Embers and Ashes

Chapter 14: Ecclaissia

The aroma of the food that is right in front of us is very attractive. Romello has already had a full plate of potatoes, different meats, and few vegetables. I create a small plate of my own and take in small bites of veggies, fruit, potatoes, and an assortment of meat.

"So... What is the plan?" Romello inquires halfway through his third plate.

I finish chewing the piece of meat and swallow. I look down at my plate and ask myself the same question: What am I going to do? Where am I going? Who am I? Or What am I? I look back at Romello who is shoveling potato bites in his mouth and smile to myself. "I don't know." I reply.

He stops, with his mouth stuffed with potatoes, to enthusiastically grin at me while saying "That is the best kind of plan to have!"

More than halfway through my plate I feel off. I look up to see Romello passed out on his bed. My mind feels slow and foggy. I get up and stumble onto my bed. Before I could no longer move, I put a knife underneath the pillow, just in case. After a few minutes I hear the door open and then shut with a click a second later this time.

I know we are locked in this time.

Whatever I consumed is gradually starting to wear off and I slowly sit up. My head is spinning, but I stand up and grab my knifes and swords anyway. I put on my cloak and grab the bags Romello was carrying and put Romello's cloak back on him so that he is ready to go when we need to leave.

After a while I start to hear heavy footsteps. I go over to wake up Romello, I shake him gently at first, but he doesn't stir, so I shake him even harder and he still doesn't move. The footsteps are getting closer and Romello still asleep.

I start to panic.

I can't wake him up. The footsteps are louder and closer. My heart is beating rapidly, and the room is getting fuzzy. I take a step towards the bed and inhale slowly.

Panicking is not going to get me and Romello out of danger. I put on my coat and do the same for Romello and prep him for our escape out of the inn. I hide behind the door so that I can have the advantage of a surprise attack. The footsteps become louder and louder, then silence. I hear the door unlock and watch the handle turn slowly.

The door slowly creaks open and the footsteps proceeds into the room. I go to attack but abruptly stop as I recognize the reason why the footsteps were so loud. The fat fox lady at the bar quickly closes the door and grabs me by my shoulders, sets me down on my bed, and puts and finger to her lips. I nod in response.

"Someone is looking for you. I brought the bell that got you here to this realm." She looks towards the door as if she heard someone coming. "Hurry! Give this to the human. It should wake him. I will buy you ten minutes for you to wake him and gather your things." She goes to the door and looks back at me and I look at her. She opens the door and leaves the room.

I rush to Romello's bed side and light the herbs she gave me on fire in the palm of my hand. The smoke from the herbs rises to his nostrils. His nose starts twitching rapidly then his eyes fly wide open as he shoots up in the bed sneezing. He turns and looks at me with a confused and drowsy look on his face, which looks ridiculous. I want to laugh but I cannot at this moment.

I faint heavy footsteps in the distance, and they are not the same as the fox ladies. I quickly grab Romello by his shoulders and shake him violently to quickly wake him. When he snaps to it, he is startled by the look on my face.

"What's wrong?"

"Somebody is after us." I respond bluntly to not show how scared I really am. Hs expression shifts from cautious-confusion to cautious-panic.

He reaches to grab a bag off my shoulder and turns to me with both thumbs up, I smile in response. I open the small window above the bed Romello was in with the bell in my hand. I quickly turn around and grab his hand to go out the window and back to the land of humans.