AHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!! Final part of the 4 part update!!!! This chapter is dedicated to FlamySapphire for adding Hidden Kingdom to one of their Reading Lists. Thank you for giving my novel a chance!!! I do hope all of your readers have enjoyed the updates I have posted today. Now I won't keep you any longer. Onto the fourth part of the update!
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As the moon rose high into the sky the feeling of it was the right time to act thrummed through my veins. Refusing to be ignored.
Tilting my head to the side the sounds of night time drifted through my ears, hearing only silence and the sounds of crickets my feet moved silently towards the front of the cage.
Stepping up to the lock I decided to try out my magic to see if earlier had been a fluke. Reaching for my magic once more I nearly cry out in pain. My magic flow was blocked from me as long as I remain in the cage. Instead of a cool soothing sensation a burning heat made its way down my arms. Surprised the control for my magic slipped away, the scorching heat fading along with it.
Pouting one my fingers slipped the key out from its hiding place. Sliding it into the lock. Slowly turning the key but it got stuck before it wouldn't budge. Catching a growl of frustration within the back of my throat before it could escape.
Jake frantically waved to get my attention, signing something quickly that I couldn't hope to catch. He rolled his eyes at the confusion taking place. Though he signed at a slower pace, 'Lock picks!' Oh!!! Of course. Taking the ornaments from my hair and flicking the locks of hair back in annoyance the key was replaced with the lock picks.
Kneeling I closed my eyes as I listened to the tumbles of the locks. With a soft click the door slightly opened. Grinning I opened the door a bit wider so Bao and I could slip silently through. Taking my lock picks out of the key hole I made my way over to the other cage. Inserting the key first, hoping it could unlock this particular cage.
Much to my disbelief the key turned easily in the key hole. Unlocking the cage with another soft click. My breathing slightly increased as I waited just to see if any of the guards had awoken due to the cages opening. So far no movement or sound could be detected.
Opening the cage partially for Dax and Jake to slip out, I waited for them to stand beside me before giving further orders. "What now?" Dax lightly whispered.
I cringed at first, relaxing when no one had woken up. "We need to find our weapons. Dax, you and I will search the leader's tents for them. You check Bartholomew's tent while I check Alex's. Bao go get the horses. Jake go help him saddle the horses. We need to sneak away quietly before making our full escape." Whispering in the softest tone I could manage. My voice carrying far enough for only the four of us to hear in the dead of night.
Giving a nod of conformation before we each slipped away to do our designated job. Dax waved once as he silently slipped into the leader's tent.
Slipping unnoticed into the second in command's tent, seeing his form on his cot for an unknown reason had me gravitating towards him. Gazing upon Alex as he slept, his face vulnerable and open opposite of how he carried himself when awake. My fingers aching to move a stray piece of hair that fell onto his face, catching myself before I could.
Eyes darting around the tent only to rest upon a pile of weapons sitting in the corner by some chairs covered in expensive looking furs. Moving to the flap of the tent so the boys could see my form standing at the entrance. I waved a couple of times to indicate that the weapons had been located. Jake and Dax came trotting over quietly, moving nearly as a shadow across the distance that separated us.
I disappeared back into the tent to only collect the weapons that wouldn't clang against each other and wake Alex up from his slumber. Depositing the spoils in my hands to the boys, who ran to the woods to deposit them before coming back for the ones replaced within my hands.
This continued a couple more times until the pile of weapons in the tent had vanished. Seeing as Alex's form hadn't moved once I quickly take my leave of the tent with the last of my own weapons in hand, following the boys to where the horses were waiting with an impatient Bao.
Jake made a follow me motion mainly to me as he lead us deeper into the outskirts of the woods where Bao had been waiting for us with the pile of weapons, his already missing from the pile. Dax and Jake practically dived for their weapons laying on the ground, hardly making a sound as they put them back in their proper places.
Following their lead I sorted through my weapons. Coming to realize that I was missing a single dagger. One that was part of a set of twins. Searching through my memories I remembered Alex carrying a familiar hilt on his belt, a weapon I didn't dare go for at the time.
"Dammit, I am missing a dagger. Wait here, I am going to go retrieve it." I lowly mutter as I start to head back towards the bandit's camp.
Someone grabbed my arm swinging me around to face them. Dax shook his head at me his voice firm in resolve, "No, it isn't safe. We must get away before they realize that we have escaped our cages."
Ignoring him I glance helplessly back towards where my missing dagger would be located, "But, I want it back. It is part of my favorite set." Dax's face hardened crumbling my decision. "Oh all right let's go, quickly." Hastily snatching Zimra's reins from Bao's outstretched hands, we slowly picked our way deeper into the forest away from the bandit's camp. Taking our time to be quiet as possible. Though as the time stretched my anxiety climbed to higher levels.
My eyes darted around in case someone had been following us, grinning in triumph from what I had spotted up ahead. Throwing caution to the wind I quickly throw my leg up into the stirrup and shifted my weight in the saddle, the boys following my lead. Without further encouragement we nudged our steeds in a gallop down a road we happened to stumble upon.
By the looks of the deep cut marks in the road it was a merchant's road and judging from the curling smoke in the distance we weren't far from a town.
This piece of news made me slightly unnerved. If we stopped in the town Bartholomew and his bandits were sure to find us. Unless of course I transport us closer to home, which would take almost all my energy. A price I was willing to pay if it meant staying free of capture. Escaping the clutches of death.
Tugging Zimra to a stop the others shot right past me, though turning around once they realized I wasn't following. "What is it? Now is not the time to stop! We have to keep going to put as much distance as we can between us and them." Bao warned. His steed prancing nervously underneath him, ready to flee at a moment's notice.
"That's the thing. I can make a portal that will put mass distance between us and them. We can be transported closer to the castle. It will be as though we had simply disappeared." I explained. Dax and Jake grinned while Bao sat confused.
"A what?" He asked.
Jake snorted leaning forward on the horn of his saddle to patronizing him, "A portal keep up would you?" Jake turned his gaze away from the confused idiot to rest upon me with hopeful eyes. "Do you think you could do it? I know it takes almost if not all of your energy."
"I will just have to deal with the consequences. I will not go back to that cage and my eminent death." The boys nodding in understanding. Well as much as Bao could understand anyway. "Once the portal is up do not hesitate to ride through. I sense we might company soon." It was true, my bad feeling was coming back with a vengeance, which could mean a great many things. But I was betting on the bandit guards showing up to stop us from fully escaping.
Taking a deep breath I raised my hands letting my magic pool into my palms. Before commanding it to flow out in a swirling motion to create a portal a few feet from us. The portal flared a white color tinged with yellow, mixes of green showing as it swirled before us, ready to help us make our escape. Bao looked nervous as he eyed the portal cautiously. Nevertheless he rode through it as Jake practically dragged him through the swirling mass.
I was slowly following when the thundering sound of hoofs met my ears. The sound growing louder as the rider and his horse drew closer. Whipping my head around only to see Alex riding towards us as if the hounds from hell nipped at his heels.
Surprise clearly showing on his face as he eyed the portal before us. Panicking I bellowed for Dax to move, "Go! He will reach us at any second with the speed his is going." As Dax rides through I glance back once, making eye contact with the man who spelled disaster for my fate if he put a stop to our escape. The look of strong determination on this face as he urged his horse to a quicker stride.
Not waiting a moment longer I force Zimra to gallop through the portal. Once I am through I hurry to close it. Feeling my magic cut off the swirling mass as it disappears with a few waves of my hands. Wonderment frozen on the boy's faces, coming out of their artificial stupor they proceed to let out whoops of joy having escaped the bandits clutches.
Only able to manage a shaky smile as exhaustion sets into my bones. My eyes close without my permission as my hands go limp, letting the reins fall from my fingers as I slide from my saddle.
Bruising my shoulders and back as I tumble down onto the ground. Scaring Zimra as she pranced away from my fallen body but not scared enough to take flight. The sounds of someone dismounting managed to reach through the foggy recesses of my brain before the feeling of strong arms wrap around my weak body. Picking me up and cradling me against their large chest, much like what Alex had done.
Forcing my heavy eyelids to open just enough so I could glimpse who had picked me up. Dax's green eyes stared down at me worriedly. Offering him a weak smile as everything around me tinged black and went dark a moment later, not able to keep myself afloat anymore from the deep exhaustion that wracked throughout my body.
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Well everyone that is it for today. Thank you for sticking with me for so long. I hope you have a Happy 4th of July!!!! I do not know when the next series of updates will be. I have recently started a new job that can have demanding hours, so I will also try my best to put them up soon. But lets face it, I am also incredibly lazy hahahaha. So I'll see you next time!!!
As Always, Vote, Comment, and Keep Reading. Happy 4th Y'all!!!!