet met rocks again, but in the darkness she couldn't tell if they'd found the path.

"Keep going. They're getting closer." Jerin pushed her on.

Pain stabbed her side. Daring a glance behind, she spotted bobbing lights following, but no sound of barking wolves in pursuit. Hopefully they'd killed them all.

"Look out," Jerin warned moments before she plowed into a tree.

Her forehead smacked against the rough bark. Lights flashed behind her eyes. Hands grabbed her pack and dragged her beneath a prickly bush. Jerin collapsed over her, covering them both in his black cloak.

"Shhh, quiet." His whisper faint and his breath puffed in her ear. "Don't move."

Feet thundered around them. Shouts and lights flashed then disappeared. She blinked away something wet and sticky flowing into her eye. Her mind reeled with fear and pain as everything faded into a foggy haze.

* * * *

Bright sunlight woke Princess from a fitful sleep where orange-eyed monsters chased her and sharp teeth tore at her flesh. She sat up, her cheek numb from resting on the smooth, round rocks. The White Road! They'd left it. Or she had. Blinking, she gingerly touched a stinging spot on her forehead. Her fingers drew back a smudge of blood.

"Ewww, is that mine?"

Jerin sat across from her, his knees drawn up to his chest and a furious scowl on his face.

"Rule number one... You're not supposed to get off the blasted white rocks!"

She blanched, his roaring voice thundered inside her achy head. Her boots were covered in mud and red stains caked her pants. She dug sticky, gooey strawberry pulp from inside her pockets.

"I wanted... strawberries." She found her canteen and drank several long gulps to quench her parched throat. "Now I need more water."

"That was all you had?" His roar grew ferocious. She scooted farther beneath the covering of the bushes, fearing he'd turn into one of those evil beasts any moment.

"We'll get some more. The stream isn't very—"

He stood, towering over her. "You left the path! We were lost in the woods. Luckily, we somehow came upon another fork of the White Road. I wouldn't have known if you hadn't picked up those... rocks..." His eyes widened in what she thought was either fear or confusion.

"You made them glow." He shook his head, walking away a few paces. "I've heard tales of the Light People, but never... I've never seen anything like that."

"What are you talking about?" Princess stood. Instantly, her head swam, and she almost fell.

Jerin caught her arm and steadied her. "Your medallion says you're an Illuminate. One of the Light People. When you grabbed the white stones, they glowed."