Solivagant

Chapter Twenty-Four

Awareness returned to Asher bit by bit, trickling through his clouded mind like honey. He was lying on the ground, one cheek pressed into the rocky dirt, his hands tightly bound and twisted at an awkward angle behind his back. He felt strangely heavy, as if his blood had been replaced by lead. A fire crackled nearby, spreading a soft glow across his eyelids. It's soft heat reached out intermittently to brush against his face, bringing some comfort to his whirling mind.

Pain gradually seeped through Asher as the minutes ticked by. Every part of him throbbed, especially his head.

Something about the tired ache of his body bothered him; Asher sifted through his muddy thoughts, grasping for the feeling as a child would.

Agony. The last thing he remembered had been agony. Sure, he felt terrible, but it was nothing compared to that.

What had happened?

Footsteps. Asher remained motionless as someone moved past him, momentarily blocking out the dull light of the fire. He heard the metallic slither of a sword being sheathed, followed by a deep sigh.

"Did you find them?"

Rivas' voice was alarmingly close: he couldn't have been more than two feet away. Asher twitched, a flash of panic chasing away the lingering effects of the drug. He bit his tongue, hard, and forced himself to keep still.

"No." That was Kain, his voice slow and weary. "But Idris says they went northeast."

So they escaped. Asher's heart twisted as the memory of Wade bleeding out on the ground flashed before his eyes. Please let him be okay.

"Hmph. While we're speaking about Idris . . . where is she?"

"Talking to Soren."

"Ah."

Soren. Asher flinched and bit down harder. That couldn't be good. He waited, his heart fluttering in his throat. Finally, Kain spoke up again.

"Did the kid wake up?"

"No. Why?"

"He could tell us where to find them. Might save Rhea some time."

"It's possible his friends will come to us first."

"That would save us a lot of trouble," Kain muttered. "We could kill them and be done with all of this."

When Rivas didn't answer, Asher dared to crack his eyes open. He was in a small clearing, next to a fallen log. Rivas was sitting atop it, cradling a small cup in his hands. A small campfire blazed in front of them; Kain sat beside the flames, his chin resting on one knee. Mountains rose up all around them, silhouetted against the reddening sky. Asher gazed at them, unsuccessfully trying to gain his bearings.

Kain turned to the side; Asher quickly closed his eyes as the Valkir's dispassionate gaze swept across him. "What's so different about this boy, Rivas? He's certainly strong, but—"

"We're not meant to ask questions, Kain."

"Come now. You must be curious."

Rivas sighed. "I have a few theories."

"And?"

"And it's none of your concern."

"Rivas—"

"Stop," Rivas interjected, his voice sharpening suddenly. "The boy's listening."

Asher's heart skipped a beat, but he didn't dare move.

"Is that so?" Kain asked, derision lacing every word.

Rivas sighed; Asher heard him stand just before the man's boot slammed into his stomach, sending a spike of pain through the place Kain had stabbed him. He let out a strangled yelp and curled around his middle, tears jumping to his eyes. Perhaps he hadn't been healed as well as he first thought.