"Well, we can't just do nothing," Ben yelled.
"Ben, lower your voice," Aria warned. "Mara is right. There isn't anything we can do. So far, they aren't trying to kill us. So shut the hell up and act normal," she said, growing tired of his stupid ideas.
"Aria, you can't be serious. We can't trust these people," he said.
"I never said that. I don't trust these people. But unless you want to be the first one killed and buried out here, I suggest you keep your thoughts to yourself," she said. It wasn’t that Aria hadn’t considered trying to escape. She was terrified of where they were heading, who these people really were. But really, what chance did they stand out here in the open?
“Let’s just get to where we’re going first, OK? And then we’ll know better what chance we might have.”
The group around them nodded in agreement.
The day went on much the same as the first. Riding for hours with short breaks for food and water. They stopped for the night in a spot that looked almost identical to the one the night before. And an endless sea of tall grass and a clear sky ahead. Aria enjoyed being in the open air, underneath the stars. Something she’d never been able to do before.
It was almost enough to make her forget the situation she was in. Make her forget that she no longer had a home, because what chance did she have of ever seeing her people again? It didn’t even matter that she was above ground, not really. Because the situation allowed for no moment to marvel in it, to appreciate everything new to her. She simply had to exist from one moment to the next. Just trying to stay alive.
On the third day of travel, Grace joined them at their fire during one of the breaks. Everyone remained quiet as Aria stood to greet her.
"Are your people rested," she asked.
Aria nodded.
"Good," Grace said, turning to face the group. "Listen up! We should be arriving sometime tonight.”
That night during their break for dinner, Aria couldn't eat. She was too worried about their arrival and what waited for them. So far, these people were the exact opposite of what she had expected of what she had been told. But that didn't mean the others would be, too.
By the looks of everyone around her, they were thinking the same thing she was.
To her surprise, Grace sent for her before they began traveling again. She made her way over to her. Aria could see mountains up ahead; they were close now.
She was a little taken aback; the sun was setting. She couldn't remember the last time something had taken her breath away.
Grace was standing at the edge of the camp. Aria silently joined her.
"Are your people feeling better, stronger?” Grace asked.
"Yes, they are. Thank you," Aria said. And she really was thankful. She was surprised that Grace cared enough to ask. Well, maybe, she didn't. Perhaps she was just making conversation. Either way, Aria was pleasantly surprised.
"Can you guarantee that your people will listen to you?" Grace asked.
"What?"
"Can you guarantee they won't go behind your back and do something stupid?" Grace asked, cocking an eyebrow.
She was beautiful in a fierce way. She had long brown hair, perfectly arched eyebrows, and sharp cheekbones.
Looking at her made Aria feel a little ugly. She had cleaned her face as best she could. But her clothes were a mess, and her hair was so dirty it looked almost gray from the grime. She could only imagine how awful she smelled.
"Why?" Aria asked.
"I hear things. Answer the question," Grace said.
"I-I don't know. But I think so. We-we're not bad people. What we've done, we've done to survive," she said.
"I believe that, Aria. I do. But we will not tolerate any disobedience. If someone here steps out of line, they will be dealt with. Can you, as their leader, accept those consequences?"
Shit. She must have heard some of the things Ben was saying. That fucking idiot.
"I can," Aria answered. She wasn't sure she was being totally honest, but it seemed to be what Grace wanted to hear.
"Okay, then. Go to your people. Make sure they understand that, as well. We'll be riding out in the next few minutes, and we should be arriving in the next few hours."
Aria nodded and went back to her friends. As soon as she sat down, they asked her if everything was okay.
"Yeah, everything's fine. For now," she said, getting up and facing everyone. "Quiet down and listen up. We will be arriving soon. No matter what or who we face, do not, under any circumstance, do or say anything stupid. Keep your mouths shut. Do not argue, do not talk back. Do as you are told. Whatever we face, we will face it together. But if anyone," she looked at Ben, “decides to act without our knowledge or consent, then that person will answer to whoever is waiting for us," she said.
After everyone nodded in understanding, she sat back down.
"Do you have something to say to me," Ben asked.
"Yeah, I told you to keep your mouth shut. We don't know what we're heading to, but so far, they've been decent to us. So don't screw that up by trying to form some sort of escape plan, okay? We aren't in any immediate danger," she said, keeping her eyes on him.
"Yet," he said.
Aria just looked at him.
She tried to eat, telling herself that she might need the strength once they arrived. But she felt the anticipation pooling in her stomach, tying it in knots.
After the sun had set, a guard told them it was time to join Grace towards the group's front. Aria waited until everyone else had gone ahead of her before she joined the line.
She could see the mountains, even closer now, up ahead. She figured they would be arriving at some sort of valley.
