The Sprinter

Chapter 18

Eloise gaped at him. Two - two uses. Before it killed her, or erased her. She didn’t care. She didn’t care about this power. If it was that dangerous, that uncontrollable, she just wouldn’t use it. But then again, she hadn’t intended to use any power then. She just - had.

“Teach me,” she blurted out. Ronan cocked his head to the side, frowning.
“To control it. Can you teach me to control it?”

Ronan shook his head, “I don’t know. I - I’ve seen a lot of things. I’ve been alive - I’ve walked this world for centuries, Eloise. And I’ve never seen anything like that. Never. I don’t - that kind of power, I think it’s best if you just don’t touch it. It’s your choice, obviously, but - it could cost you your life.”

Eloise nodded. She didn’t ever want to feel that again. That energy. She sighed and shuffled backwards, leaning against a pillar. Her head was throbbing. She didn’t know anything. She had never known anything, and it hadn’t done her any good. Maybe - maybe it was time to learn. To see if it could help her with - with whatever this was.

“Your power,” she said, looking to Arothena, “what is it? You said no power takes the form of an element, and that no power is the same. Not exactly. What form does yours take?”

“That of a dark, winter's storm. The harsh winds, and the eye. The chaos of the waves, the lightning, and the peace of the centre. That is who I am,” she said, her voice devoid of any emotion - purely stating the facts. Eloise looked at Ronan.

“And you?” she asked.

“A mountain,” he said. She frowned, and he added, “I have the strength and power of the stone, and the ability to withstand the storms and time thrown at me. I also have a minor ability to control snow - just enough to win a snow-ball fight,” he said, his eyes twinkling with the memory of past winters. She knew he was only trying for her, to help her stay positive - after what she had discovered.

“What do we do next?”

Salene spoke, breaking off their discussion with the reality of the situation. Arothena took a deep breath.

“I think there is little doubt left that this is why King Jotkur wants you. This makes you dangerous - more so if he gets his hands on you. I know you can only use it twice, but once is probably enough for what he plans to do - to start the War,”

Eloise shuddered.

A tall man, with black hair and serpentine green eyes leaned down, lifting her face up by her chin, forcing her to meet his gaze.
“What angers you, Eloise? What is it that makes you want to hurt someone?” he asked, staring at her intently.

“Is it this?” he said. A whip cracked behind her, herald to the flash of pain that ripped down her back. She bit down on her tongue - hard. Blood filled her mouth, and her nose. She refused to wince.

“Or this?” he said, stroking her cheek with his thumb, before gripping her hard, turning her to her right. Someone else was there, tied to a chair. It was a lady, with mousy brown hair so similar to her own. She stared at Eloise with identical blue eyes. A man stepped out from the shadows, although it seemed more like a creature than a man. He had golden hair, and a cruel smile. He grabbed the lady by her shoulders, and raked his nails across her chest, leaving lines of blood in his wake. She heard someone scream. It took her a while to realize it was her. The man in front of her made her look at him again. His eyes gleamed with greed and treachery. He smiled.

“Does that make you angry? How about this,” he said, forcing her to turn by her shoulders. The lady started to tremble.

“Do not give in, my child,” she said, her voice weak and trembling, her eyes pleading.
The man behind her grabbed her, and snapped her neck, faster than Eloise could blink. She screamed. She screamed with everything in her. She -

“Eloise!”

Her eyes snapped open. It wasn’t him. It wasn’t him. It was Ronan. He gripped her by the shoulders, shaking her, his eyes wide with fear and - worry. She was in the temple. She was alright. She was safe.

“I’m alright!” she half yelled. “I’m alright,” she repeated, calming down. She was panting. Ronan let go of her.

“What happened?” Arothena asked, worry lining her face.

“I - I don’t know. It was - a memory. Just a memory. It’s gone. I’m fine,” she replied. They nodded. Ronan opened his mouth.

“Do you need -”
“I’m fine,” she said. He nodded.

“So,” Salene asked, her sweet voice laced with worry, her expression agitated. “What are you going to do now?”

“This,” Eloise replied, gesturing to herself, “changes nothing. It just proves that I need to get away as fast as possible. I’m still going to Haven Port, I’ll just have to avoid people. Just in case - in case I -” she trailed off, unable to finish the sentence. Salene nodded.

“You know,” Arothena mused, “there is another option.” Eloise raised her eyebrows.

“You could come with us. With that kind of power, you could easily defeat King Jotkur.”

Eloise shook her head fervently. There was no way that she was going back there.

“Don’t you want him dead? For what he did to you, for -”
“Yes. Yes, of course I do. But there’s no way I’m going back there. None. So please, don’t ever suggest that again. Because it’s not going to happen.” she stated, clearly and firmly. She pushed herself up off the floor. Arothena rose with her.

“I have to leave now, before the rest of the yenaki come,”

Arothena nodded. Eloise strode past her, trying to appear braver than she felt.

“Wait,” Arothena said. She stopped.
“Here,” Arothena said, walking up to her, and pressing something into her hands. Eloise looked down. It was money.

“You’re going to need it to get on a boat, and passages from Haven Port aren’t cheap,”

Eloise flicked through it. It was much more than she needed. She opened her mouth.

“I saw the Commander escape - he’ll be coming after one of us,”

Arothena nodded her thanks, understanding the payment - in the only form she could give it. Eloise marched towards the sound of the river, remembering the route that the carriage would have taken. She batted away a loose branch, refusing to look back as she disappeared from view - to her freedom.

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