I crawl over to Alexander trying my best to keep quiet. He sees me out of the corner of his eye and relief spreads across his face. I put my pointer finger to my lips to remind him to keep quiet. Then I notice the black eye and gashes on his face. What happened to him?
I take the necklace and slide it through the bars. It glows red as it passes through. Alexander seems to understand what to do. He puts on the necklace and quietly comes through to the other side. I gently touch the black circle under his eye and give him a questioning look. He nods toward Chadian and I notice the sword in Chadian’s belt. Alexander’s sword.
I stand and walk into the clearing making my way to Chadian. Alexander hisses at me to stop, but I ignore him. I have to get to Zavy somehow, and Chadian is the only one who will know where she is. Alexander urges me to stop but he is being too loud and Chadian turns around and gets to his feet.
He draws his sword, but the next thing he knows I have it in my hands. I’m grateful my gift is coming back and getting stronger as the adrenaline pumps through me. I draw the sword and hold it to his neck.
“Where is Zavy?” I ask.
He swallows and I can see the fear in his eyes, similar to Codian’s. “About a days hike up ahead. You’ll have to cross a bridge over a river. Her brother is with her.”
“And my mother’s journal?” I ask, just to see if it lines up with Codian’s answer.
“Paylon took it with him.” I think about killing him right here, but I just can’t seem to do it. This is different than the guards at the castle or the army back at our camp. Killing Codian or Chadian just seems wrong. I realize I not only need to stop using my gift so often because of how tired it can make me, but also because of the monster I’m starting to turn in to.
“I’ll let you go this time, but don’t follow us.” I turn behind Chadian and with the sword to his neck I lead him to Alexander’s cage. The key around his neck allows me to shove him inside and I make him throw the unlocking necklace back through. He does and I clip it around my neck so Alexander and I each have one.
I slide the sword through my belt, and finish, “I won’t be so forgiving next time.” I return to Alexander and help him to his feet. “I suggest when you dig your way out you go back and let your brother out of my cage.” Then, Alexander and I move further into the forest in the direction of where Chadian said Zavy is being held.
Chapter 10
I match my pace with Alexander and instantly I feel the need to explain to him how I escaped from Codian. It’s almost as if I’m now always second-guessing whether or not he trusts me. If I don’t tell him every little piece of information about me will he get mad again?
“Do you want to know how I got away from Codian?” I ask him and he glances down at me.
“I just assumed you used your gift,” he says coldly, although I don’t think that was his intention. I tilt my head for a second and realize that I didn’t. I didn’t even try to.
“Actually no,” I say to him and he’s curious as to why not. “It wasn’t my first instinct. I just brought up how much better Chadian is than him and he went into a fit.”
“You outsmarted him,” Alexander says and I see a smile cross his face. “That was smart.”
We continue to walk in silence for a mile or so, just letting the sounds of our footsteps speak. Finally. Alexander says he thinks we should stop and make camp because it’s better to sleep at night and move in the daytime when we can see where we’re going. I nod and say that I think we would be safer staying up in a tree. I know that doesn’t seem the most comfortable spot, but if Codian or Chadian come after us I know we’ll be better hidden up there.
In the mix of tall palm trees are beautiful trees clothed in bright pink and yellow flowers. We come to a stop next to one that has thick branches that start low enough for us to climb. Alexander goes up first and I follow directly behind him. He stops midway and straddles a thick branch. He pulls me up and I sit in front of him. The shower of beautiful flowers conceals us up in the tree. I keep the sword I took from Chadian on my belt, ready to draw at any second. I lay my head back into Alexander’s chest and his arms instantly wrap around my waist.
“I’m sorry about your mother’s journal,” Alexander says in a weak voice.
“It’s okay. We’ll get it back,” I say, and my eyelids fall shut.
We are quiet for a long time until he says, “Adaline what’s wrong? You’re crying.” My eyes bolt open and my hand rubs my cheek. It is damp with tears. “What are you thinking about?” Alexander asks.
“Nothing,” I say, remembering what I was thinking about.
“Please, Adaline, you can tell me.” He places his hand under my chin and turns it so he’s staring into my eyes.
“I’m just scared,” I admit softly.
“Scared of?” Alexander asks, but I don’t know what the answer
