Crown of Shadow

Chapter 9

Amaro looked across the barely lit clearing from his hiding place waiting for the signal. He was almost directly behind the girl he was supposed to untie but just out of reach. The flash from Ailiyahs small mirror signaled him to jump into action. Just as he was almost touching the rope Ailiyah strolled across the clearing like she was on a vacation at a sunny beach.

"Hello sweetie." she said making her way to William as the rest of his men turned around.

William looked up in alarm and shaking his head said incrediously, "You really are stupid." Then he and all twenty of his men drew their own swords.

"And you should have learned not to underestimate me." she replied as she drew her own two swords.

"Surrender you are out numbered."he said warningly.

"That may be so," said Amaro walking up after freeing Andrea. "But you are clearly out matched."

Andrea quietly snuck over to her bag propped up against a log near the fire and went through the supplies. Meanwhile Amaro and Ailiyah spun into action. Amaro was made purely out of shadow swing in and out and disapearing easily. But Ailiyah was like a contagious disease affectiong everyone around her.

Andrea was still desperatly rummaging through her pack when she noticed Ailiyah start to fail. That wound in her side had to be bothering her again. She did'nt know how she had gone this long without collapsing. Andrea continued to shove supplies away until she found it. it was a small clump of grape like fruits that were a pale grayish blue color. She desperatly scooped them up and ran toward Ailiyah dodging the men trying to hit her. While Ailiyah continued to fight she showed the berries to her. "These are Bellonyre berries they should stop the pain for a while."

Ailiyah nodded and shoved the berries into her mouth and continued to fight, advancing toward William. Andrea glanced around and spotted a fallen tree branch and raced toward the fight. Before William knew it it was just him against the three blood thirsty strangers.

"You." he quavered, glancing at Ailiyah. "Your from the league arent you?'

Ailiyah simply smiled and turned toward Andrea. "Do you wish to do the honors?"

"You bet your life I would!" Andrea said stepping up toward William. "Next time you capture some one make sure they're actuallly a princess." she said, and with that she knocked him hard with her tree branch.