Coldstone Spirit of the Faded Pages

Chapter Twenty Six - Chase, Hide and Run

'Your horse?' Searah asked through the Coldstone.

'Well alright, your horse, but I'd still like to make it in once piece.'

'Where are you, your fathers furious.'

'Is he there now? Can I talk to him?'

Amea got a brief flash of her father, pacing up and down brandishing an angry finger in Kaytee's direction.

'He doesn't know I'm awake yet, and by the sound of things he's having a few problems getting to grips with what he's already seen, I don't think he could handle a chat with his wayward daughter who isn't even in the room.'

'Yeah, fair point,' Amea replied, still wondering why she was speaking out loud, 'a good tip with handling my father is only give him enough information to steer him in the right direction, let him do the thinking for himself. He's very smart,' she added, 'it isn't going to take him long to work everything out for himself anyway.'

'I'm getting that impression. Look, can you at least tell me why you've stolen my horse and ridden out into the wind and rain? The more I can tell your dad, the better.'

Amea, still pelting along the woodland path, ducked violently to avoid a branch that had been half blown down by the wind. 'I'm taking very good care of Cashew because I need him to follow the men that attacked the Pages last night.' there was a long pause. 'Searah, are you still listening? It's hard to tell when your just a voice in my head.'

'Give me something else I can actually tell your dad' Search said, the concern palpable in her voice.

'Look, trust me Searah I can do this, and if I do this then we'll be able to find out where they go, what they're up to.'

'You've spent your life locked away safely in St Greys, how can you know you can do this?'

'Look,' Amea said angrily, 'I haven't got time right now but if you use the stone again later I promise I'll explain, but until then just trust me.'

There was another long pause before Searah said 'if you get hurt then I'll get the blame.'

'Look,' Amea started, but Searah cut across her.

'So don't get yourself hurt, alright? I want you to keep in constant touch with me and if I tell you to stop, or turn back, or run you do it.'

'Alright,' Amea said excitedly, 'I will. Are you going to be ok dealing with my dad?'

'No,' Searah said dryly, 'but it doesn't look like I'll have much choice.'

It was a few hours later, when Amea had stopped under the cover of a small patch of trees for something to eat and drink, when Searah contacted her again. The light was starting to dim leaving a deep orange glow across the distant horizon, drawing long, distorted shadows across the cold hard ground. Amea had unpacked the blankets and bedding from her bags, and had pulled out water and grain for Cashew who was tied happily against one of the bigger trees.

'I'll give you this,' said Searah's voice suddenly from inside her head, making Amea jump and spill some soup on the ground, 'You're better prepared than I was when I went running out on a fools errand across the Territories.'

'They've turned east,' Amea said ignoring Searah's tone, 'so I think they're going to be skirting round the outside of the Raven Forest, which is a pain.'

'Why?' Searah asked.

'When they're out in the open they're much easier to track. I think I'm only a few hours behind them now, and from the tracks they're leaving they're not moving very fast. When they start running in and out of the trees things become more difficult, so I want to catch them up before they get that far.'