CHAPTER 3 #2
“So, what do you say, Serene?” He reaches his hand out stiffly for me to stand up and leave with him.
I roll my eyes and push myself off the cot that continues to squeak with each movement I make.
Upon standing, I realize my legs are still tied together and regret my decision immediately.
The world turns sideways as my body falls forward toward the wooden floorboard.
My head slams against the ground and bounces off of it.
Damn it.
My head throbs as ringing sounds scream inside my ears. I grunt as I try to roll my body over, but it's useless.
Never in my life have I been the weak one. I am Serene. The stronger sister. But yet here, I feel nothing but a fragile stick that is ready to break. I lay here, staring at the dust particles that trickle across the floor.
Tapping sounds vibrate through the wood and up to my ears. He is coming.
“Well, I bet that didn’t feel good.” His boots walk away from my sight and my feet wiggle as he rips off the rope. “You are good to stand.” He continues to walk past my head and back to the door.
I push off the ground with my hands still tied, my knees bending against the floor to stand up.
I let out a vast sigh of annoyance at the chaotic events that keep unfolding before me.
My body weakens like it has been a constant punching bag the entire day and I am over it.
If we were back in Seattle, I would have knocked this man and the other, to the ground instantly. Men knew better than to mess with me.
He waits in the hallway with the continued cries of whatever creatures are behind the other doors. The shaking of the building begins again as he turns his back towards me to leave. I take one last look down the passageway and swiftly follow his lead.
Get me far away from this damn place.
The sun has finally set, though, and the starry sky above is vivid.
Seattle skies never look this bright.
Silver insects that reflect the moon’s light crawl over the rocks and branches that are spread across the flat terrain.
The sounds of fire crackles and snaps in the distance with the fresh smell of sizzled pork.
My stomach growls, begging for me to find some food.
I see the warmth of candlelight in the far distant, wondering if that is the village I traveled through.
But we shift the other way, walking further away into the darkness.
As I follow him out, his posture stays stiff before I hear the sounds of his shoulder blades crack, then rolling as he makes his way over to the horses.
There’s a pitch-black horse with a silver mane and tail, both braided and adorned with gems. The saddle and reins are metallic gold with scale-like markings along the sides.
A snow-white horse with amber locks stands beside the midnight one, huffing out air as soon as the Prince begins to walk towards it.
The night breeze is chilly, but nothing compared to the climate of the mountain Alice and I hiked.
He stands by the horse with hair that looks as bright as a fire, his hair gently moving from the wind, and gestures out his hand towards me.
“How am I supposed to ride?” I question him as I lift my tied hands together.
“You’ll figure it out.”
I shake my head, irritated by these men that have no decency or respect towards women. We lock eyes as I make my way over. The rocks beneath my feet make me stumble, but I continue on. I unsteadily make my way up to him, my eyes never leaving his as his never leave mine.
“I don’t like you.” My lip curls. He smirks before giving a slight, amused chuckle, finally breaking to look away. He leans closer to me, putting his lips next to my ear, and pauses.
“I don’t like you either, traveler.” His skin almost brushes against mine, his breath warm against my ear, sending shivers down my spine. These men are irritating. “Now get on the horse.”
I snap my face towards him, lifting my bound hands up in front of him again. “And how should I do that?”
He takes a deep breath in and picks me up. His arms wrap around me so tightly I can feel the deep muscles in his arms move as he lifts me up onto the horse. He grabs the reins and shoves them into my hands.
“You try to run off. You die,” he states, not blinking and waiting for me to acknowledge him. “Do you understand?”
“Yes, I understand,” I reply swiftly. He nods and heads for the dark horse.
My thighs tighten around the horse's body, his coat popping against the darkness of the night.
Almost as if it is a light to guide us through the midnight shadows.
I glide my finger across his mane, which is soft as a feather.
His hooves begin to dig into the ground beneath us as his head flies up and down.
My hands grip the reins tighter, praying I can control this magnificent beast.
This is no mechanical bull.
The Prince and I set off, kicking gravel under the horses’ hooves as we gracefully trot away from the structure. The cries of those trapped in the rooms carry in the breeze as if their pain travels with us. I’m just waiting, internally begging, for my ears to no longer hear it.
THERE HAVE BEEN NO LIGHTS on our trail to Eekatia, just an eerie darkness.
The tall trees that sway with the wind finally break, and we ride into a rocky terrain filled with broken logs and mountains in the distance.
My stomach growls. I have yet to eat, and the traveling is starting to wear on me.
Nothing resembles Seattle. Nothing resembles the twenty-first century.
I’m used to the sounds of a bustling city, but here there has been only an uncomfortable silence.
The winding trails have been too quiet, a vast flat grassland, with no sounds besides the crumbling of gravel under the hooves.
The Prince occasionally looks back at me without speaking, confirming I haven’t run off.
I’m not that stupid.
I look up at the sky, the moon shining so brightly with an indigo hue and the stars around it sparkling so vibrantly. It’s quite a sight to see.
My hands still grip the reins of the horse, but the rope is rubbing my skin raw.
I stay quiet, though, unsure of what lurks out in the dark.
My body begins to shift left and right as the horse kicks its legs around and huffs loudly.
My jaw tightens, along with my grip on the reins.
I go to speak, but pause when I see the Prince’s face.
He looks back at me with an expression I have yet to see. I suck in a sharp breath as his eyes bore into mine. Some sort of emotion is painted along his face. But as the light in his eyes begins to flicker, they darken just as fast.
“What is it?” I whisper as the horses' hooves beat against the ground.
“Quiet,” he snaps, his nostrils flaring.
His head whips around to the sky, looking in every direction. I do the same, as if I understand what he is looking for. But when he holds his hand up, telling me to stop moving, that’s when my stomach begins to twist and turn.
What is he looking for?
The quietness of our surroundings is driving me mad.
The darkness is almost suffocating as I see nothing but the moon and Florian.
The only sound I hear is the beating of my heart echoing in my ears.
It thumps loudly, making my head feel as if it might explode.
His hand stays up but then hesitantly comes down as my horse still fidgets with its legs.
My body stiffens in the horse’s saddle. My hands grip tighter, and sweat begins to form in my palms.
I feel they can all sense something I cannot.
“I hope you know how to ride a horse!” He snaps his head towards me and screams, “Vobviski!”
“Vobviski?” My eyebrows cave deep. Before I can say another word, the hooves of the horse I ride on lift off the ground and it takes off at full speed.
Prince Florian kicks his leg full force against his horse’s side and they sprint into the night.
His horse gallops far ahead, and I realize I am falling behind.
I panic and grip the reins as tight as I can.
My horse sprints after them, galloping rapidly as the freezing wind slaps my face like a million tiny daggers.
The grip of my rope begins to slip between my palms. I squeeze harder as my body bounces with every gallop.
Do not… fall off… this damn horse.
Through my squinted eyes, I still can visualize Florian and his horse ahead.
Tears sweep off the side of my face. I’m not crying, but the force of the wind makes it impossible to keep my eyes dry.
They’re drifting off into the night, so I whip the reins to go faster.
Just as I start to catch up, a shadow flying in the sky suddenly appears above us, making me flinch and bend my head down.
Wings flap violently in the soaring winds above us.
My breaths come in quick, shallow gasps as I desperately try to catch up to Florian.
The thundering beats from the horses reverberate against the ground, sending vibrations through my body with each heavy step.
The horses’ breaths are loud and ragged, matching my own strained and labored breathing.
The rushing wind whips into my ears as the winged shadow passes over me, the screeching scream of the creature piercing my ears.
“What the hell is that!” I duck down, my chest almost resting against the neck of my horse.
I catch a glance of a tunnel caved into the mountain ahead of us, wondering if this is what we are sprinting to. Desperately hoping. My body is bouncing uncontrollably off of the saddle, almost tilting me sideways, but I hold on for dear life.
I will not fall off.