The Remains of Dawn

Chapter Seventeen

Oriel woke up with a start. She sat up quickly and looked around her. Tassian was still sound asleep next to her, his hand resting on her leg now. The forest was pitch black around them, the fire had gone out a while ago. 

The sun should be rising soon, she thought to herself. We slept too long.

Looking over at Tassian, she shook him awake. He rubbed his eyes as he looked up at her. "What's wrong?" He sat up beside her. 

She needed his eyes right now. She knew that he could see better in the dark and she needed him to look for her. Oriel knew that something was wrong. Her danger radar was kicking in. Someone was here, watching them. 

"There's someone here," she whispered to him. She looked over to where Borus and Draya were supposed to be keeping watch. She heard a low, annoyed growl come out of Tassian beside her. They were both fast asleep. 

'Where are they?" Tassian whispered to her. 

Oriel shook her head. "I don't know. It feels like they're surrounding us."

Tassian kept his eyes on the forest around them. "You're just feeling one person?"

Oriel nodded. He stood up and held a hand out to her to pull her up next to him. She still couldn't control her wings. They weren't responsive to her. She was starting to think that being able to feel one person surrounding them was caused by her mind. Whoever is trying to control her mind is making her feel this presence. 

She unsheathed her swords. "I'm going to wake up Borus and Draya." She walked away from him as he unsheathed his swords as well. Oriel stalked over to the two people and nudged them with her foot. 

Borus and Draya both woke up with a start. Borus looked up at her as he crossed his arms, annoyed. "Why'd you wake us up? I was having a good dream."

Oriel rolled her eyes. "Someone's here." Draya didn't waste any time getting up. Oriel nudged Borus' foot again. "Get up." She turned away from them and walked back over to Tassian. 

Tassian shook her head at him. "Eagle, I'm not finding anyone. Are you sure you're feeling someone?" 

Oriel nodded. She was starting to get annoyed at herself. What if she was just imagining it? She was starting to not trust what was going on with her body. She was starting to get scared. "I feel one person, but that one person is surrounding us." She turned around. "I have no idea where they are." She turned back towards Tassian and pleaded with him. "There's someone here, Tassian. I don't know where, but they're here."

Tassian placed his forehead against hers. "I believe you, Eagle."

"What if my mind is breaking and no one's there?" her voice shook.

"Eagle," Tassian sighed. "If you feel there's someone out there, I will not doubt you."

Oriel nodded as that feeling of someone's presence came closer. She pulled back from Tassian to look to her right. "They're getting closer."

Tassian slightly stepped in front of her and gripped his swords tighter. The forest was eerily quiet. The birds, the insects, and the animals were quiet. Nothing stirred. Nothing moved. Goosebumps formed on Oriel's skin. 

A cracking sound came from the forest in front of them, and an arrow shot through the air towards them. They both jumped out of the way before it could hit either one of them. Oriel spun on her knee and balanced herself. She looked across from her to see Tassian standing up and ready to fight. She reached out and felt a presence in front of Tassian, but another one behind her. A presence she hadn't felt before. 

Spinning around quickly, she met swords with a woman who she recognized; Xara. Her golden eyes shined as she cocked her head to the side. "You know, Oriel," her voice flowed over her. "I don't want to do this."