Forest of Dreams

Chapter six

I woke before Thaniel, still exhausted. I pulled away from him, trying not to disturb him, and took a little walk to stretch my legs. I ached all over and was freezing to the core. I felt weak, and scared. Although I could now make it to Qren I had nothing. No money, not even any dry clothes. I was beyond tears, I simply sat with a deep-rooted feeling of dread in my stomach.

Thaniel stirred and looked up at me, seeming confused that I was no longer laying with him.

'I needed to stretch my legs,' I explained 'I haven't been awake very long. I don't know what to do, when I get to Qren. Ayol took my money. They have all my things.'

'You figure something out,' he said dismissively, 'a pretty girl like you won't struggle for long. Follow the river and you'll be there in half a day. You'll see it once the river turns east.'

'Thanks,' I said, although I wasn't sure what for.

'We should try to warm up, before we both set off, or we'll struggle on our journeys.'

'How?' I asked.

He took a step closer to me, looking at my still-wet clothes, then reached out and pulled me roughly towards him, both of his hands on my back. He moved them lower.

'No. Get off me!' I cried, struggling to push him away.

'You'll enjoy it,' he snickered, 'we both will.'

'No!' I shouted, louder this time. I pushed at his face, startling him, giving me enough time to get out of his hold but he was on me again too quickly, pulling me to the floor. I was screaming, loudly, hoping we were close enough to Qren that there might be other travellers around to hear me.

He was on top of me now. I was on my back, on the floor, his hands on my wrists. He tried to force his tongue into my mouth but I turned my head to the side. He bit my bottom lip, hard, making me cry out in pain. He smirked, a sadistic smile on his lips. 'Just relax and enjoy yourself,' he said mockingly. He sat up, kneeling on top of me, and undid his belt as I clawed at him, trying to push him off. His belt – it reminded me. I had the dagger in mine. If it was real. If it was still there and I hadn't dreamt it. I reached my hand down to my waistband.

'That's it, get ready for me,' he jeered, thinking I was making a move to undo my trousers. He disgusted me. I felt pure rage. I put my hand under my top as I kept eye contact with him, distracting him. My fingers touched cool metal. It was real. I moved as fast as I could – grabbing the knife in an overhand grip and plunging it into the side of his thigh. He screamed, in shock and pain. I pulled it back and stabbed again before he had worked out what had happened. He clutched his thigh, blood oozing between his fingers, still on top of me.

Then voices. I heard voices, coming from the right, between the trees.

'Help!' I screamed repeatedly, as loud as I could, to guide them to me.

A man appeared, running towards us. It was Garrett. I'd never expected to be happy to see his face.

He lunged at Thaniel, slamming him face down on the floor and kneeling on top of him. He tied his wrists together and then his ankles while Thaniel was still moaning in pain. When Garrett had secured him he looked at his leg, then tied rope tightly around the top of his thigh in a tourniquet to stem the bleeding.

Garrett looked over to me. I was in shock. I laid there, propping myself up on my elbows, open mouthed, watching. Then looked at my hand, covered in Thaniel's blood.

'Are you ok?' he asked, looking over at me.

I opened my mouth to answer, but I couldn't speak. I heard hurried footsteps, then Ayol emerged from the trees. He looked at Garrett and Thaniel, then to me. He came and knelt down beside me.