Forest of Dreams

Chapter four

I felt bolstered in the morning and as I laid listening to the morning forest air I regrouped to make a plan. I wanted to try and understand the route - I realised that I would be in a better position to make an escape once we were on the open road, or at least close to it. I could make a faster getaway than I would on the uneven ground of the forest, and Ayol and Garrett might not watch me so closely, with Thaniel being the main concern and with other distractions on the main road to Qren.

I sat close to Thaniel as we ate in the morning and caught his eye. 'How are you?' I asked quietly when Ayol and Garrett were preoccupied.

'I'm ok. Are you? You look rested today.' He had a gentle voice, quiet and mellow. He was well-spoken, I wondered if he was high born.

'How long have you been with them?' I asked, not looking at him, hoping our captors wouldn't notice we were talking.

'About a week before you came. I think. I've lost track of time.'

'What happened?'

'They kidnapped me in Nenolin. I was there visiting family. They waited in the street for me to leave a tavern then they beat me, tied me up and forced me into the forest in the dark.'

'That's horrible.'

'They are horrible. They might be nice to you so you give them less trouble. But they're ruthless. Don't trust them.'

'What will happen to us when we get to Qren? Do you know?'

'They'll take me to the prison, and then unless I can prove I'm not the wanted man I'll be hanged. No-one knows I'm here, that's why they took me the way they did, so no-one can help me. And they'll get paid their gold. They get a fee from the crown for escaped prisoners, but the woman who was murdered was from a wealthy family – the family have probably paid them handsomely as well. That's why they just need to bring someone back, even if it's not the right person.'

We were interrupted as Ayol came over, handing us both something to eat. He ordered Thaniel to move further away from me, which he did without argument.

I observed Ayol and Garrett as I ate - silent, still, sombre, deadly. The way they carried themselves, the way they moved, I could tell they were dangerous. Everything Thaniel had said made sense. The friendly chat from Garrett and the sympathy from Ayol when he found me crying on Sivia, it was all an act.

___

My legs were beginning to ache from the relentless walking. The forest was dark in this part – the trees were huge, with a thick canopy blotting out most of the daylight. The air was close and it was eerily quiet, like the life had been squeezed out of forest. We walked in silence but I couldn't hear any trace of birds or animals, only the soft thud of our feet on the ground. I felt on edge, I wasn't sure it if was because of the stifling quietness or because of the conversation with Thaniel in the morning. I watched him now as I walked behind him. He had an athletic build but was slender, he would have stood no chance with these two men descending on him in a dark street. Clearly he didn't have any belongings with him. It looked like they'd given him a jacket to wear, it seemed out of place in comparison to the luxurious clothes he was wearing underneath, they looked tatty now but were made of fine dark grey fabric with silver trim. I felt desperately sorry for him, uprooted like that and being led to his doom.

I stumbled on a bit of uneven ground, I had been so lost in thought, I hadn't been concentrating. Ayol put his hand around my upper arm to steady me. I shrugged him off. Neither of us said a word and I didn't look round. I didn't want to look at him. I'd let my guard down too much with him already, with both of them. I needed to remember they were my enemies and not succumb to their charm.