Grishma (Book One in The Necoh Saga)

Chapter Twenty-Three

Chapter Twenty-Three

Sophie screamed and raced blindly through the woods. Unsure of which way to go, she sprinted as fast as her legs would take her. Panting hard, a cramp twisted up her left side. She wouldn’t be able to run much longer.

Slowing down, she looked behind her. All she saw were shrubs, trees, and the base of the Zonam Mountain.

Why is Grishma trying to kill me? What did I do?

A booming laugh filled the air. “Oh, Princess Sophie, or shall I say, Brooklyn… where are you?”

Brooklyn?

Sophie stopped running and crawled under some thick leafy bushes.

“There’s no use hiding, I will find you and I will kill you, my dear!”

She could see the nearby brush shaking and a disgusting smell filled the air.

Mucus was dripping down, forming a puddle on the ground. “Come out, come out, wherever you are!”

Suddenly, someone dropped from a nearby tree limb. “Leave her alone!”

Grishma spun around. “Ryder? Have you come to die, too?”

Ryder?

Sophie couldn’t see much through the shrubs, but she could hear the clanging of swords.

“Is that all you’ve got, boy?”

Ryder screamed and Sophie could hear rapid footsteps.

Why is Ryder here and why is Grishma trying to kill him, too?

Sophie felt someone tugging on her leg and a hand reached up to cover her mouth as a muffled scream attempted to escape her lips.

“Princess! It’s me, Emlyn!”

Sophie’s heart was beating so fast she thought it might thump right out of her chest.

“Quick! Come with me, Princess! Brianna has Prince Algid on a horse nearby and they’re waiting for us with another horse!”

Emlyn waved and beckoned Sophie to follow. “This way,” she mouthed.

They crawled through the woods on their hands and knees until they could no longer hear Grishma and Ryder fighting.

“Just a little bit further,” said Emlyn in a hushed tone.

After a few more moments of slinking through the woods, two horses came into view.

Emlyn raced to the horse and threw herself on its back. Sophie followed and took her outstretched hand.

Brianna and Emlyn nudged the horse’s sides and galloped off into the woods.

“What the happened back there?” Emlyn shouted over her shoulder.

Sophie felt numb and yet overcome by emotion at the same time. “Grishma tried to kill me!”

“What? Why?”

“She called me Brooklyn and said I knew too much and that I had to die!”

“I’m so sorry, Princess! We’ll ride straight to Dratun! We’ll be safe there!” called Emlyn.

The horse galloped through the thick brush of the woods. Sophie could see the tail end of Prince Algid and Brianna’s horse. “Is Prince Algid okay? He was acting so strange!”

“Brianna said that Grishma followed you once you turned to run. The Prince just stood there with a strange look on his face. When Brianna got to him, he had a dart in his neck!”