Spirits

Chapter 26

The path curled out of sight almost as soon as the field gave way to the trees. The tall structures hid us from the house, but they also blocked our view.

"Come on, Maurea." Jaw hissed as we ran. "We don't know if they saw us."

He was faster than me, but he kept my pace, trying to encourage me. It hadn't rained in a few days, so the ground was hard and easier to move across, but that meant horses would be able to follow with no difficulty.

"Follow me," I suddenly spoke, steering us into the woods.

Without the path, we tripped and scrambled through the woods until we reached the river and clearing around it. We slowed down and walked along the riverside until we found a rocky area where we could hide. The rocks were smooth and flat with high walls that blocked us from view.

"Do you hear anyone?" I panted as we crawled over the polished stone and slipped into the bowl-like hole.

"No," he breathed, looking over the rocks. "I don't think anyone followed us."

I settled into the rocks as my heart slowed down. The smooth surface was awkward and uncomfortable, but I was exhausted. I closed my eyes and enjoyed the warm sun as I thought over the conversation we had been fortunate enough to overhear and survive.

After a few minutes, Jax started shifting to sit next to me. His long legs reached the opposite wall and mine barely reached his calf.

"What do you think the man meant by captured?" I said as I opened one eye to look at Jax. His head was leaning back into the sunlight and his pale skin reflected the light and made him look sickly.

"I don't know for sure, but I don't want to hope for anything. I think we should wait until we can talk with your sister before concluding anything." Jax didn't look at me, but I could still hear his whispered words. "Can I see the bag Isabella gave you?"

Jax reached out his hand and I put the leather strap across it. He drew it to his body and started examining the contents. He put the satchel down and read through the paper.

"I think this belongs to you," he handed me a long parchment. Confused, I grabbed it.

The loopy words were hard to read, but at the very bottom, my name was printed next to Nicholas's name and his signature.

"She gave me my marriage contract?" I looked at the document and fingered the blank area under my name. The place I would have to sign if I hadn't run away.

"It looks like she gave you both yours and hers." Jax held up another contract. I tucked mine back into the satchel and grabbed Isabella's.

"She didn't need to sign this. She could have run away," I looked up at Jax to find him listening. "She was ready to run the night before. She had everything set." The paper was crumpled under my fingers and brought back painful memories. "My father talked to her and, after that, she didn't. I still think he threatened her with me."

"It's possible. He didn't sound like a kind man."

I shook my head. "He wasn't abusive, but he was no father. Isabella was always better with him and he favored her, so he ignored me and she got the brunt of his attention."

"She sounds like a good sister and person."

"She was," I replied. "I missed her the first time I left and now she won't come with us even when she could." My hands were trembling as I held the contract and the source of all her pain.

"I don't understand that," Jax said, shaking his head. I didn't respond, there was nothing I could say. "She was straightforward, more so that's Siren, even. She doesn't seem like the type to take a hit without fighting back." He nudged my shoulder, "You are sisters, that was evident."