The Crown's Reflection

Chapter Fourteen: The Right Choice

"Pain is the only thing that's telling me I'm still alive."

Five days later

Elsea was fire. Everything she touched, burned and crumbled. She was infection, pain, and unending misery to the people around her. 

Snap. Snap.  "Helloooo? We're sort of in the middle of running for our lives, Elsea." Ever smiled, but there was something in his eyes that seemed tense, almost scared. Because of her. 

Something must've changed in her expression, because he grabbed her shoulders. "Stop. Spiraling in your thoughts. Not everything is your fault." Ever seemed to notice the distance between them. His gaze flickered to her lips and then back up. He took a step back, shaking his head in an internal battle. 

"Come on."

Elsea nodded, letting her chin drop to her chest to hide her face. It was habit now, to keep her face hidden. They shuffled in the now-familiar direction of their temporary shelter. 

The farmhouse smelled like horse waste and scratchy hay, but it was hidden and safe. As long as they didn't come during the day, the owner didn't detect them. Elsea greeted the snow-dappled brown mare, letting it snort air into her palm. She was almost due, from the size of the budge in her belly. She reminded her of Erebus, a name that Elsea hadn't thought about in a while. 

Everett and Elsea changed into stolen clothes and cleared a resting place in the hay. They wrapped horse blankets around themselves and attempted to fall asleep, listening to the sounds of the horses shifting. After a few moments of silence, Elsea whispered,

"Do you think it'll be tomorrow?" into the edgy air. 

A sigh. "I don't know, Elsea." 

Every night Elsea asked the same question, and he always responded with the same answer.

You made it through today. Tomorrow will be the same. 

Fate was like rain. You saw the water-filled clouds, smelled the petrichor, felt the change in the air. You could deny it, but eventually the sky opened and the rain fell. It was like wind trying to stop a leaf from drifting to the ground.  You could delay the inevitable, but eventually the leaf would brush against the floor. 

Elsea nodded, even though Ever couldn't see her. "Me neither." 

She surrendered to the suffocating press of sleep.

___
Elsea woke to Ever gently pushing her shoulder. It was still dark out, but they didn't want to risk the owner finding them. She stretched, her back sore from her uncomfortable sleeping position.

Faint footsteps sounded outside the door, heavy and ominous. Ever reacted instantly, bundling their belongings into a horse blanket and stuffing it under some hay. Elsea dove into the hay, hissing for Ever to join her. They shoveled hay over them, until all they could see was yellow. Elsea pressed her legs to her chest, focusing on Everett's presence. They held their hands against each others mouths, muffling any noise. 

The heavy doors creaked open, and boots crunched against the hay. Ever inhaled. 

There was the sound of munching, almost like an apple. Then came some sharp pats, and a male voice.

"There, there Poppy." he said, and the horse whinnied, almost as if in pain. 

Elsea realized that it was the horse that reminded her of Erebus, the pregnant mare. Please don't give birth now, she pleaded silently. Everett moved his hand from her mouth to grasp her hand, squeezing tight. The owner was probably checking on Poppy, in case she'd given birth. Minutes passed, each more tense than the last. Elsea hated that if they were caught, it would be entirely her fault that Everett was dragged into this mess. She was selfish beyond words. Putting his life at risk when he could be safely with his family.