by Lily Thomas
Her eyes shifted away from him for a split second, and then focused back on him. “Perhaps, I heard wrong.” She shrugged her shoulders. “I’d never lie to you intentionally.” She pleaded, grabbing one of his arms and clinging onto him. “Please, believe me when I say I’d never lie to you.”
“Somehow, I find your words hard to believe.” He looked around the castle courtyard. Nothing seemed wrong and everyone in the courtyard seemed to be in high spirits. “Where is Elizabeth?”
Another huff came from Lele. “Why are you always so concerned about her? She is only a human female.” Lele couldn't hide the annoyance in her voice.
He lowered his face down next to hers. “She is my concern. Now where is she, Lele?” He growled down at her. His patience was wearing thin.
With yet another huff of defeat, Lele let go of his arm and crossed her own arms in front of her. “How should I know? I don't keep tabs on your pet.”
He growled, debating whether to force the information out of her, but he restrained himself. He wasn't the kind of man to threaten a female. If something had happened to Elizabeth, Lele was going to be wishing she had never been born though.
“Then I will find her myself.”
Stryme was about to leave Leleto take a look around the castle when she called out. “That would be a waste of time. They have yet to return from town.”
He could see Elizabeth convincing Kiyla to show her the entire market. He exhaled, as he relaxed. Nothing would happen to Elizabeth, while Kiyla was with her. Kiyla knew Stryme would be quite displeased with her, if Elizabeth was harmed on her watch.
With it settled for now, he turned away from Lele, like she hadn't even been there.
If only.
Handing his horse's reins to another one of his warriors, he headed inside to find some food. Now he would wait anxiously for Elizabeth's return from town.
Night was coming quickly, and she was running out of time to find a spot to spend the night. The horse slowed to a walk, as he sensed uncertainty coming off of her in waves.
There were a few boulders clumped together, and after looking around, it seemed like the best spot to spend the night.
She didn't want to attract the attention of any animals by tromping through the forest in the dark. She also didn't want to test the vision of her horse. Not to mention they both could go for some rest. They had been on the move all day with only a couple breaks.
Elizabeth slid from the saddle. She clung to it, as she allowed her legs to get used to being on the ground once again. She walked over to the boulders, with a little bend in her sore legs. Elizabeth sat down against the rocks to her immense relief.
She might enjoy riding, but she wasn't fond of riding a horse for the entire day at a hard pace. Especially, when the horse had such a great berth because it was a giant’s horse.
Hunger growled low in her stomach, but she had nothing other than berries. With the fading light, she would have to wait until morning to see what plants might be edible.
She tried to focus her mind on other things around her, other than being in the forest alone. She could have been in a castle eating all the food she wanted instead she was sitting on the ground and not in front of a warm hearth.
The horse had disappeared into the night, making her feel even lonelier.
Strange animals made piercing calls into the dark, as night finally settled over the forest. Everything in her vision turned to dark shades of grey and black, and she couldn't help but feel vulnerable.
When the horse did reappear, she almost jumped out of her skin in fright.
He snorted and jerked his head high into the air.
Feeling bad about startling him, Elizabeth called out to him softly. “Come here, my sweet. I just hadn't expected to see you again so soon, and I didn't hear your approach.”
Slowly, and a little wearily he approached her. He stomped his hoof once or twice, as he bent his head and took a whiff of her hair. Once he recognized her scent, he came to lie down beside her on the ground, and she cuddled close to his side, to share their warmth with one another. His presence was a huge comfort to have.
Through out the night, she awoke to strange animal calls. Every once in a while, animals would venture close to them, and her heart beat rapidly in her chest, every time it happened. For all she knew, something more dangerous might come upon them.
Stryme waited impatiently at the table for Kiyla, Sarah, and Elizabeth to come into the hall. He knew they had returned to the stables, but had yet to see any of them enter into the great hall.
He had searched for Elizabeth upon hearing the news, but had found no trace of her. She hadn't been in his room or with the other girls. So he assumed she would still be with Sarah and Kiyla, like Lele had said.
The food in front of him didn't peak his interest. He had picked at it for a few minutes, but he just wanted to see Elizabeth.
Lele wouldn't stop staring at him from where she sat, and it unnerved him to have her eyes burning into him. She seemed to be everywhere he went.
Keylz sensed that bothering him would be an unwise decision. He tended to be the joker, when dinner came around, but not right now. Now Keylz was managing to keep his mouth shut.
Sarah entered the great hall and sat down among all the other human women. She cast him a glare, like usual, but there was a small glint in her eyes. Almost like happiness or satisfaction.
What could she possibly be pleased about? He couldn't see her ever being happy here, but there it was in her eyes. That glimmer of smugness ate at him.
“Where is she?” He asked as he leaned towards Keylz.
Keylz shook his head. “Perhaps, she’s with Kiyla. Or maybe she’s returned to your room without you noticing. After a day in the town, she might want to change.”
“I checked my room not long ago.”
“She could have gone there, after you checked.” Keylz looked at Stryme's still full plate and nodded to it. “Eat some and relax. If she doesn't show by the end of dinner, you can start to get worried. Maybe Kiyla will be in soon, and then she can alleviate your fears.”
Stryme decided to follow Keylz's advice, for the moment. He was tempted to search the whole castle again.
After a few bites of food and some drink, he was able to enjoy the conversation going on at the table. But he kept an eye on everything going on in the hall.
Eventually, Lele left the great hall, and he relaxed a little more. Having her stare at him for the whole dinner had made his shoulders tense. He never knew when she might test him.
Kiyla entered the great hall and headed over to where Sarah was seated. They seemed to have heated conversation, and then Kiyla looked up at him with distress clear as day in her eyes.
His eyes narrowed to slits.
Quickly, she looked away and kept talking to Sarah in what was, yet again, a heated conversation. He looked at the door she had entered through, waiting, just waiting for Elizabeth to enter.
When she didn't, he pushed himself away from the table and stormed his way over to where Kiyla was with Sarah. They both stopped talking and watched him stride over.
“Where is Elizabeth?” Stryme demanded. He knew there was something going on between them.
He watched, as they both exchanged a glance, and he growled low in his throat. If he didn’t get some answers soon, there was going to be trouble.
Kiyla seemed flustered. “Elizabeth seems to have disappeared.” She looked like she dreaded his response.
It took a bit for her words to sink in. “Was she not with you when you returned from town?”
Keylz came over to listen in, seeming to find the whole thing way too interesting. He was always up in everyone else's business, especially when it came to Stryme's life. Keylz was just one more annoyance pricking him in the side.
Again, it took time for Kiyla to respond. “No, she wasn't with us when we returned.”
He could hardly believe what he was hearing.
“Did she get lost,
while in town with you?” He tried to keep his voice level, as he spoke. He wished she would just tell him straight up what happened. Instead, he had to prompt her for answers.
“No. She was feeling tired and said she knew the way back to the castle. Sarah said she wanted to see more of the market. So, I stayed with Sarah, while Elizabeth made her way back to the castle. On her own.” She muttered the last sentence.
Sarah seemed pleased with herself. Her smile grew too large for his liking.
Leaning down over the table Stryme put his face close to hers so she understood him clearly. “She better be here, Sarah.” As he said her name, he let a small growl escape from his throat.
She gave a shiver, and backed as far away as the chair would allow her to.
With that said he left her at the table with Kiyla and Keylz trailing after him.
“I want the castle searched. If she isn't found, I want the town searched. If she isn't found in either place, we will need to do a search of the mountains. I’m hoping it doesn't come to that though.”
He hoped she would be found, because he really didn't like the idea that she had been able to dope them yet again.
Kiyla split off from them to gather warriors to do a thorough search of the castle and town.
Keylz stayed with him. “Do you really believe you will find her?”
“No, but I do plan on going and asking Lele what she knows. I also think Sarah may know what has happened for she seems too cheerful for her own good. She has never been content here. Lele is acting as though she has me back to herself, which causes me to think something truly has happened to Elizabeth.”
Shaking his head Keylz said, “I can only hope Lele had nothing to do with this or she is going to be one regretful female.”
Within a few minutes, Stryme was standing in front of Lele's chamber door and banged his fist against it. The door shook with the force of every slam, but he didn’t stop until it opened.
Lele stood in the doorway with wide eyes. Then they filled with lust, as her gaze focused in on him standing before her.
“I never thought you would visit my chamber at night.” She said with a smile, her gaze flickering over his shoulder to see Keylz. Once her eyes landed on the other warrior, they darkened.
“Did you do something to Elizabeth?” Stryme asked her directly. He had no time for beating around the bush.
She sputtered. “I had nothing to do with anything.”
He reached in and grabbed her by the shoulders. “I’m not jesting, Lele. What part did you play in this? Where is she? Am I even going to find her in the castle or the town?”
She tried to wiggle her way out of his grasp, so he tightened it.
“You are going to bruise me.” She whimpered.
“I’ll let go, once you answer my questions!” He yelled, as he bent in closer to her face. His red eyes glinted with the fierce emotions flowing through his blood stream.
“Fine. Fine!” She yelled at him. “But let me go first. It hurts.”
Finally, he released her. “What do you know?”
“I was to help her escape.” She could tell he was about to talk, and she held up her hand. “I didn't though. She never returned to the castle, after she left with Sarah and Kiyla. She must have escaped by herself or with Sarah's help.”
Stryme watched her face, while she spoke. There was no deception. He was slightly floored she hadn't helped. She was going to, but she hadn't in the end.
He left her there staring at him, as he and Keylz made their way back to the great hall. There they waited for the search groups to report back.
Once every search group returned with no sign of her, he grew worried. Had she really gone out on her own or had one of his people done something to her?
He should have left her guarded by more than just Kiyla. It wasn’t that he didn't trust Kiyla to keep an eye on Elizabeth, but there should have been another giant with them. If anything, it was his fault she had been able to escape. He had known she was sneaky, and he should have been prepared.
Kiyla had done her best. Elizabeth was a sly female who would have escaped anyone. She had escaped from him before.
Kiyla came up to him. “I should have taken them both back to the castle, when Elizabeth had grown tired of the market. I apologize for my mistake.”
He rested a hand on her shoulder in comfort. “It wasn't your fault. You had two humans to watch over. I should have sent someone else with you.”
“Do you think she made a run for it?”
“I hope not, but it is starting to look like she may have been fool enough to do it.”
Keylz walked up to them both. “There was only one other thing missing from the castle besides Elizabeth. The horse she was riding on.”
Stryme sighed again. His little human was more trouble than she was worth sometimes, but she did keep things interesting.
“Well, look on the bright side, with her you will never get bored.” Keylz echoed Stryme's exact thoughts. “I’d propose we go out with a search party and track her down, before a mountain cat decides to do the same.”
Stryme nodded.
“I already have some men and horses ready to leave when you are.”
Stryme followed him out to the courtyard. Keylz might grate on his nerves every once in a while but he could be quite useful.
Once astride his horse, Stryme turned to face all the warriors that were heading out with him. “If you find her, come and locate me. I’ll be the one to ruin her escape.”
All the men chuckled at that, before they headed out in a search pattern across the valley, hoping to pick up a trail.
Chapter 15
Elizabeth woke right before the sun lit the forest beneath its fiery tips. Her breath puffed into white clouds before her.
Last night had been one of the coldest of her life. Then again she had never spent a night outside under the stars before she had met Stryme. But she didn’t have a tent or a warm giant to lie next to.
The horse was already up and grazing on the grass nearby. He raised his head and watched her, as she stood.
She stretched her sore leg muscles and put a hand to her stomach. She felt like she was going to die of hunger.
There was no sign of the little red berries she had eaten yesterday, so she went over to a few small rocks and looked under them. There were bugs crawling around. A shiver ran through her whole body, and she placed the rock back in its place, covering the bugs back up.
“There is absolutely no way I can get myself to eat those, no matter how hungry I am.”
She looked over at the horse that was happily eating the grass. At least, one of them was able to find something to eat. She just wasn't hungry enough to try her luck with an insect.
Elizabeth decided to just keep her eyes open, as she continued to ride the horse. At some point, they were bound to come upon those little red berries again. She couldn't have seen the only bush with red berries in this entire forest.
By early afternoon, the pair took another rest.
A few birds flitted above her in the tree branches and a couple rabbits watched her with ears perked at attention. Then she saw the faeries flitting about in the tree branches.
“Hello?” Elizabeth called out to them.
She knew Stryme had warned her against making contact with such creatures, but she was getting desperate. Maybe he was wrong about their intentions or maybe they would take pity on her.
When there was no response,she decided to just sit on the soft grass and observe their movements above her. They might be her only hope of finding something to eat.
They flittered from branch to branch, gradually making their way to her. Soon they were flickering around in front of her, and she could make out their little fairy forms. They were so beautiful. Each was a different color, and each had a different looking set of wings.
They were such interesting creatures to watch as they danced around on the ground before her.
Elizabeth sighed and ke
pt her eyes on them. She was unable to glance away for even a second. She was completely distracted from the rest of the world around her and hoped they would be able to solve her hunger problems.
Stryme and his men had been out for a whole night and half a day searching for Elizabeth, with absolutely no sign of her.
“I’m impressed with how far she has ridden. You’d think she would have made more stops. It can't be comfortable riding such a large horse for so long. I also doubt she has any food on her. She must be starving by now.”
Stryme's crimson eyes flashed with anger. “How stupid can she be? First, wandering into the mountains by herself and second, bringing no food with her.”
It was like she was trying to get herself killed rather than be with him. He thought there had been something between them. Had he not shown her he had feelings? He tried to be attentive to her needs and wishes. It wasn’t like he could just let her go back to her people to form an alliance. Though he might be using the alliance as an excuse to keep her.
“Well,” Keylz reasoned, “she just wants to save her people from the rock giants. Would you not try to escape, if you were in her shoes?” He shrugged his shoulders.
Stryme would always do everything within his power to save his people, but he still thought she was being dimwitted for wandering off into the mountains.
“I just want to find her safe.”
“We will. You sent out a search party, and they will locate her. She’s a human female who doesn't know a thing about covering her trail.”
As if on cue, a warrior emerged from the forest.
“Have you found any sign of her?” Stryme asked as he sat up in his saddle.
His warriors were to keep looking until they found her, so the fact that the warrior was here was a good sign.
“I found her.” He paused and then said a little more quietly. “But when I found her she was sitting with the fairies.”
Stryme roared. “The fairies? Lead me to her now!”
