𝑩𝒓𝒂𝒊𝒅𝒔 𝒐𝒇 𝑮𝒐𝒍𝒅

chapter thirty-four

Emriana

"Wait, please! Stop!" I almost tripped over my nightgown and face-planted to the floor, but his strong hold on my arm kept me up. The chill air of the night slapped against the exposed skin of my legs every time I took a step. Goosebumps covered my body as I kept walking down the stone path of the castle.

"Kove! What are you doing?" I yelled again, my voice fading amongst the heavy silence of the sleeping kingdom. I looked up from the ground to see he wasn't looking at me or even seeming to acknowledge I was talking. Kove was ignoring me for some reason and I could feel my patience slowly decreasing as my questions kept being met with the distant sounds of insects chirping.

"Ah," his grip tightened on my wrist as I almost lost footing again. My eyes snapped to my feet, watching carefully the edges of the uneven stone slab on the ground. We walked a few more minutes in total darkness, him guiding me quickly through the different passages.

It made me remember the first time I met him a few weeks ago. So much had changed ever since that moment. It almost seemed like a distant dream.

I met so many new people and learned so many things. I couldn't believe how little I actually knew about the "real" world. As I learned more, I was starting to realize just how little I really knew and that made me feel conflicted. I felt angry. Grandma Roe should've told me the truth, she should've made sure I knew enough to get by, but she kept me secluded. I knew she did it to protect me from something and I was determined to find out what that was because I knew there was more to just being protective.

The way she would talk about the kingdom of Ekudal was nothing like it actually was. She used to tell me how dangerous it was and how someone like me would be hurt. I had to agree there were some dangers, but I don't think it was as bad as she described it. I wanted to know more. I wanted answers, and I think my only way would be to go back to my home and look there.

"Hurry Emriana!" Kove whispered-yelled. He tugged my wrist forward sending me flying ahead next to him. I frowned at his actions, not liking this at all. Here I was being dragged through the kingdom in the middle of the night by my friend not knowing where we were going.

I groaned, tugging at my caged arm, but his hold was too strong. I released a sigh.

After what felt like forever, my attention was caught by a faint light in the near distance. It was so far, I could have easily missed it. Kove didn't seem fazed by it as he headed straight in that direction. I looked around to see if there were perhaps other people like me, but from the dead silence surrounding us, I understood quickly that I was the only one.

As we approached the dime light, the darkness surrounding it slowly turned into a shadow, and quickly I was able to make up a person. I squinted my eyes, trying to get a better look at him as we closed the distance with him, now almost running. My breathing was ragged as we reached him, my feet hurt, only wearing a pair of slippers.

"Quick," The shadow whispered-yelled when we were close. Just like us, he was wearing a dark cloak and the hood was lowered just above his nose, making it impossible to make out his features.

"Where is it?" Kove's voice was breathy and agitated. The shadow man raised a covered arm and gestured to the left. I glanced to see a small wooden caravan pulled by two horses.

"Do you have the five hundred Quarro?" The man asked, and something in his voice was vaguely familiar, but my mind wasn't fully awake yet.

"Yes, hold on," Kove's voice came out in a higher pitch, almost like he was panicked. Finally letting go of my wrist, he reached into his pocket and took out a small coin pocket, quickly handing it to the guy, who took it hastily before glancing inside. He released a satisfied hum after a moment before walking away, but not before speaking one more time.