by Holly Law
Once they were in the garden, Eldwin pulled Elisha into tall bushes he had seen were unpatrolled earlier. Together they waited there as he got his bearings. Elisha was wide-eyed beside him. She was shaking ever so slightly, and her face was pale. “When the guard turns that corner,” Eldwin softly told his sister, “we need to run for the forest. As fast as you can. We only get one shot at this. Are you up to it?” Elisha nodded, her worried eyes determined. Her eyes fixed on the forest. Eldwin watched the last guard in sight turn to the corner.
“Go!” he hissed.
Elisha bolted and was racing towards the forest. Her elaborate dress did not slow her down. Eldwin struggled to keep up with her. He grinned at his sister, glad that she had not forgotten the essentials after all her time in the school. Soon they were in the forest, but they kept running. They would not be able to stop for a long time.
The Prince stepped back onto the stone paths of his palace. He glanced around taking in the details. It was as it should be, and he saw no details that needed attending. He let out a slow breath. The walk had served its purpose. He was calmer than when he had left and would be able to deal with Elisha rationally. His temper could only serve to ruin things.
“She’s confused,” Lenora told him, continuing a train of thought that had preoccupied him on the walk. “She is in a situation she doesn’t understand. Her whole life has changed and changed again. Things haven’t been what she thought and she is trying to figure out who and what you are before she agrees to serve you. I would view her asking you your nature reassuring. If she thought you were completely otherwise, then she simply would have fled.”
The Prince said nothing in return. The same had occurred to him after he had left her. Elisha was prone to flight when she was frightened. She did not ask questions when she was spooked, she only fled as quickly as she could. He nodded to Lenora, acknowledging what she said.
“You must have frightened her,” Lenora continued, analyzing the situation for him. “Elisha will not verbalize her fear often. You had already taken away her ability to run. You forced her to find a new way to react. She reacted no different than any frightened animal would if trapped in a corner. She bristled and tried to seem stronger than she was.”
“I will,” the Prince said thinking on every word “acknowledge that perhaps I overreacted to her. I dislike Elisha thinking poorly of me. I will apologize for my temper. She knows me well enough to know I rarely act upon it. Perhaps I will give her some small token to show my sincerity.”
Lenora frowned at him. Her expression was both concerned and speculative. He didn’t like her looking at him in that way. She was judging him, weighing him in that moment. It was not her place to judge him, but he kept his thoughts to himself. He would deal with the situation later if Lenora did not remember her place.
“What are your intentions for Elisha is she chooses to serve you?” Lenora asked him finally, turning her eye away to survey a flowering plant they passed.
“I intend to use her skills as a mechanic,” the Prince replied. “None of my intentions have changed. I have already sent word ahead to Melink to have a room prepared for her in the palace.”
“And your relationship with her?”
“That is none of your concern,” the Prince replied with a cool calm that signaled the conversation was done. It mattered to none who he chose to enter a relationship with. He was fond of Elisha and would delight in her presence if she chose to serve him. He already had a list of varied outings in his head that he would enjoy with her. He would enjoy spending his meals and private time with her. Courting her would take time, but he was patient and he would have her.
“It is very much my concern,” Lenora said softly, not looking at him. The Prince looked at her levelly, but she did not meet his eyes. “I have cared for Elisha for months. We have grown very close, and I view her nearly as a daughter. I would hope you do not intend to abuse her trust as you have so many other young women. Elisha will not react well to being used in that way. She would feel that betrayal deeply and would refuse to serve you.”
The Prince contemplated her words, sensing the truth in them. He found no cause to be angry with Lenora. “Elisha,” the Prince replied, glancing towards Elisha’s window, “will be my lady in Melink, just as she was in Sumvale. I will court her as I wish. But I do not intend to abuse her trust. My interest is not so casual.”
“Please, take care, my Prince,” Lenora urged him, some concern in her eyes still. “She is among the last of her kind. It would serve you better to find someone to marry her sooner or later. You run the risk of having no mechanics should she die before having children.”
The Prince looked at Lenora and struggled not to let his anger show. He displayed calm but he did not feel it. The thought of Elisha being with another offended him at the deepest level. She belonged on no one’s arm, but his. She was his, and he would not share her.
“If she serves me,” the Prince replied casually, “perhaps I would see fit to extend her life. You are dismissed, Lenora. I need to speak with Elisha.” Lenora curtsied to him respectfully and left him.
The Prince wasted no time as he headed inside. He headed straight to Elisha’s door. He needed to apologize and to set matters straight. He would have her for his lady in Melink and wouldn’t let his momentary temper get in the way. He paused outside her door and willed a jeweled, flower hairpin into existence. He examined it critically and nodded, pleased. It would suit her well. He pushed open the door and stepped inside.
Something was not right. He knew that in less than a heartbeat. He reached out with his senses and could not feel Elisha within that apartment. Not wanting to believe what he already knew, he searched the apartment. As every step and glance confirmed the truth, rage filled him. She was gone. She had escaped him. In a fury, he threw the hairpin against a wall and it shattered, falling to the floor in glittering pieces. She had run. She had left him.
He pulled open the closet, trying that one last place. Trinsin laid inside, crumbled at the bottom, her dress torn to make her bonds. He tore the gag from her mouth, not caring if the movement caused her pain. “What happened?” the Prince demanded.
Trinsin told him everything. She sobbed the whole time, her eyes wide in terror as she sensed his mood. He held his hands behind his back, tight in dangerous fists. His anger turned not to Elisha who had escaped, but to her brother who had spirited her away. If Eldwin hadn’t come, he could have won her to his side; he was certain of it. He would take great pleasure in killing the mechanic brat.
He reached out with his thoughts and summoned Lenora to him. It had been too long since he had done such a thing or had cause to. Lenora was shocked at his urgency and was by his side in a matter of moments. “What is wrong, my Prince?” Lenora asked, glancing around. Realization hit her. “Elisha is not here.”
“You will both,” the Prince said, his voice dangerously soft, “hunt her down and bring her back. She is to be unharmed. I will finish this when she is found. Do you understand?”
“Yes,” Trinsin and Lenora replied. They were gone from the room within moments.
Chapter 25
Elisha could barely see beyond the leafy green bush in front of them. She suspected that was just as well. If she couldn’t see out, the chances of them seeing her were greatly reduced. Eldwin lay next to her, and she couldn’t hear him breathing, he was so silent. They had both barely fit under the rocky outcropping. She had forced herself underneath, forcing her once fine dress into the dirty hole.
They had been running for two days. They had barely stopped at all, and each time they had thought they could rest, they had heard the sounds of their pursuers. Elisha had hoped they would lose the Prince’s men, but that had proven impossible. They could get ahead of them for a bit, but they could never lose them.
Elisha closed her eyes tightly for a moment and rested her head on the ground. It was a rare chance to rest for just a moment. Her heart had been thudding in her chest for days and she
had grown accustomed to its frantic pace. Resting was more than she could hope. But this wasn’t a moment of true rest. They were hiding from the soldiers who had grown too close.
Her ears heard the sounds of their footsteps. Terrified, she clutched her brother’s hand. If the soldiers found them, they were dead. Eldwin kept looking out, his expression grim and determined. Outside their hiding spot, the footsteps drew closer.
And then Elisha saw the soldiers. There were six of them, led by the familiar shape of Amalia. Their eyes were sharp, surveying every inch of the ground near them and further out. Several of the soldiers stabbed into nearby bushes as a precaution. Elisha’s breath caught in her throat as a sword passed mere inches from her. But the soldiers kept going.
Amalia paused a moment to stretch. She glanced around as the soldiers continued on. She bent down to tie a boot that had gone loose. Briefly, her eyes met Elisha’s under the bush. The look was direct and full of recognition. Elisha nearly screamed, and her brother squeezed her hand tightly. Amalia nodded and stood. She kept going, not alerting her party to their presence.
Elisha could only stare at Amalia, who disappeared from sight. Amalia had let her go. She had defied the Prince’s wishes. She didn’t understand it and glanced at her brother who knew the dancer better. Eldwin watched Amalia with a resolute look on his face.
They waited there for just over an hour, not daring to move or even breathe deeply. They could only exchange looks as they waited for danger to pass. Each moment felt like an eternity. Finally, they had waited long enough. With one deep final breath, Elisha slid out from under the rock with Eldwin. They took care not to disturb the bush or make any sounds that would draw attention.
Eldwin pointed in a direction opposite of where Amalia and the soldiers had gone. Elisha nodded. And they ran.
“There!” an unfamiliar voice cried. There was more shouting then and the sound of many running. Eldwin swore at the commotion. Elisha whimpered as she dug her feet into the ground to run faster. She hated her dress. It was heavy, and it slowed her down. She forced herself on, ignoring the branches that whipped at her and the prickers that dug into her. She jumped over large rocks and half tripped over tree stumps. She had already twisted her ankle a half dozen times since escaping the Prince. She needed to keep moving.
Elisha watched as an arrow shot between her and Eldwin. Eldwin gasped and clutched his arm as he kept running. Elisha could only spare him a brief concerned glance and nearly went face first into a tree. Eldwin gritted his teeth and kept running, a thin sliver of blood clear on his upper arm.
Behind them came a horrible crashing sound. There were moans of trees being uprooted and dirt torn apart. Frightened birds squawked warnings to their friends. Elisha glanced behind her, afraid of what she might see. The shining, enameled surface of the Crusher reflected in the afternoon sun. Dirt and mud splattered it, but nothing seemed to slow it down as it sped through the forest towards them. It wrecked everything in its path, following them with a determination they could not match.
“Eldwin!” Elisha cried in panic.
“We have to split,” Eldwin told her, panic clear in his tone. “It can’t follow both of us.” Elisha nodded, tears stinging her eyes. They both couldn’t get away. One of them would die, there was no doubt of that. She sobbed once and veered away from her brother.
Elisha saw her brother do the same. He ran near a rocky out cropping, heading down hill away from her. In that same glance, Elisha saw a soldier leap over the edge of the rock and tackle her brother to the ground. A sword was at his throat. She sobbed as she ran harder, her lungs and legs hurting. Her body couldn’t take too much more abuse.
Then the Crusher hit her. It came at her from the side. She felt her pelvis shatter at the blow and gasped. Elisha slammed into the hood of the horrible machine and saw Trinsin snarling at her inside. Trinsin kept driving until Elisha screamed in pain as her back was slammed into hard rock. Then everything stopped.
Elisha leaned against the hot hood of the machine. She couldn’t even feel her legs except for the pain. Her body trembled, and Elisha could barely breathe. She breathed in short desperate gasps. She closed her eyes and bit her lip. Even sobbing hurt.
“I have him, my lady,” a soldier said.
Elisha opened her eyes to see Trinsin grinning at her. It was a nasty, unpleasant grin. Trinsin pulled her up by her hair, Elisha sucked in a painful breath and whimpered. “I’ll be so glad to see you die, street trash,” Trinsin told her. She reared back her fist and punched Elisha hard in the face. Elisha felt her nose snap and blood ran from her nose making it even harder for her to breathe. Trinsin let her head drop. Elisha could only breathe through her mouth as her own blood threatened to choke her.
“Lenora!” Trinsin called stepping away from Elisha. “We have them!”
Elisha did not open her eyes again. She heard the footsteps move towards her. And then a gentle touch to her head. She opened her eyes a slit to see Lenora looking down at her. Her eyes were sad. Then Lenora took a step back and looked at the soldiers. “Bring her, the Prince wishes to see the prisoners.”
The next few moments were chaotic. Soldiers drew near her, and the Crusher was moved back. Elisha collapsed to the ground, unable to stand on her own. The soldiers bound her where she laid. Lenora and Trinsin looked on. Lenora looked grim and Trinsin pleased. She was lifted roughly and carried. The Crusher was opened and she was tossed unceremoniously on the back seat. She cried out in pain. Trinsin smirked at her as she climbed into the driver’s seat.
The drive that followed seemed to last forever. Every bump in the road caused agonizing pain. Any moan she let out Trinsin laughed at. By the time the Crusher stopped, Elisha did not have the energy to moan or even open her eyes. The door was pulled open, and Elisha was dragged out. Her injuries caused no effort at sympathy as she was dragged across the ground. No one cared that she was injured badly enough that she would die soon. No further cruelty was needed.
She could feel the warmth of the fire without even opening her eyes, but she dared to open them just a crack to see the comforting glow. Between her and that glow were a pair of fine black boots. She was lying before the Prince. If her body were not already trembling in pain, it would have done so in fear. She could only hope for his mercy, but knew he would not be happy with her. He would know just looking at her that she would be dead soon even if he did nothing. She had no strength or ability to look up at him. She could not judge how he felt.
“That was unnecessary,” the Prince said. “Cruelty will serve no purpose.”
“Sorry, my Prince,” a soldier said at once. And that gave Elisha some relief. If he was going to kill her, he would not drag it out.
The Prince knelt down in front of her. His hand cupped her chin and lifted her face slightly. She met his eyes and found it difficult to focus on him. His expression was completely unreadable. “Who did this?” the Prince asked, looking at the soldiers. None answered. “Who damaged her face? This injury was purposefully done and was superfluous. This is nothing but viciousness. Who hurt her?”
No one answered. The silence stretched out. “Who hurt her!” the Prince demanded, his voice full of anger. Still none answered. Then the Prince looked back at her. “Who hurt you?” he asked her softly. His tone was tender and soothing. Elisha did not have the strength to answer him. She could only grit her teeth against the pain. “You may stand, Elisha, I do not require you on the ground.”
Elisha simply looked at him, unable to move.
“I don’t believe she can stand, my prince,” Lenora told him. “When I was summoned Elisha was pinned between a rock and the Crusher.”
The Prince stood then and Elisha was left looking at his boots. “Trinsin, come here,” the Prince summoned, his voice calm once more.
“Yes, my Prince?” Trinsin said, her tone eager and pleased. Elisha heard her move forward.
The Prince stepped away from Elisha. And Elisha heard the gurgling sound of Trinsin being choked.
“My orders,” the Prince said in dangerous tone, “were that Elisha was to be as unharmed as possible. You disobeyed me. If you do so again, it will be your life.” Elisha heard the release and Trinsin whimper.
“Bring Elisha to my tent,” the Prince commanded. Soldiers came forward and lifted Elisha. They were much more careful than they had been earlier. Elisha still felt pain, but there was no further abuse as they carried her into a tent. “Lay her on the bed.” Elisha was laid on a soft mattress. She found she did not care if she bled onto the fine silk sheets. “Leave us.”
The Prince walked over to her then. He sat on the bed beside her. Carefully, he rolled her onto her back and Elisha clenched her teeth in pain and whimpered. He rested her head on a pillow. He stroked her hair and made soothing sounds. Then, with a great deal of care, he tried to straighten her from her crumpled position. Elisha screamed in pain as he did, and still he tried to sooth her. Her legs and hips did not want to lay in their natural position. It was too painful, but she could not recoil from the movement.
“My Prince,” Lenora said stepping into the tent. The Prince stood and left her side. “What do you wish done with Eldwin?”
“I will deal with him once I am done healing Elisha,” the Prince told her former teacher.
Elisha could see Lenora’s confusion. “You mean to heal her before you kill her?”
“I mean to offer her a second chance. Perhaps showing her some mercy will change her mind. You are dismissed,” the Prince told Lenora. Lenora curtsied and left.
The Prince conjured a bottle of greenish liquid out of nothing. He walked back to Elisha, sitting beside her on the bed. He put the opening of the bottle to her lips. “Drink, it will numb the pain as I work on healing you.” Elisha did not open her mouth to cooperate. She did not trust him, and she certainly did not trust any liquid he wanted to pour down her throat. The Prince waited several long moments before he forced her mouth open and the liquid slid slowly in. Elisha gagged on the liquid as it numbed her tongue. He forced her to swallow it. “It does as I said. It will not hurt you. I will wait a few minutes for it to work before I start healing you.”
