I actually felt his pain. It shot through my heart like a knife. It was very strange; feeling what someone else was feeling. I had enough problems keeping my own emotions under control; now having to add his into the mix was going to be a challenge. I held his hand tighter and knew that I’d distracted him enough with our conversation that he wouldn’t worry so much about the repercussions from the men headed toward his home.
“Where are we going, again?” I whispered.
“There is a hidden bridge Poseidon built connecting Cleito’s palace with Melic. Very few know of it as it’s in an area even fewer venture to, and is older than many who live here. I found it by accident a few centuries ago, although I think perhaps it was less accident and more the will of Poseidon that guided me toward it. We’ll have to be quiet until we get deeper into the mountains of Melic. I’m not sure if others will be out tonight.” I nodded, squeezing his hand and trying not to be nervous.
I again felt Raif tense beside me as we approached the land bridge connecting us to Melic. He’d explained earlier that this would be one of our most vulnerable moments, as we were completely exposed and unable to hide. We’d have to cross as if we were not up to any mischief and hope we wouldn’t run into anyone else. I felt his trepidation as we started walking. We were lucky that it was extremely dark here at night. It was so dark I couldn’t see two feet in front of my face. His hand gripping mine was a lifesaver. The only way that we were going to be seen by anyone was if they walked directly into us. I forced myself to relax and sent the feeling of relaxed encouragement to Raif, or so I hoped.
Apparently, the gods were with us tonight, as we didn’t encounter anyone else. Raif visibly relaxed once we were on Melic. Veering off the old path onto a small deer trail, we made our way into the mountains where Poseidon’s hidden bridge was.
I’d thought the night was dark before, but the farther we traveled into the inky blackness of the forest, the darker it became. It was filled with sounds of night animals out hunting and I was profoundly grateful for the strength of the man walking next to me. As brave as I tried to be, I still appreciated having his hand to hold. I looked at our intertwined hands, but couldn’t even see them in the dark. I had no idea how he could see where he was going in the pitch black of the forest around us. When I asked, he just grunted and kept on walking.
“Is that just another magical trait of Atlanteans? You all have night vision? Michael told me about the gifts, so if you won’t tell me if this is your talent, just tell me if anyone else can do this. I personally can’t see a thing and am a bit freaked out by it.” My unease released itself in its natural form of bitchy irritation. He slowed next to me and seemed to be gathering his thoughts. When he spoke, his voice was gravelly and rough like he’d been chewing rocks.
“It is the talent of my clan, though there are others who have the capabilities. It is difficult for me to speak while I am like this, but I will explain when we stop for food. We must hurry.” I felt a sense of urgency, hiding a pang of regret from him so I muttered my thanks and continued on in silence.
We remained a quiet pair until we reached the foot of the mountains. The forest covered about a third of the mountain terrain, and we were going half that distance tonight. I had looked for the mountains when Raif was explaining our journey earlier, and was fooled into thinking that they weren’t very ominous. They were steeper than they appeared from far off, and I was having difficulty, especially since I couldn’t see a thing. It really irked me to struggle so much, but I never was much of a hiker. I had to cling to Raif’s arm because I couldn’t see, and was constantly tripping over things. I was beginning to think that it had been a mistake to attempt to navigate the mountain in the dark. With how thick the woods were and how remote the area was that we were in, no one would’ve seen us. I was beyond annoyed, and struggling for breath just to take another step.
He finally brought us to a stop, picked me up, and placed me on a boulder. My breath came in quick gasps and he was barely breathing hard at all. I felt out of shape and silly, so of course I bristled. I heard him walk away and I had to calm the panic that threatened to set in. I was alone in a strange place, ridiculously out of shape, and couldn’t see a damn thing. I knew he wouldn’t leave me, but the fear that had been barely restrained threatened to surface. Thankfully, he returned moments later with firewood. I heard a few whispered, guttural words and the logs lit.
It was peaceful sitting next to the small fire with Raif. We didn’t need it for the warmth, but I had a feeling he was placating my need to see my surroundings. The noises of the forest had picked up around our small makeshift camp, and it was comforting to be able to see the space around us.
“I thought we couldn’t stop until we reached the base of Cleito’s castle? I can keep going,” I said between gasps for breath. I didn’t want to appear as out of
