The Lost Knight (Volume IV) The Lost Prince

Chapter 27: Kaula Hounds & Kangaroo Dogs

We don't stay that way for long. The Koala hounds are done, and we're both hungry. We eat in silence because I have no idea what to say to him. The quiet is pressing on my nerves. I have to say something.

"How's your shoulder?" I ask.

"Sore, but I can move it."

We compare injuries. My leg is the worst. Then Dathid's shoulder, my tooth, his lower back, and my arm. "Three to two, you win," he says.

"When are we leaving?"

"We're not. This is the rendezvous point."

My food gets stuck in my throat. "This can't be it. No one's here." Flashbacks of my time in the woods with him sear through my brain. The waiting. The endless climbing of that stupid tree. And no one coming. Then Trelix! I can't do this again.

I jump to my feet. "We have to go back! We can't leave them like we did last time."

Dathid stands, too. "Agatha, look at me."

I stare wide-eyed at him. "We left them." He, of all people, should understand how I feel. He has to feel it too.

"Oh my God, Trelix! We left him again. We have to go back."

"And do what?"

"We have to save them." I'm pacing so fast I rip open my wound. Blood runs down my leg. I can't do this again. I won't do this again. I won't sit and wait while everyone dies. "Albína! We left her! We left her in the tunnel. In the collapsed tunnel! In the dark! We have to go back. You don't understand."

"I don't understand!" His rage is like a slap in the face. "I don't understand?" he repeats incredulously. "I left my wife and daughter in that mess. Believe me, I understand."

Shame lays across my shoulders and makes me feel heavy. I never thought about what Dathid might be going through. Galia must have been a tiny baby the last time he rescued me. This time he ran off, leaving her in danger. Did he even get to say goodbye?

"I'm sorry," I whisper to the ground. "I panicked. I didn't mean anything."

It's his turn to pace. At times parts of Dathid shut off while he does what needs to be done. My stupidity reminded him of the consequences of his actions. He doesn't seem to know what to do with his hands. He reluctantly places them on top of his head, and I take a breath.

"Don't talk," he orders. "Just don't say anything else."

I can tell he needs to be alone. I grab my sweater bag and skulk off into the woods in search of food. The Koala bunnies were tasty, but they weren't very meaty. I can go much deeper now that Dathid's awake. However, I only have myself for company. That's never a good thing.

I gather a full sweater of facing moss while I beat myself up for wounding him. Accident or not, it's unforgivable, and voices I thought I'd silenced, speak up to berate me for my mistake.

I spy prey but miss and scare it off. Not only am I making a ton of noise, but I'm also lost. I'm reverting back to that weird girl I used to be.

I lie down on the soft floor of the woods. I gaze up at the sky through the colorful branches of the trees around me. I have to shut the voices down; they're not right. I just made a mistake. I'll do what I can to make amends to Dathid—later. Right now, I must remember that I've trained to handle this situation. We need to eat. We need fire. Do those two things and do not entertain any thoughts that deviate from my goal.

My voices try to fight back, but I've wrestled control away from them. I know what I'm doing, and I'm about to prove it. I track one of those kangaroo dog things that Lenox likes. It's big. It'll feed us for several days and anyone else that shows up. Hopefully, others will show up.