A boy burst into the throne room where King Zelrox sat with Nadu by his side as always. Two guards chased after the boy. His newest accomplice, Hunter 9, waited a little further behind Nadu, watching in amusement as the larger guards failed over and over at catching the small child.
The boy easily dodged both of the guards and struggled to get to the throne. Nadu started forward, his throne at the ready to defend him, but King Zelrox stopped him, holding up his hand. The Shadow growled a warning at the boy, and King Zelrox shook his head at Nadu. The Shadow had failed to capture the Hunter girl, and was ever asking for repentance for his failure. The Gargyons were in fast pursuit of Athin and his dragon scum, yet they too had let the most important one go.
"What is the reason for this rude intrusion boy?" King Zelrox asked, waving away the guards, who retreated but stayed near, their raised spears a silent threat.
"She is here, my Lord." The boy said breathlessly, and King Zelrox instantly knew who he meant.
"Where may I find her, boy?" He asked impatiently.
"First I want payment." The boy said, holding out his hand expectantly. "Fifteen hundred Queros, just as promised." King Zelrox sighed, and indicated with a wave of his hand for Nadu to get the ransom money.
Once the boy had his payment, he smiled and relayed the information the King so desperately craved.
His mouth curved in a malicious smile so evil the boy stepped back, fright covering his features as he rose from his throne in one swift, lithe movement. Hunter 9 was at his side in an instant, waiting with bated breath as King Zelrox relayed the order he already knew was coming. "Prepare the guards."
Dimitri, glad for the distraction from the talk of his parents, immediately nodded and jumped up, his grin once more covering his face. I followed him out of the small room, through a second room that looked to be something like a lounge. In the middle was a large square box, its shining front reflecting my curious gaze. Dimitri noticed me scrutinising it, and helped out.
"It's called a TV. King Zelrox uses it to broadcast announcements." He explained.
"I've never seen a TV." I said in awe at the contraption before me. "Hunters were never given much technology." Turning back from the TV, I gestured for Dimitri to lead on.
He bounced out of the thatched door, and led me to a small wooden stable behind a chicken house. A long lanky, three- legged, greyhound followed us, and Dimitri leant down to ruffle its ears.
"This is Fido. Found 'im on the streets a while back as naught but a pup. Dunno how he lost his leg though," He explained. I smiled, but was anxious to see Pegasus and make sure he was alright. Seeing my nervousness, Dimitri turned and opened one of the stall doors, and Pegasus' great white head leaned out of it.
Did he treat you well? We both asked simultaneously. I replied yes and Pegasus nodded. Dimitri watched in fascination as we interacted without so much as a mutter.
I do not trust this boy. Pegasus told me, glancing apprehensively at the young teen as he talked to Fido. Something doesn't feel right about him.
He is just a kid. I assured him. He is innocent, and won't do us any harm.
You of all people should be wary of strangers. Look what Tomas did to you. Pegasus stated. I nearly reeled, his statement like a blow to the face. I'm sorry, but it is true. We cannot trust him!
I cut off the mind link, irritated that Pegasus had brought him up. He knew how much his betrayal had affected me. Pegasus was just being paranoid. I let him out of the stall and he stretched, his magnificent white wings stretching out completely. I could tell he liked the freedom the stall retained from him.
Ask him where he went earlier. Pegasus urged, and I growled through the mind link, but decided to humor him.
"Where did you go earlier? After you left me the clothes?" I asked. Dimitri looked up and shrugged.
"I was in kitchen preparing food."
Liar! I nearly covered my ears at Pegasus' outburst. He left through the back gate and headed to the village. Why would he do that if he were preparing the food? Cringing, I answered.
Maybe he was getting the food to prepare.
His arms were bare of anything of the sort when he returned. He was carrying a small purse. I did not answer. I knew there would be an explanation; I trusted Dimitri. He was one of the good ones. I felt the sun begin to set over the mountains, and decided it best we leave. Being on King Zelrox's Wanted list, in his village, was not exactly a written invitation for me to stay.
"Listen, thanks for your hospitality, but we really have to be going." I said, and began to saddle Pegasus. He never had any bridle; I had no wish to restrict his movement like that. The saddle was only so I could stay on safely.
"Oh, but you just got here." Dimitri whined.
"I'm sorry, but we really have to go." I found my weapons in the stall and put everything in its place. Dimitri sighed and nodded solemnly. I mounted Pegasus, who was itching to go already. Shaking my head at his rudeness, I thanked Dimitri once again, before Pegasus spread his wings and got ready to leave.
But then we heard banging and the clash of metal against metal. Turning, at the last moment I saw ten soldiers burst through the back door Dimitri and I had exited just moments ago. They were all armed and headed for us. Pegasus reared and tried to leave, but I delayed his escape, looking with indecision at Dimitri. He looked at me in fear.
"Please don't leave me." He begged. "I'll be hanged for hiding a Wanted fugitive." He didn't deserve that.
Leave him. Pegasus urged. Too much weight, he'll only slow us down.
Ignoring him, I nodded and Dimitri grinned in relief.
"Fido, hide!" He ordered the three-legged dog, who obeyed instantly, hopping away to make his presence unknown to the soldiers. I helped the boy into the saddle behind me and urged Pegasus forward. He grudgingly obeyed and began to run, his wings moving as we began to lift off the ground, until we left the ground, dodging the flying spears and burning arrows.
Looking back, I saw King Zelrox march through the soldiers who parted obediently at his appearance. As his figure diminished in the distance, I saw a cruel glare cover his face in the form of an inhuman snarl.
That was too close for comfort. I sighed at Pegasus. He just wouldn't give up. How do you think they found us? That boy tipped them off. That purse was full of cold hard coins. I groaned at Pegasus' accusations.
Someone probably saw us arriving, and told the guards. Dimitri is innocent I tell you. I insisted. Pegasus snorted and cut off the mind link, albeit rather harshly. I felt Dimitri tighten his grip around my waist as we rose higher. The Eastern mountain range loomed into focus, its mountains tall and threatening, just daring us to attempt to pass its hidden terrors.
Only minutes later, as we drew nearer the mountain pass, Pegasus spoke for the first time since that harsh talk between us.
We need to land. The two of you are too heavy for me. I'm not as strong as I look, and that boy is heavier than he looks too. I rolled my eyes at his cockiness, and nodded, approving his unspoken request to land. The descent was quick and fast, nothing like how we would normally land. Landing at a short trot, Dimitri slid off before me, sliding to the ground on weak legs. Obviously he wasn't too used to flying.
By now the sun had well and truly set, and the Moon hid her fair face behind a thin veil of clouds, unwilling to grace us with her radiance just yet. Stars twinkled in the night sky above us, and as I gazed up at them, I wondered as always, if Mum was up there watching me from the heavens.
I couldn't help but feel that she was alive, that when she appeared to me at the Sanctuary, it was a message. That she wasn't dead. But I wasn't willing to put myself through that grief all over again; it was a false hope, a flame that had died before it was even lit. We decided to bed down for the night once we reached the beginning of the pass, sleeping behind the rose bushes that outlined the entrance.
I had created a small blue fire that was smokeless by my will, and Dimitri kept me from nodding off by pouring out with an endless ocean of questions. He then turned and picked a rose from its graceful perch among the thorns, wincing as the spikes protested against the removal of their treasure. Dimitri twirled the rose in his hands, watching it thoughtfully.
"It's funny how something can look so innocent, yet be so deadly. Such appearances can be so deceiving." He observed. I stayed quiet at that comment, as did Pegasus. Eventually the boy grew tired and fell asleep next to the bushes, the rose falling from his limp hand. I picked up the rose, looking at it the way a buyer would a horse.
Remind you of anyone? Pegasus asked stoutly. I sighed, and shook my head, throwing the rose into the fire. At first the flickering flames retreated from the new threat, before venturing closer and licking the new fuel tentatively, testing its flavour the way a child would a new food. Then, like it couldn't get enough of it, the flames devoured the victim with merciless haste, savouring each large bite until the plate was clean, an invitation for more food to be added.
It didn't even get a chance. I said pointedly to Pegasus, who huffed and settled down. I snuggled into his warmth, and soon fell into a deep sleep.
I woke at the crack of dawn, and saw the fire was still burning brightly. As if on cue my stomach rumbled in protest to having not eaten since yesterday.
Quietly, I stole out from under Pegasus' wing and grabbed my bow and quiver of arrows. Creeping further into the woods along the side of the mountain, I listened intently for the sound of any prey, before the subtle sound of a snorting deer had me leaping into a tree. I quietly slid along the branch and moved the leaves to one side. Below me, the unsuspecting doe grazed, her long lean body showing no signs of fat. Her delicate ears pricked up at the snap of a branch, and I froze as she gracefully lifted her head to look for predators.
Deciding there was no threat, she returned to grazing, and I readied my bow.
Drawing back the string, time seemed to slow down. At the last minute the deer saw its threat, and tried to leap away, but the arrow was too fast and pierced its neck. The doe's head snapped sideways as her body propelled into the ground, its leap broken.
I jumped out of the tree and ran over to the limp body, cutting its throat in deadly precision.
When he woke, Silver was gone.
While the sleeping horse was still here, she had disappeared.
Dimitri got up as quietly as he could and pulled the tracking device out of his pocket. She wasn't too far away, and was heading back from wherever she had gone. On hearing a snort, the boy turned around and saw Pegasus staring at him, those intelligent eyes reading his every intention.
The witch put the device away quickly, and ignored Pegasus, instead sitting down by the still-strong fire. Silver trusted him, and Dimitri knew she and the horse were not on good terms at the moment. That at least bought him time before she realized.
A sound distracted him from his thoughts as a log crackled and snapped in two, the embers rotting through the dry wood. Dimitri picked up another stick and fed it in. It never ceased to amaze him just how Silver could create fire from the energy inside her so naturally. As a mature witch, Dimitri was never truly there, as hungry for knowledge as any of the newborns.
The only other person he knew who had that power was King Zelrox, and while Dimitri knew he wanted Silver for her Pegasus, he still felt there was something else. Another reason why he wanted Silver and Tomas so badly. He wanted to ask where Tomas was, to send his whereabouts to King Zelrox, but didn't want to come across as suspicious.
King Zelrox was in pursuit, and Dimitri knew that his soldiers would not relent until they found them. He needed to find some way to delay them, give the Requiem Army more time to find them. But how?
As Dimitri was mulling over any ideas, the snap of a branch had him alert and ready to use an Shade to hide. He relaxed when Silver's trademark strip of silver hair among her wave of black appeared from the trees. Behind her she easily dragged a deer, gutted and headless, ready to cook. She dropped the carcass by the fire and sat down, her hands and neck bloody from the sprays of life blood that had spurted from the deer's artery.
"Hungry?" She asked.