by Lumtrexa
Ignoring his comment anyway, I head to the front door of the bar.
"We should probably leave." I whisper back at him.
____________________________________________
Lorcan hasn't said anything to me since the whole bar incident. In fact, he seems like he's busy in his own thoughts. The silence filling the air around us is becoming uncomfortable.
We've been walking down the side of a road for at least thirty minutes. My body is extremely exhausted and I'm sure Lorcan is probably tired too.
Finally, Lorcan suddenly stops walking, he pulls down his hood revealing his fiery red hair.
"We're here." He says blankly.
A small cottage surrounded by a tiny yard, it looks much like the other houses we've passed. It has small square windows and a brown painted door. It looks to be a one story house.
We step up to the porch, Lorcan knocks once on the door.
A small man with a hunched back and thick glasses opens the door. He gives a grunt and hastily motions for us to step inside.
"Come in." The old man says impatiently, looking behind us down the road. He gives me a quick glare then shuts the door behind us.
We step inside, the floor is wooden and cold. A living room is to the right and a tiny kitchen is to the left. There seems to be a back door too.
"Thanks Specs." Lorcan says.
"Hush young ones." The old man rasps eyeing the front porch window.
We stand perfectly still, I hold my breath. The sound of echoing, clattering footsteps resounds from the road outside Spec's house. No doubt it is guards. Angry shouts fill the once silent street.
"I swear they went this way boss. I saw 'em with my own eyes!" A high pitched male voice shouts.
I squeeze my eyes shut, hoping they will pass the house already. Finally, the sound of the crowd of men stops, once again the street outside is quiet.
"Why didn't you tell me we were being followed?" I ask Lorcan.
"Human, trust me, it was better that you didn't know." He says slowly.
Somewhere inside me, I feel a tug of sadness. We've come this far and he still doesn't trust me. Who is he to earn my trust anyway! Like I'll ever trust him!
I tap my foot impatiently.
"I can only house you for one night. You already know your time here is well over due. I hope you enjoyed your stay in Aeringdal." The old man chuckles darkly.
"We will be entering the woods again tomorrow. Spec's can give you a change of clothes." Lorcan says, he bends over the rug in the middle of the living room. He then slides the rug out, revealing a hidden trap door on the floor. He unlatches it and opens up a secret door in the floor.
Without another word, he jumps down closing the door above him.
"Well come with me." Spec says quickly.
I follow the old man into a narrow hallway, I glance at black and white pictures of what seems to be possibly Spec's wife. Her dark brown hair is like a halo encircling her head gracefully. She sits on a fallen log, her dress a light purple.
"In here." Specs beckons me and I follow him into the tiny room. I then realize it isn't a room, but a walk in closet.
"You won't be able to carry much along with you, so choose wisely." Spec adds quickly while shutting the door.
"Wait!" I say suddenly.
The door opens up and the old man sticks his head in curiously.
"What is it?" He says grumpily.
"Thank you." I say nervously.
He gives me a quick nod then shuts the door, I hear the retreating sound of his footsteps.
There is not a doubt in my mind that these are his wife's clothes. I feel like I'm intruding already just looking at the clothes. I only grab the most basic clothes I see. Then I step out of the closet and head back to the living room.
I debate in my mind whether or not to wait for the old man or Lorcan to return to the living room, hearing no other noise in the house I decide to just go where Lorcan did.
I open up the door in the floor and uneasily jump down, closing the door above me.
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The height of the "room" below the house is just barely taller than me. In fact, this isn't even a room, it is just under the house! The floor is dirt and a musty smell lingers in the air. I can just see the dark green grass of the front yard about twenty feet ahead of me.
"Lorcan?" I say quietly.
Nothing.
Suddenly, I see a hunched shadow crawl across the floor, I let out a shriek.
When it goes out of sight, I stare in the direction it went off. Getting the feeling of being watched, I slowly turn my ahead around.
Red glowing eyes greet me.
"You scared me!" I yell, giving him a light punch on the shoulder.
He widens his smile and snickers in that creepy way of his.
"Are we suppose to sleep down here? Outside? On the damp ground, with who knows what under here with us!" I say my voice rising as my anxiety kicks in.
"Relax, human. The old fart up there cast a little, shall we call it, spell? Yes, nothing will be able to get passed his spell. We will be fine." He replies, he then sits down on the dirt floor. It is obvious he would hit his head, probably come through the floor if he stood up.
I laugh at the thought, Lorcan raises his eyebrow and my smile fades.
"Why sleep under the house though? If he made the spell, we should be able to sleep inside." I say.
"That is true, but we can't take the chance that if the guards somehow get through Spec's barrier, well, we would want to be hidden wouldn't we, human?" He says impatiently.
I hug myself, feeling the cold in the air return now that we're outside. My cloak should hopefully keep me warm, I pull my hood up and rest against a wooden beam.
Lorcan remains still, watching me.
Soon enough, I can only see his eyes in the shadow of the night as the light from the house seeping through the cracks in the wood goes out. Spec must have went to bed.
"Get some sleep human." He says quietly.
"You're the one who needs the sleep." I add in quietly, shutting my eyes.
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I wake up with a groan, I feel a nasty bump on my head, I touch it with my hand and my head pulses painfully. I feel like I'm spinning so I lay back down on the grass uncomfortably.
What happened to me? The smell of blood fills my nostrils. Blood? Whose bleeding? My brain finally wakes up and I look at my hand. Blood. My blood.
How is my head bleeding this badly? I carefully touch my head wound again, then yelp at the jolt of pain.
I frantically look at my surroundings. I'm alone on the forest floor. It seems to be morning, there is still dew on the ground around me. One thing is for sure, I don't remember Lorcan and I leaving Spec's house. Did I come her on my own? Does Lorcan know I'm gone?
As if answering my questions, a familiar laugh rings from behind a tree ahead of me.
"We meet again. I'm afraid this will be our last meeting though. You know a little too much about yesterday. Its time I tie up some...as you humans say...loose ends?" He says rubbing a bloody knife in the grass.
My head is pounding, drowsiness and nausea setting in.
"Gorder." I mumble deliriously, simultaneously he runs at me with the long knife giving my arm a violent slash.
I scream in pain, my body convulsing. I'm totally defenseless, the excruciating pain makes my body refuse to function as I slump helplessly on the ground. The new wound on my arm opens up, the knife easily cut through my cloak,now blood stains it. I will surely bleed slowly to death if I don't make the blood stop pouring out my arm, the wound is deep and burns.
Tears fall down my eyes at the reality of my situation.
"Oh I'll make sure your death is as painful as I please. Besides, no one will ever hear your screams out here, only me." He says with a cackle, twisting the knife in his hands.
I can only hope he eventually aims for a fatal hit, seei
ng as I have no strength to fight.
Chapter 13-Safe
Gorder takes a confident stride towards me again, I can't give up, maybe Lorcan is near by.
"Lorcan! Help! Someone, anyone, help me!" I cry desperately into the woods, shifting my head back and forth, calling in all directions.
Gorder only laughs at my pathetic attempt.
Is this how I'll go out? I give in to defeat and shut my eyes, I dare not open them and see the look of triumph on Gorder's face.
I can feel the dampness of my hair, surely it is coated in a nice layer of sweat and blood. My head pounds painfully. I try to hold in my hysterics and gulp as a violent shudder rings through me down to my legs. My body starts to uncontrollably shake.
Then silence. It's almost as if the forest is silently watching me, watching Gorder before he kills me.
An ice cold breeze blows onto the back of my neck, I squirm nervously in my spot on the ground. My body shakes on the ground, the rustle of dead leaves beneath me do little to comfort my pain.
Woosh.
A heavy thud resounds behind me, scaring the crap out of me in my already terrified state. Something heavy lands behind me.
My body has gone through enough physical and mental pain at this point, I easily pass out.
________________________________________
I groggily sit up, my eyes still firmly shut. I can tell I'm still in the forest, but its much colder, is it night?
Slowly, I pry my eyes open painfully. I'm greeted by the crackling of fire. I inhale, gagging at the smell of blood. My blood. I carefully touch my head wound, most of it is dry, but it might get infected. I stretch out my arms, only to wince as the scab from my deep wound opens.
I sit quietly listening, I don't see anyone. I strain to hear any sign of life. Someone must of brought me here after all and the last thing I need is to run into Gorder again.
I pull back a piece of my once blonde hair, that's now covered in blood, away from my face. Then I see a figure lying next to me, their face is frowning as they snore ridiculously loud. No wonder I woke up. Their shirt is covered in dark red blood, they hold a nasty looking knife that is rusty closely by their side. Lorcan must of saved me!
I lean in to get a better look at his face, it seems fine, but he must of got wounds from fighting Gorder from all that blood. Although I see no signs of cuts or bruises on him, just a ton of blood on his shirt.
Feeling a chill, I scoot in closer to the fire.
I don't have to turn around to see him watching me, I can feel his stare. He must of woke up.
"How are you feeling?" I ask him quietly.
"Fine." He says shortly. The crunching of leaves falls after, he plops down on the ground next to me.
Suddenly, I realize how much smaller I am compared to him.
He rubs some of the dirt off from the ground on his blood stained shirt. Then he turns his head and looks down at me. I can only imagine what a mess I look like right now. I avert my eyes back to the fire.
"You know this isn't my blood." He says slowly, indicating his shirt. I widen my eyes in disbelief.
"Did you kill him?" I ask, but I already know the answer.
"Yes." He replies, I can hear the smile in his voice. Have I become so numb to all the death and killing he's done? Then again he saved my life, several times.
"Thank you for saving me, Lorcan." I whisper. As if a wave crashes into me, I'm overwhelmed by everything that happened earlier, the terror of Gorder. I start sobbing like a baby. I try to contain my emotions, but I fail hopelessly. I must be stronger than this.
I don't know if Lorcan heard me say thanks because he doesn't respond after that. I dare not turn my head toward him in the state I'm in.
Eventually, I stop crying as my hands and feet finally warm up, the heat from the fire dries the fallen tears smeared on my face.
Then I finally decide to look at Lorcan.
I'm startled to see how openly he's staring at me, his eyes are a bright crimson glow again as he watches me silently, he continues looking curiously at me.
I decide to change the subject and leave out the events that have left me with a nice head wound and cut. Lorcan's probably still dead tired too. I don't even know how long I was crying for, ten minutes? A half hour? I decide to rest under a tree a couple feet away. I also don't even know how long I was sleeping for, how long Lorcan was fighting.
I rest my eyes shut, feeling numb.
However, since Lorcan is standing over me, I'm forced to wake up. Is he going to make me walk to our next destination wherever that is? I can probably walk a good ways, but in the dark? It might be dangerous, who knows what's out here.
To my surprise, he keeps his eyes trained on me and lifts me up bridal style easily. I feel surprisingly comfortable, but I'm not going to make him carry me after he just saved my life!
"No it’s okay, I can walk. I just have a headache that's all." I say assuredly, trying to pry his arms away to no avail, I look up at him.
He stares at the tree I was going to sleep under.
The tree's branches reach out crookedly, around the dying foliage.
A dull red illumination hovers over his shoulders, I turn my head to get a better look. His wings?
It’s not like I'm deathly afraid of heights or anything, but I can't even see the top of the tree!
"You go on ahead. I'll just stay down here." I say quickly, trying to get out of his grasp again.
He ignores my comment and jumps up. I watch in amazement as his wings extend to their menacing, yet beautiful length.
Then, I let out an embarrassing screech, as we land with a thud on a thick branch, high above the ground. We would definitely be above my house at this height.
"We will stay here for the night." He says with a yawn looking down at me. He lets me stand on my feet, the branch is a foot wide, but I'm still nervous. I take an uneasy step. How am I suppose to sleep on this branch? What if I roll off and fall to my death!
Before I have more time to contemplate, he grabs me by the waist and sets me on his lap. He leans back against the tree, wrapping his arms around me like a seat belt. I look back at him slowly my face growing red, probably redder than his hair. I know I must look miserable and smell intolerable in the state I'm in, but he hasn't complained.We probably are safest up here too. I feel a wave of relief and comfort. I carefully lay my head against his chest, I feel the blood from his shirt touch my hair, but it doesn't bother me. I shut my eyes and the pounding feeling in my head fades away, the cut on my arm seems to disappear. Unconsciously, I snuggle my head against his chest like a pillow. The hold he has around me slightly tightens, he shifts slightly lowering his head right above mine.
"Goodnight." He whispers.
"Goodnight." I reply gently.
Despite the fact that we're high above the ground in the pitch black.
Despite the fact that I thought I was going to die today.
Despite the fact that we're practically being hunted by crazy guards.
Despite the fact we're both covered in blood.
Despite the fact that I still don't know a lot about Lorcan.
In this moment, while he holds on to me, it's as if the world around us doesn't exist.
I've never felt this safe in my entire life.
Chapter 14-Aifric
Creak
I'm awoken to the sound of the old trees around me swaying against the harsh wind. The last place I want to be in a wind storm is in a tree. Speaking of which, a certain someone, brought me up here against my will in the first place. Turning my head around, I jump at the startling sight of Lorcan's piercing red eyes wide open staring right at me.
"Morning human." he says shortly. At this point, I realize he must have never heard me say my name is Elaine. How long has it been anyway? How long have we been out here?
I start to stand up, brushing off my cloak, that is now covered in a couple dead leaves from the tree. No doubt my hair looks like a tornado ran through i
t. I carefully weave through strands of my hair, tugging out the knots.
Lorcan stands farther out on the branch watching me curiously.
"How do your wings disappear?" I ask out of the blue.
He only gives me a sly smile. I nearly choke as I watch him abruptly jump down from the soaring tree.
Now I stand alone on the branch, with the wind literally at my back, as if it wants me to jump to my death.
"We don't have much time." Lorcan hollers up impatiently at me. I stare down at him, taking in the great distance to the ground. The blood runs from my face.
"I can carry-" He says, but I interrupt him. Its time I do things on my own, I have to become stronger.
"I can get down on my own." I say quickly. What am I doing? I could barely jump off the high dive at the community pool!
"On with it then, human." He retorts, walking away. The tall dark trees seem to swallow him as he goes out of my sight. I'm alone. I must hurry after him or I'll get lost. What have I got myself into now?
Taking a deep breath I throw my hood over my head and mutter a few quick reassuring words under my breath. My heart quickens, I bite my lip. I then take a last glance at where I last saw Lorcan walk.
I can't jump.
I steady myself against the tree then I take baby steps to the middle of the branch.
I take a look at the ground below me, I continue to lower myself carefully on the branch. Suddenly, I lose my balance, my foot slips from under me.
"Eeeek!" I squeal embarrassingly. My face reddens at the fact that no one is even here to hear me. I hug the branch with my arms tightly and clench my feet around it as I lay on my belly. There is no way I'm going to fall to my death alone out here.
I really need to hurry up or Lorcan will leave me behind. The quickening of the wind around me only causes me to tense.
Whoosh
A strong gust of wind forces me to remove my grasp on the branch. Instinctively, I kick my feet out below me, my arms just barely clinging to the top of the branch. I'm dangling from the tree.
Maybe I should yell for Lorcan? No, there has to be another way I can get out of this on my own!
I then decide to swallow my fear, I can feel my hands losing their grip. Slowly, I lower my head downward.
