"Aldaire, halt!" commands Himley. In an instant, Aldaire's weight vanishes as if he's been hit by a wizard's spell.
Blinking my eyes open, I find Aldaire turned away, his fingers kneading his temples as if trying to ward off a pesky goblin headache.
Himley drapes me in fur once more, as if I'm some damsel in distress.
"What are you?" I whisper, my voice barely louder than the rustling leaves. What kind of enchanted forest is this?
"He has sent her! He knows of my arrival."
"Who are you?" I retort, matching his tone.
Himley, however, pays no heed to our verbal jousting. "Is Lavyrle behind this? Did he send you to shadow us?"
"Who is Lavyrle?"
"Did he?"
"No. I don't know what you are talking about."
Aldaire groans. "She is a traitor to her kingdom. Naveit, mayhap. We must seek out her kin and all who hold her dear. We must slay them all, for such is the punishment."
"I swear to you. I have nothing to do with what you are talking about."
My family? I know not who they are at this moment, but each word he utters feels like a knight's vow.
Himley and Aldaire exchange a look that lasts an eternity before turning to me. Their silent communication is as mysterious as a wizard's spell. I fear what they might have concocted.
"Let us make haste," he commands, striding towards his steed.
Himley follows without a word. I watch them depart, certain that accompanying them would be as wise as challenging a dragon to a duel. I am filled with questions, fears, and a lack of direction, yet I am resolved to stay put.
Without bidding, my feet start in the opposite direction. My heart pounds like a drummer at a feast.
"Where do you think you are going?" his voice trails after me.
I clear my throat. "Home, obviously."
"That is not the way," he adds.
I veer to the left, determined to continue my journey.
I can hear the amusement in his voice. He's toying with me. "That is not the way either."
I groan in exasperation. He's enjoying this as much as a jester at court. I turn back to my original path.
"You are under arrest, Leizabeth. You are in league with a traitor and you are going to aid us in his capture."
It takes me half a second to soak in his words. They didn't slay him! He will return for me.
"No!"
"We saved your life," he points out, "now you owe us this."
"No, do not force me to do this. He is a...he is a..." I falter, unable to utter the word. A monster? A vampire? No, they are but myths.
Aldaire approaches me lento. Whatever his reason, he is determined to take me.
I pick up a pointed wooden stick and aim it at him, feeling like a peasant facing a knight.
Himley joins in. "This is Barracks territory, Leizabeth. Thou art wandering in the lands of the wealthiest without a mark. This alone is an act of transgression."
"I did not ask to be saved. You should have left me die and spared yourself this remorse."
"Our castle is not far away. We shall clean you, feed you, and propose a solution, or... we can seek your kin. Besides, night is falling and it will worsen as it draws near."
"I am innocent." I press my temple in vexation. "Just hand over the dagger."
Aldaire saunters over to me and without seeking leave, peers into my eyes. He grips me tight for a few moments. It's not long after I cease my futile attempts at kicking and thumping his chest that he grins.
"Under the council of Barracks...," he declares, holding me captive with his gaze. Losing control of my actions and my thoughts, I feel exposed. I am immobilized, "...thou shalt follow me without protest."
He blinks and adds in a softer tone, his eyes returning to their normal hue. " Thou shalt not question my motives but obey my commands. Thou shalt aid us in capturing him, Leizabeth."
Silence descends upon us. Gradually, he releases me and steps back, expecting me to trail behind him. To my astonishment, I do. Something within me urges me not to, but I feel compelled to obey. It's as if everything is in order.
I glance up at Himley, hoping for some reassurance, but she is staring at Aldaire with wide eyes.
"Did you just..." she trails off.
Did he do what? I yearn to ask but I can't find my voice to do so. I am forbidden to do so and it irks me.
"I am unsure if this is right," I voice, feeling a twinge of uncertainty in my gut.
"It's not an option," he retorts.
I ride with him for the majority of our journey. After a few hours, I proclaim my undying loathing for the man.
"Trust me, the sentiment is mutual."
After a lengthy silence, he speaks again." You are so petite, I fear I'd snap you. What should I call you? Pixie? Gnome? Dwarf?"
Himley chuckles. "Cease. You are frightening her."
"I am bored to tears. If she is going to assist me in capturing that scoundrel, then she can serve as my jester as well. It's certainly more entertaining than conversing with my alec sister."
"No, I'm not. You are an ungrateful man." She turns her eyes away and ignores us for the rest of the ride.
We continue our journey in silence. Because I am tired of protesting in my mind and I lack any shred of embarrassment, I fall asleep embracing the horse. It is still dark when I open my eyes. I pull the fur closer to my body.
"Are we there?"
"Soon," Himley replies.
Without seeking permission, I rest my head on the horse again and drift off to sleep. The dawn is approaching faster than I anticipated. I abhor the darkness but the thought of what the day holds scares me more.
Despite that, I can't help but gasp in awe at the sight. The river holds a million diamonds in place which reflect the colors of the morning sunshine. "Is that supposed to be a river?" I ask, turning to Himley.
She nods in agreement.
There's a soft groan at the back of Aldaire's throat. "Have you never seen ice before?"
Annoyed, I avert my gaze. He is a killjoy. I realize I have fallen into a comfortable state, so I panic.
I scan and attempt to memorize the path in case I need to flee. Emphasis on attempt, because all there are, are trees with no way back. Not long after, we stand atop a cliff. There's a small castle in the distance. It could be the distance or the actual size. Houses surround the palace which rests on the very peak of a mountain.
Aldaire stiffens behind me for a few moments.
"You live there?" I am astounded.
"Something like that," Himley responds.
"May I ask a question?" I turn to Aldaire who still has me under the spell.
"Forget it," he retorts.
"It is important." I feel it forming at the tip of my tongue but it won't be released until I am given permission.
"It's still a no."
I groan in frustration. I shoot Himley a pleading look, but she just shrugs it off.
The horses slow down and the siblings give each other weird looks. I decide to mind my own business. Their silent conversation is intense. Suddenly, Himley's horse dashes ahead, leaving Aldaire and me behind.
"Where is she going? Why are we staying here? Are you going to kill me? I want to go with her."
Aldaire gets off his horse. He doesn't bother to ask for my consent as he lifts me down.
"Hands off," I warn.
"As much as I loathe you, I have no intention of killing you...yet."
Right. He said he needs me as bait, so...
I roll my eyes and move away from him. I sit under a tree and wait for Himley. I feel safer when she is around. Not that I trust either of them, but I sense some kind of connection.
"How did he find you?" Aldaire asks, leaning on his horse.
I try to forget about death, but I fail. I promised myself not to talk to him, but it's hard to keep quiet. I hug my arms, hoping to warm up and ignore the cold touch of the hands that nearly killed me. It haunts me.
I look away and clear my throat. "In the forest."
"Of Naveit? Don't you have a castle?"
If only I could remember. "I don't know the name of the forest."
I don't need to look to know that he is staring. His eyes make me uneasy. I want to hide under a rock and stay there. I pull the fur over my face.
"So, did he give you the knife?"
Give me a knife? For what? He was playing a cruel game, that's what. "In exchange for my blood?"
"For your blood?" he repeats incredulously. "What's so special about you?"
Does he have to be so cocky?
"Well, for one thing, I am a woman..." I glance away when he raises an eyebrow. "...which means I am smart."
"Really?"
"Very."
After a long silence, he says, "If that's the case, I look forward to seeing your power."
"It's not a power."
He smiles. "I thought that's what makes you special."
"You're wrong. Power is made and can be taken away at any time. What I have is natural. It's in my blood and it dies with me when I'm gone."
"You have a way with words, I'll give you that."
Our eyes meet for a moment. I want to see what I saw before. I want to know what he did to me, but I'm afraid. Not of him, but of what I'll find.
Time passes slowly as we wait for his sister. The night is coming too fast. I'm worried. I have to stay with him until dark. What if he plans to kill me then?
"Where did Himley go? Why are we here?" I blurt out. My teeth are chattering.
"I'm the one who asks questions here."
What a fool! I fear for my life. What if he has a wicked scheme and he is distracting me with idle talk so I would lower my guard and he would slay me as he vowed? Or...what if this is how he wants me to perish? It is as cold as a witch's teat.
I lack the strength to quarrel, so I shut my eyes and think instead of brawling over the slumber.
Who am I? What am I doing here? How did I get here? Most importantly, where am I? Even though I know nothing about myself, my gut tells me that I am not meant to be here. I bite the inside of my cheek, hoping to recall soon. If only I can have my memories back, I'll know where I belong.
I open my eyes to find him on the brink of the cliff, unarmoured. As he gazes out in the direction of the palace, I find myself admiring his back. He stands with brawny legs slightly apart as if ready for any sudden fray. His robust arms are crossed in front of him.
His back view is mesmerizing; it is getting harder every passing moment to look away. I close my eyes and sigh. What am I thinking? This is probably a coping mechanism. I have to find a way to deal with it.
First, the baffling crash, followed by the captivating forest, then the madman who tries to kill me, and now this. Siblings who rescue me so I can become their marionette. If I let everything pile up, then my body is going to collapse the way it usually does when I face the stress.
"Himley is near."
With half-frozen legs, I get up and search around for any sign of Himley. There is none.
Aldaire takes long strides in my direction, I panic and start walking away. My feet suddenly betray me, I miss a step and fall. Or that's what I think. Before I can hit the ground, he reaches over to catch me.
His hands are unnaturally big for my body, I feel like a ragged doll under him. I shut my eyes so he can't look at me like that. I am curious about it, yes, but I am more frightened than anything else.
"I'd like to be the one to inflict pain on you," he whispers.
The statement gives me chills. There is no way for me to utter an apt phrase so I push him away.
Inopportunely, Himley appears. The horse stops a few feet away. She gives us a peculiar stare as we pull away.
"You two are getting along very well." She tosses a bag at Aldaire who catches it nimbly.